Including a Pup in Family Portaits

This was, by far, one of my favorite family/pet sessions. Potato was adopted into Lina and Jared's family the week of the photo shoot, and she was still learning the ropes about being a puppy! My lens and I got a lot of puppy kisses, and a few little nips. The best part was getting to play with Potato to get her to run around and have those adorable ears be all sorts of floppy!

From working with such a young puppy, we learned a few tips and tricks that can help you make your pet portrait or family portrait more successful.

1. Ask your client to bring an assortment of toys and treats to the session.

2. Use a wire or flash mount accessory to hold a toy (like a ball or something bright and attention-catching) to the top of your camera lens.

3. Bring a blanket to capture some seated or even laying down shots to better include their beloved dog.

Here are some photos from the session. Meet Potato, Jared, and Lina.