I N S P I R A T I O N P A C K
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
ABOUT YOUR CANINE PORTRAIT SHOOT
INSPIRATION
It's always a good idea to create a vision for your shoot, so when you come to plan your location and outfit, it all has a coherent look. The best way I find to do this, is creating a vision board on Pinterest! Here you can search just about anything to find inspiration. If you need any help with this - just give me a shout.
This way we can look over any ideas you have just by pulling up the board on your shoot day. Although please be aware that different light conditions and other daily variables can affect the ambiance of your photos, so it's not always possible to create the EXACT same image - vision boards are more of a guide than an absolute!
LOCATION
As you're looking through the photos that inspire you, make note of the locations they're taken in. The setting of your shoot can massively determine the ambience of your photos. For instance, the light and bright ambiance of the beach on a summers evening as the sun is low in the sky will have a very different feel to being in the woods when the trees are full with leaves creating a lot of shade.
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Not sure about your location? Send me pictures and videos ahead of time. If your shoot is not at the beach or woods, look for a nice field with wild growth and trees in the distance!
PREPARATION
FOR YOU
My BIGGEST piece of advice when picking your outfit is.. go for something completely timeless! The goal is to be able to look back on your photos in years to come, and LOVE them just as much as the first time you saw them.
I'm here to capture the intimate and unique bond you share with your dogs, so by keeping to neutral colours and tones with your outfit choices, and avoiding bright colours and heavy patterns, this means there are no distractions for the eye.
During your shoot, I would highly recommend having a second outfit to change in to, or some layers and accessories that can be swapped throughout in order to capture a nice, wide variety of photos all in the one shoot!
Even if you aren't planning on being in the photos, I would encourage you to bring along some nice clothes just in case. 99% of the people who don't plan on being in them, do end up joining in once we get going!
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The look you choose to go for is likely to be influenced by the time of year and location of your shoot. But my three top picks would be casual, country, summery or winter woolies!!
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CASUAL
Not wanting to look too dressed up in your images? This is the look for you! Why not try out some of the below ideas to achieve that 'fashionably relaxed' look.
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Jeans and a casual top, polo or shirt are a go-to, classic look for most photo shoots - you can't go wrong! Or how about a cosy jumper with earthy tones? Add a scarf to give you both something to cozy up in! You'll not regret keeping it neutral!
PREPARATION
FOR YOUR DOG
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Making sure your dog is looking their best for the occasion is equally as important while we're capturing those timeless memories that you're going to treasure for years to come! Please make sure your dog is as well presented as possible on the day - there's only so much touching up we can do in Photoshop!
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I will be looking to capture the personality of each dog as an individual - whether they're a busy bee who never stops fidgeting, or the chilled type who doesn't stray far from their human's side! Whatever their personality, I have some tips on how to get them ready and make the most out of their shoot.
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FOR MORE INSPIRATION
EXPECTATIONS
ON THE DAY
On the day of your shoot, I will meet you at the location of your choice where we will have a chat about your vision for your shoot. It is helpful if you have some ideas before I arrive, but don't worry, I will be there to guide you along too!
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Any extra friends or family members you can bring along to help hold, maneuver and get the dogs attention will come in handy!!
I come armed with treats, squeaky toys, umbrellas (you name it!) to get the dogs attention and engagement - my trick bag! Please do being along a ball and some of their favourite toys and treats too.
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Your dogs should be all pampered and ready for my arrival as to not waste precious shoot time. If they require a walk before hand to settle their excitement, please make sure you do this prior to us meeting.
The typical shoot lasts up to 1 hour. There is no set schedule – I like to keep the photo shoots relaxed and fun, tailoring them to you and what you hope to get out of them.
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Having said that, we often spend time capturing a mix of headshots, action shots and group shots of you and your dogs having a cuddle and play!
EXPECTATIONS
AFTER YOUR SHOOT
Your shoot will typically leave me with several hundred images to work through - yikes! I go away and work my magic on your photos, editing and enhancing them till I am happy with the finished piece.
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You will then receive a link and password for your own private online gallery. I recommend you pop the kettle on, sit down with a nice cuppa, some of your favourite music on, and enjoy your photos!
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Depending on your chosen package, I aim to present you with 30 - 100 photos in your gallery. Your gallery should take about a week to turn around, however may take up to 2 weeks during busy periods (yes, I'm talking about Summer!) but I promise it will be worth the wait!
​All of your photos will go through an initial editing process before they are uploaded into your gallery for viewing. Cloudy or grey days are actually something to be celebrated - no more squinting from the sunlight.
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With the shorter days around Autumn and Spring time, the sun remaining low in the sky gives us an extended golden hour just after sunrise and before sunset where the light is soft and has a beautiful warm glow - which is SO dreamy for photos!!
