Our fur babies quickly become an essential part of the family, so here are my top tips for including your dog in your family photos!
Don’t Forget the Necessities
I know that when you are leaving the house with little ones there always seems to be so much you need to bring with you, but don’t forget the essentials for your fur babies too! If we are having a session outdoors be sure to pack a leash, poop bags, treats, and even a toy if you’d like! Additionally, since the Florida heat can be hard for pups and humans alike feel free to pack some water for your dog too!
Give Them Time to Settle In
For most dogs arriving to a new location means that they will have lots of things they want to sniff and explore. So, if you are planning to include your dog in family photos I would recommend arriving a bit early to give your pup time to sniff all around and familiarize themselves with the area! With luck, your dog will do their business too and then will be ready to settle in for a family snuggle when it’s camera time!
Let Them Warm Up
On the other hand, if you are planning on having photos in your home for a lifestyle newborn session, I’d recommend giving your dog plenty of time to warm up to your photographer! Hopefully your photographer is a dog-lover like me and with any luck your photographer will be their new bestie in no time. But, I’d recommend incorporating your dog into your indoor photos a little later on in the session once they’ve had time to warm up to your photographer!
Bring an Extra Set of Hands
Of all of my tips for including your dog in your family photos, this is the most important one in my opinion! We won’t be photographing your dog for your entire session, simply because they likely will want a break to go have some fun. With that in mind, I highly recommend bringing someone with you to keep an eye on your pup when they aren’t in the photos. This tip can also be really helpful if you bring one of your dog’s favorite humans because they can help me grab their attention a little bit easier!
Have Fun & Love on Your Dog
Every dog is different and will handle family photos in their own way, just like little ones! That being said, don’t stress about getting your dog to pose perfectly. Instead, focus on having fun with your fur baby and your human babies!
Audrey Hoover Photography is a Central Florida photographer that specializes in newborn, maternity and family photography. Located in Daytona Beach, Audrey provides photography sessions on location throughout the greater Central Florida area including New Smyrna Beach, Ponce Inlet, Port Orange, Winter Park, Windermere, Lake Mary, Sanford & beyond!
Thanks for stopping by! I would love to tell you more about a photography session. My goal is to make the entire process enjoyable and stress free for our clients. During the planning process, I guide my clients every step of the way including styling the whole family so that you coordinate perfectly for your session, as well as providing access for moms to the client wardrobe.
If you want to learn more, click here to begin planning your session or to see more of my newborn, maternity and family session portfolios. If you would like to reserve your session date on my calendar, please complete the contact form in the menu or email me at audreyhooverphoto@gmail.com.
