Dog Photoshoot: Capture Your Best Friend’s Spark

How to photograph dogs? Tiny dogs. Fluffy dogs. Big dogs. Puppies, old, and everything in between.

Here’s what I do focus on:

Work with the light: direction, quality, and availability.

Expose intentionally (and sometimes a little darker than is “correct”)

Choose backgrounds that support the dog’s colour and coat.

Position and frame thoughtfully based on size and distance.

Remove colour casts in editing.

Pay attention to what that dog needs, not the one in my mind.

The frame and perspective

Small dogs often need to be higher: a bench, a chair, a rock. If not they get swallowed by the elements like grass or leaves.

Bigger dogs need more space. Take a few steps back to keep them fully in the frame.

Remember that the closer you are, the shallower your depth of field. That means focus will be razor thin with small dogs up close. For bigger dogs shot further back, more will stay sharp. That may mean more of your background is in focus.

All dogs will look better when you get down. Eye level. You can see that as good exercise. For tiny dogs, your camera is almost on the floor. For big dogs, you need to play with the height and angle to capture the right position.

No magic settings, just practical adjustments

The light

This is the secret ingredient.

Whether I’m photographing a white Japanese Spitz, a black Pit Bull Terrier, or a fluffy cream mix, I’m always asking:

Where does the light come from?

How bright is it?

How is it interacting with their hairy coat? Any reflections?

For white dogs or dogs with other white parts like their stripes, faces, or collars, you need to be especially careful with exposure as it can easily be too bright.

Keep an eye on your highlights. Turn on zebra stripes or your histogram if your camera has the option. Slight underexposure helps preserve detail in white coats. You can fix it up later in Photoshop while editing.

Remember: it’s always easier to bring back details in shadows, than it is in blown highlights.

And most importantly all dogs, regardless of coat colour, texture, or size, need good ambient light on their face. Not harsh light. Not patchy dappled sunlight. Not the middle of the deepest, darkest woods. Every dog looks better with a good amount of soft, ambient light on their face.

Gear, Settings & Exposure

There are no breed-specific camera settings. A good eye will always be more powerful than any expensive camera. It’s all about vision and control.

What matters is:

Your exposure (based on light and coat colour)

Your depth of field (based on how close you are and how many dogs are in frame)

Your shutter speed (especially for action shooting, or fidgety puppies)

Look at the situation in front of you. Do you have a running puppy? Maybe raise that shutter speed. Is the depth of field too narrow with your tiny chihuahua? Consider playing with the aperture. You always need to adapt to the situation and be ready no matter what.

Are you photographing a white dog with some strong backlight? Consider changing your settings so the majority of the dog is slightly under-exposed, preserving details in the brightest parts of the fur.

Different types of dogs

How to photograph untrained or hard-to-manage dogs?

There is no magical solution. But don’t worry we have two options:

Let them be wild and hope to catch candid moments. When you don’t plan anything and let the scene play out, this is where you get the best cliche. This can work beautifully, but only if you’ve got a good location, the patience, the right gears, and the reflexes.

Manage the situation

Use a leash. Tie them safely to something. Have a helper if necessary.

There’s no shame in it. Don’t forget that the leash can be remove later on through editing which facilitate the shooting.

Train them. This isn’t practical if it’s your brand new 8 week old puppy, or a client dog. But if it’s YOUR dog that doesn’t have a stay, training them to stay is a viable 3rd option.

Editing

All I’m doing in editing is responding to what’s there.

I remove colour casts (especially on white or black dogs). I want the coat to reflect the right colour.

I play with the shadows. When brightening white dogs, I watch the highlights. Guide the eye, add contrast where needed.

It’s tempting to see a black dog and panic. To see a giant St. Bernard and wonder how it is going to fit in the frame. To meet a jumpy puppy and feel like you’re doing it wrong. But you’re not.

The magic isn’t in the breed or the settings. It’s in how you see, and how you respond to it. How you notice your surroundings, the light and backgrounds. How you manage your settings and where you position the dog into the frame. How you play with the scene. That’s the heart of any great pictures of our best friends. Not just what buttons to press, but how to notice, adapt, and make intentional choices to create the best memories.

Book your dog-friendly session today and let’s capture that tail-wagging joy forever!