2. How to Take Good Photos of Dogs and Kids

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If you’ve got a question about your kids and dogs, go to www.speakpipe.com/PoochParenting and record it there just like a voicemail. And I will include it in a future episode.

Summary

In this episode, Alison share some of her best tips for getting really great photos of kids and dogs.

• I really believe that every dog and every pet and every, every child to deserves an amazing portrait
• I’ve started this new project of just helping people take better photos on their own.
• I know that if everyone’s having a good time, that’s going to come through and the portraits are going to be genuine and authentic.
• What would they like to do? Can you incorporate that into taking photos?
• It can be tricky when you’re working with kids and dogs at the same time, because I think their attention spans work in reverse. I think kids get excited about something when they first see it. And if they’re in a new place, they’re, they’re revved up and they’re ready to go. Whereas a dog typically needs time.
• I always recommend that my clients take their dog for a walk or even for a run before our session. I want to see energy. I want to see, you know, their other personality and everything, but that doesn’t mean they need to have been cooped up all day.
• When you’re trying to keep your photo shoots natural and fun and more like real life that it’s less important than to teach your dog specific skills ahead of time
• I am as a professional, I’m going to give you great results no matter what.

Taking Good Photos

• What makes a photograph really good and powerful is that you see feelings in it.
• I’ve got my big three training tips that help to capture good photographs: and they are sit down and stay. And I’ll tell you the most important of all those by far is stay. The reason why is because that lets you get out of the portrait.
• I typically bookend my sessions with the dog having a great time: playing fetch or running around or snuggling with mom and dad. Like I want to make sure that we both start and end with that awesome, positive, warm feeling that is going to help the dog just feel, you know, safe and comfortable and secure because when a dog feels that way, they’re much more willing to, you know, maybe go out on a limb, do what you want them to do, but they’re going to probably remember the good feelings.
• And definitely if you’re out there taking photos by yourself, like you said, even if it’s just with a cell phone or something, then I recommend still you kind of apply that same philosophy.
• And if that just means bringing out the treats and being super generous with those, in addition to like the literally the activities that your dog wants to do, then I think, I think that’d be good. And I think they’ll develop a positive association with the camera.

Safety

• Obviously it’s a really important topic for me because it’s a big focus of my business is helping families be safe and helping dogs not make mistakes and helping kids not make mistakes that can end up getting somebody hurt.
• I almost always leave it up to the dog’s comfort level about where and what position the dog and child should be in for the photograph.
• Absolutely no photo is worth risking safety.
• If the dog is feeling nervous or if he’s already had a bad day, then can we reschedule? Like, can we, can we try and take photos on another day or at another time or another place, something where, you know, your dog is going to be enjoying it. If your dog feels much more open and happy when they’re outdoors,
• Some people get a little bit confused because they feel like if the dog was uncomfortable, they would just get up and go, which is not always the case.
• but there are these little subtle things that you can notice, little tongue flicks and look looking away and seeing the whites of the eyes. I’m sure you’ve seen these kinds of things that they’re sensitive dogs that maybe a noisy truck went by and you notice the dog’s behavior change.
• We don’t give a dog’s Leash to a two year old or something like that.
• A very capable 13 year old or around that age should be holding a dog’s leash and nothing before that.

Photo Sessions

• Do you have any way of helping families relax through a portrait session when they start feeling pressure that it may not turn out?
• So if you’re investing in professional portraits, of course you want everything to go perfectly.
• Dogs pick up on our stress and they absorb that and they just, they feel what we’re feeling and they magnify it and they’re like, mom’s stressed.
• Plan to be there like a half an hour early.
• Our job is to make something great, no matter what happens, no matter what outfits you show up in or what, you know, your dog is feeling like that day, our job is to make it great.
• So trust your photographer
• It’s the photographer’s job to not only give you what you want, but go above and beyond

How to Choose a Good Photographer

• Look beyond the portfolio.
• I would ask if possible to see one whole session that a photographer did, because if they get one great portrait out of every session and that’s what ends up in their portfolio.
• I mean, my gosh their photos should make you feel something.
• You should sit at their website and go, Oh my gosh, I want this to be me.
• I would also look at what the photographer offers, because if all you’re interested in is digital files, you should know that some photographers do not offer digital files, even if they’re shooting with a digital camera.
• What’s included with the session. Oftentimes you’re paying for the photographers time and talent, and any products are separate.
• Is it in my price range? And are there products that I want, are they products that I do something with and that I would love and cherish?
• It’s kind of a balance of not only fitting it in your budget, but also making sure you want what they offer.
• you should want almost exactly what you see on their website, because what they’re showing on their website is probably what they’re best at,
• I would talk to photographers ahead of time because not all photographers will want to work with kids and dogs.

Photo Tips for Parents

• The perfect photo is not going to happen in the first 30 seconds of you picking up your camera or you picking up your cell phone. If you’re in a place,
• See what poses kind of naturally come to your kids and your dogs and just kind of play around.
• Digital memory is, is so cheap these days – just keep taking photos.
• I’ve never had one of my clients say, well, you’re a really great photographer because you took the fewest amount of photos and got a good one.