Photographing Dogs & Puppies
Dogs and puppies dribble, they spill water everywhere, they shake, they pee, they climb over the furniture and we wouldn’t have it any other
way. We meet dogs that are highly trained & dogs that are downright naughty ~ but when we photograph them it’s always great fun. We love
being around dogs & every year Dogs Today magazine commission us to photograph at Crufts ~ a real priviledge and a great opportunity.
Photographing Dogs in the Studio
The studio has been set up to provide a safe secure environment for dogs as well as cats, it’s self-contained, with no trailing cables. Our
flashheads are placed above our models, never directly in front of them and dogs and puppies are photographed at floor level or slightly
above rather than from a table or raised platform. If a paper background proves too slippery, we can cover the floor, it’s all do-able. Dogs
feel that it’s a safe environment and often wander around happily sniffing. (Recently Harry, a rather shy sheltie started barking when the
doorbell rang; his owner was amazed as he was protecting the studio from ‘would-be intruders’ ~ a sure sign that he felt right at home!)
Feeling Flash
When a photograph is taken, the flash is so brief that many dogs seem oblivious - they occasionally bark but they soon get used to it ~ a small
treat often helps. (Flash by the way is only ever used in the studio.)
After the shoot & Quality Control
Digital images (both studio and location) are always emailed to clients so that they can select, at their leisure and in the comfort of their own
home. Every image undergoes a strict quality control procedure, firstly it is cropped to ensure maximum impact, colour corrected and then
digitally retouched to remove stray hairs, sleep around the eyes, any areas of dryness around the nose/mouth etc. Several test prints are made
before a final print is created using specialist fine art inks and papers.
Photographing Dogs on Location
Sometimes you can’t beat a home environment and we provide a location service (no flash) that can be tailormade to your requirements. We’re
also happy to travel to a local park or field (especially popular for collies, (forever bouncy) springer spaniels and hounds.