Photographing Dogs Without a Hassle

I have been a professional photographer for over fifteen years. Most of my subjects have been children in a portrait setting. Because most families have a favorite pet, usually dogs, I am often asked to photograph them as well.

To get the dogs attention you need to express excitement and get the ears to perk up. In an upbeat voice ask the dog questions like, "Do you want a treat?" "Who's there?" Be sure to have plenty of treats, and follow through with the offer. You're going to do this often. Make sure when you are photographing pets that you are working in a confined space. A small room or a basement area with a door woks well. This way the dog doesn't disappear. Keep in mind, their attention span is quite short!

The next thing is to make sure that before the session that the dog has been well exercised. A long walk and possibly a run at the park would work well. The more you exercise your pup the more tired it will be. This way he will find sitting or lying down would be a great idea, and will probably be a lot more cooperative for the session.

With very small dogs, to get them to stay in place, you will find that they have a natural instinct in them to be afraid of heights. You want to get them up high enough that they are afraid to jump, and they will stay where you want them to. It's always smart to have a spotter beside the dog as well.

Using squeaky toys and rattles to get their attention is helpful; however, a master's voice can usually do the trick to get the dog's perky attention. Having a supply of toys, bones and hopefully one of the dog's favorites is always good to have on hand.

When photographing larger dogs, you'll usually find that they have a great relationship with their owners. They normally are well behaved and pay a lot of attention to them. You will find that they will take direction and be more cooperative if the owner is there. It's almost impossible for a stranger to come in and start training other people's dogs. Have the owner there with plenty of treats to keep the dog happy and responsive.

Lastly, you have to consider how you want to see the final photograph. You need to get down on the dogs level and if you can't physically get close enough to the pet, have your zoom lens ready. The faster you shoot, the better your chances are of getting that perfect shot!