Tuesday Photo Tip #4: How to Get Your Pup Picture-Ready
Tips and hints for including your beloved canine family members.
We would never under value the importance of including your often most devoted family member in your portrait session. Dogs are often at the center of family life and family portraits and deserve their own tips and hints. Here are a few:
5 TIPS FOR A TAIL-WAGGING SESSION
Start with a friendly hello: Introduce your beloved fur family member to the photographer at the beginning of the session for pats and a “good dog.” A warm greeting helps your pup feel safe and relaxed with someone new.
Keep it short: Kids can handle almost anything when they know it ends. Let them know it's a quick session, and then it's reward time.
Bring the good stuff: Provide your photographer with a few high-value treats. Pack your dog’s absolute favorites, the ones they’d do anything for. A well-timed reward keeps them motivated, focused, and happy to hold that perfect pose.
Share their secret signals: Slip the photographer a cherished squeaky toy or let them know about any alerting sounds, like a meow, a whistle, or a high-pitched call. These little attention-getters are the key to perked-up ears and curious head tilts.
Let us be the leader of the pack: During the session, keep your eyes on the camera, not your pup, with joy in your eyes. It’s tempting to watch your dog, but we’ll handle getting their attention.
Fun Fact: MugsyClicks was named after founder Linda Russell’s adventurous Scottish Terrier named Mugsy.
Photographed by Nicole Schlaeppi
Rule Breaker Success: Guidelines help create a strong foundation, but they aren’t set in stone. Here, the couple skipped the ‘eyes on the camera’ tip. Their shared glance reminds you of all the love that created this family.
That’s Tuesday Photo Tip #4! Stay tuned, because another quick tip will come fetching its way.
