How do dog photography session work?
PROFESSIONAL DOG PHOTOGRAPHY SESSIONS
Would you love to have professional dog photography session taken of your dog, but you are unsure how it all works and are worried that your dog might not be on his or her best behaviour? This blog will tell you all you need to know about my dog photography sessions, how they work, what to expect and how to prepare your dog and yourself.
First of all, I’d like to do some myth-busting! One thing I hear dog owners say over and over again, is that their dog won’t sit still long enough to have their photo taken. I can assure you – you’re dog won’t need to sit still for very long at all, I am very quick with the shutter button, have a few tricks up my sleeve and bags of patience! The next thing dog owners say, is that their dog can’t be off lead. That’s no problem either, we’ll keep your dog on lead and I let it magically disappear in post-processing.
Before your session, we’ll have a chat about the ideal location and the type of photographs you would like. I love everything from the beach, to woods, parks and mountains and would be more than happy to recommend locations. Most important to me is a safe location at which you and your dog feel comfortable and relaxed.
On the day of the session, we will go for a walk and give your dog a chance to get used to me and the camera.
You might be worried that your dog is too hyper, shy, not on his/her best behaviour, etc… But I know from many years of experience, we will get great shots regardless!
Your dog picks up your feelings and emotions, so relax and have fun! From my perspective, your dog is not doing anything wrong. I want your dog’s personality to shine, so it’s best to keep things light and fun (and yes, sometimes a little chaotic). The goal is to get a wide variety of photographs from portraits to action shots and fun candids.
I’ll normally start with some action shots to let your dog release a little energy and once they settle we’ll go for the portraits. Your dog sets the pace of the session and the flow will be adjusted to allow for your dog to comfortable.
The photo sessions on average take about 60-90 minutes, depending on the dogs energy level and how much variety we go for. We’ll continue until we got as many great photographs as possible. Teamwork makes the dream work! Expect to help with a bit of wrangling and know that I will direct you as we go through the session.
Safety first! Before and throughout the session, please let me know if you have any concerns about other dogs, people, roads, or anything else… I want you and your dog to feel comfortable and be safe.
I love to get owners involved in the photo session as well. When was the last time you were professionally photographed yourself? Why not use this opportunity and get some stunning portraits of you and your best friend together!
After the photo session, I will head home, upload your photos to my computer, back them up and start the post-processing. Within approx. 2 weeks the photos will be ready for you to view! Once you have seen your photographs, I will also show you my beautiful product samples, to make it easier for you to choose the perfect product for your home! This can be anything from wall art to folio boxes, albums and much more, there are plenty of options for you to choose from.
I hope you enjoyed this blog post! Hopefully, I have been able to answer some of your questions. If you’d like to know more about or would like to book a session for your dog, please get in touch. I’d love to have a chat and create the perfect session for you.
What my clients had to say…
PROFESSIONAL DOG PHOTOGRAPHY SESSIONS
I could not recommend Iska enough. She photographed our furbaby Ralphie as a puppy and at a year old. It’s hard to convey in words just how beautiful the images that Iska took are! Iska is lovely and easy to get along with, we really gelled with her and have now even booked her for our wedding!
Iska is a fantastic photographer, she made the process great fun from start to finish. I have used her for both equine and dog sessions and the ideas she has are brilliant. Most recently she photographed my German Shepherd Eddie in Aberdeen and the photos are beautiful.
I booked Iska for a photoshoot with my two labs as a surprise Christmas gift for my husband. The session was a fab experience, loved it… and the dogs had great fun too. Iska had great ideas and the results were stunning. There were so many fantastic photos. Iska managed to capture my dogs very different personalities perfectly – I felt a little emotional when I saw our 30×30 inch multi-aperture frame. It’s beautiful. She’s an incredible talent – I’ll be booking another session when I add to my pack!
My daughter Tamzin and I had the pleasure of seeing Iska working her magic during our photo session with our horse Buster. We would certainly recommend Iska, she is a very professional and talented photographer, lots of patience too. We just adore the photos she took of our boy Buster.
Iska has the patience of a saint and her love for animals certainly comes across in her work. Iska took photographs of my young puppy and she was so creative which resulted in amazing photographs. She also took some of my older little dog who wasn’t really interested but the results were fantastic. In fact I ordered an aluminium panel which took me breath away when it arrived – it was fantastic! The quality of Iska’s work is second to none, which is reflected in her conscientious approach and professional attitude. Thoroughly recommend her.
Highly recommend Iska. She kindly photographed my horse last November. She is professional and friendly and I had so many fantastic images to choose from. If you are considering a professional photoshoot for your horse or dog, please contact Iska and you won’t be disappointed.
We are delighted with the photos Iska took of our pony they are a treasured keep sake , she was both friendly and professional with great attention to detail and she made us feel at ease. Iska is clearly experienced with animals and knew how to get the best from them and their owners.
Iska had the ultimate challenge photographing my labradors (all five of them) on a snowy day in December. She captured some amazing images which I will now treasure for years to come. It’s clear to see how much time and dedication she puts into her work from the unique quality of her photographs. Extremely professional service who I would highly recommend.