Including Pets in Your Family Photo Session

When I have my clients fill out their lead form, I ask them to describe their family to me — what their interests are, what activities they enjoy doing together, and what they love. Many times, their pets are the first things to come up. Your fur babies are a part of your family, and we should celebrate that in your family and newborn photos! My clients are always welcome to include their dogs in their sessions — whether its a peaceful newborn session in the studio, a joyous family session outdoors, or a cozy session at your home! Read on to see some examples of how I’ve worked with families to incorporate their pets in the past and learn some tips for how to make your session seamless.

Are Dogs Welcome in Your Studio?

My lifestyle studio in Northeast Minneapolis is dog-friendly! Not only can this setting be great for family sessions, but we can incorporate your dog into your newborn shoot as well. Because I am a lifestyle photographer, we won’t focus on trying to get your dog to look into the camera lens in every shot. However, over the past ten years, I’ve learned a lot about how to help you capture some adorable images with your furry family members! The most recent trick I’ve learned — putting a goldfish cracker in the baby basket! This can be a sneaky way to make your dog sniff your baby’s head and create some connection between the two. I would absolutely recommend bringing a treat or a favorite toy to your session. My dog’s personal favorites are always from Chuck and Don’s, but you should bring whatever you know your puppy likes best! For a recent family I photographed, that was just cubes of cheese! Choosing to include your dog in your studio session is such a sweet and sentimental way to capture whatever milestone you are celebrating with your photo session!

Can My Dog be a Part of My Outdoor Photo Session?

Including your dog in your outdoor session can be a fun way to make sure you capture your whole family in your pictures! I have a list of dog-friendly locations I can recommend for your session. Many of these locations are located in the Three Rivers Park District, and if we choose one of these spots for your session, we can refer to their website for tips on how we can incorporate your dog safely! Another one of my top tips for having a successful session with your dog: have a family member or friend available to hang out with your pup while you’re having some solo shots! Just like toddlers, we can’t expect our dogs to sit and pose in front of the camera for the entirety of a session. Having a person at your shoot to hold their leash and keep them occupied will keep your mind at ease and keep your dog happy!

Pets as a Part of Your In-Home Photo Session

While I love having sessions in my studio, we can also have your session in your home! At the end of the day, you know your dog best. If having them included in your session is important to you, but you’re concerned about how they might behave in either of the two situations described above, we can keep them comfortable and happy within your home! One thing to keep in mind before deciding if an in-home session is right for you is the amount of light in your home. Because I’m a natural light photographer, we’ll talk about what rooms in your house might be best for us to shoot in based on windows, color, etc. I want your session to be as comfortable as possible — you shouldn’t have to stress about cleaning! Another special benefit of an in-home session? We can include your cats too!

Your pets are a special part of your family! One of the best parts about lifestyle photography is that we can include your furry friends in a candid way, which means you won’t have to stress about whether or not they were sitting perfectly still or looking directly into the camera.

For more information about my in-home sessions, check out my post: The Specialness of In-Home Newborn Sessions.

Have questions specific to your pet? Contact me!