Abby’s Portrait Session
With Abby’s awesome parents we planned a sunset dog portrait session at a park in the heart of Atlanta. Abby, an adorable Golden Doodle, was excited and ready to go on the day of her photoshoot. She was spunky and so attentive to both of her parents making for some pretty epic portraits. We had such a magical time wandering around the park and capturing amazing photographs of her. She gave us her smiles, some signature head tilts, and even a few serious faces. This session was one for the books, literally. I’ve been so excited to share more about this session with everyone so that you can learn a bit more about how pet portraits work with me by breaking it down into steps!
1. Greetings
As we arrived at the agreed upon session location, I took some time to introduce myself to my client and Abby. I let Abby get a sense of my presence and vibe. I talk through how Abby’s session will run and confirmed her known commands and any special tricks. After our chat, I started to snap some photos of the ground so that Abby could hear the sound the camera makes when the shutter closes and opens. It is important for pets to acclimate to me and the camera because it will look like a ginormous eye staring right at them which can be disarming for some pets. As we got to know one another and get comfortable, I got my camera ready to use.
It is important to note that I focused on positive reinforcement to let Abby know she was doing a great job of ignoring the sound and the object. If a pet has no reaction or noticeable change in behavior, we will shift quickly into photographing since most pets love to move quickly. If the pet shows a reaction or nervousness, we will continue acclimating to one another with lots of treats and positive reinforcement. We’ll take it slow and steady.
2. Test photographs
I found a little tree stump nearby to keep getting comfortable. Abby’s human helped me out with keeping her on leash and helping to direct her body position and attention (mostly with treats). I continued to monitor her for signs of nervousness with me and the camera. She was a little champ, so we continued along with our photographs.
3. Portraits
Snap away! I took a couple of test snaps at each location to make sure we could capture what I was envisioning in the moment. I like to ensure we’ve got all the right ingredients to create a fantastic portrait. Then, I guided my client and Abby into position and reassured them if she moved needed to adjust that is totally, okay. The most important things is that both the dog and human are safe and relaxed.
Generally, my client will be holding a treat or a favorite toy to get the wait from the pet and stay very close to them as they remain on leash. Abby was very treat motivated and loved the squeaker sounds we surprised her with to get her attention right at the camera. To get those amazing attentive looks, I’ll throw in a few noises or squirrel looking tricks. This helps a pet gaze straight towards me and thus at the camera. Additionally, we love some photographs of companion looks where the pet has angled its head and gaze up toward their human companion (see the image on the left below).
4. Water and Treats!
With each new position and scene, we took a break for water and most importantly treats. We all need a break, right?! We ensured Abby was relaxed and having a good time. She loved posing with her parents and gave us some amazing looks that made us all just want to snuggle her up.
5. Wrap up
As we wrapped up the pet portrait session, we talked through next steps like scheduling a photo reveal appointment where we walk through all of the amazing images and select artwork, yay! From there I went home and prepared the images with some post-production retouches. This is the part where I retouch the images to remove leashes, remove any spots or distractions, and ensure the photographs look amazing of Abby. At the photo reveal appointment, we selected the artwork and delivered!
The artwork is amazing because it is customized for each client and pet beholding their special bond and encapsulating moments from their journey together. Each client will have an opportunity to select photos for a personalized album or a framed canvas to hang in your home.
Want your own customized pet portrait session for you and your pet? Head over to the contact page and book your complimentary consultation call with me to learn more information about creating beautiful portraits of your pet.
