wedding wisdom series

1. Bring a friend to help

Bring someone with you to help with the dog when it’s time for photos of just the two of you. This can be a friend or a relative that doesn’t mind following you around on your photoshoot taking care of your dog.  It’s intimidating enough being in front of the camera for a professional photo shoot and adding a dog into the picture (hah…) can add unwanted stress and potentially ruin your whole photo experience.  I always start the photoshoot without the dog.  This way, you get used to being in front of the camera without having to worry about making your dog sit and behave.  After the first 15 or 20 minutes of the session, we’ll add them in!

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2. Bring treats

Always bring treats!  It’s a great way to get your pup to look towards the camera. Plus they’ll need a reward for taking pictures! Whoever comes along with you to the photo shoot can help out by holding treats behind us,  above the camera or just by standing next to us.

   n

3. Think about your leash

You already spent time coordinating your outfits and picking your colors so make sure your leash doesn’t clash with the colors you’ve chosen.  If your outfits are more neutral in color and your dogs leash is neon green, it will stick out like a sore thumb! Consider getting a more neutral colored leash (like black or blue) to match your colors.

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4. Bring doggie bags

This should go without saying.  If we’re shooting in a public park, it’s very important to bring along doggie bags.  It also saves you from any potentially embarrassing situations if you are caught unprepared!

   n

5. Tire them out before the shoot!

If your dog is anything like our dog Buddy, then it will be good idea to play with them and tire them out before the shoot.  Whenever we try to take a picture with Buddy, he’s always going nuts as soon as we go outside! But, after Michael throws the frisbee a few times, he calms down and is a lot more cooperative. Plus, when Buddy starts panting he looks like he’s smiling!! #winwin Bring a ball, frisbee, toy, or  anything your dog loves to do to get their energy out! This will make a huge difference!

So when you’re planning your engagement session and you love your dogs as much we we love ours, don’t be afraid to bring them along! Just make sure your photographers knows your furry friend is coming along for the ride.