The Ultimate Guide to your Fall Dog Photoshoot!
It’s fall dog photoshoot time! Look no further! Whether you are taking your own pictures or hiring a photographer, this guide is your one-stop-shop for tips and tricks for a fabulous fall dog photoshoot!
It’s Fall! Cue the pumpkin treats, flannel bandanas, and sweaters! Just like many pet parents, I love all things fall! Photoshoots with your dog are always amazing but fall just brings them to a whole other level!
What’s involved in planning a fabulous fall photoshoot with your dog you ask? We’re going to chat all about: choosing a location, prop ideas, pet photography tips, and inspiration! Keep on reading my fellow leaf peepers!
How to Choose a Location for your Fall Dog Photoshoot
If you plan on doing your own photoshoot it can help to do some location scouting beforehand. You may be thinking: “location scouting? What does that mean? Sounds pretty James Bond-esque!”. Have no fear! It’s just visiting the location beforehand. No (insert James Bond super spy item here) needed!
Make sure you find out ahead of time whether a particular location allows dogs! The last thing you want is to be kicked out of a park for brining your doggo along!
Location Scouting for your Fall Dog Photoshoot: What to Bring!
– dog (or if you don’t have a dog available bring a teddy bear instead!
-cell phone or camera
-phone or notebook (if you are old school like me and prefer to write stuff down instead of using your phone). I like to take notes down so I can keep track of interesting photo ops, overall feel, and ideas for poses.
Location Scouting for your Fall Dog Photoshoot: What do Do!
Take shots of your teddy bear in different areas you’d like to use for your photoshoot.
Take note of what spots at your location giveaway to flattering golden hour light that you want to recreate when the time comes for your actual photoshoot.
The Golden Hour
What is the golden hour you ask? Check out this helpful article explaining why the golden hour (or blue hour) is instrumental in taking your photos to the next level! https://www.pixpa.com/blog/golden-hour-photography
There are several apps to help pinpoint the time and location of golden hour lighting; check out Golden Hour Apps
http://www.golden-hour.com/
Let the location inspire you. Make a list of your must-have shots!
How to Find Great Foliage for your Fall Dog Photoshoot!
Nailing that perfect fall look is all about timing and location. Lucky for us, technology has made this a cinch!
There are several apps to help us out with this.
I’ve gathered some fantastic resources if you want to help pinpoint the most beautiful fall colors in your area!
Check out this map to find your peak fall colors for your region: https://smokymountains.com/fall-foliage-map/
This amazing leaf peeping app helps you target where the best fall colors will be in your area.
https://50campfires.com/2-best-apps-find-fall-foliage/
Pet Photography Tips
Here are some basic tips to put into practice when taking photos of your pets:
Limit Distractions.
Subjects tend to pop more with backgrounds that aren’t too busy. For example, if you position your dog in front of a rose bush the photo will have much more impact than if they are placed in an area where there are many buildings, people, and a parking lot.
Get their attention.
One tip for getting your fur baby to look at the camera is to make a new/novel noise. One warning regarding this tip; each noise is only good for a few times. Your doggo may quickly become used to the noise (habituated) and no longer respond. So be sure to make sure you are ready to snap the photo before employing the sound device.
Use natural light.
Lighting is so important in making or breaking your photo! For outdoor shoots, your best light will be either to take pictures either half an hour before through 1 hour after sunrise or 1 hour before sunset to half an hour afterward.
Get on your dog’s level.
The lower to the ground you can get, the better. Pictures that are at a dog’s level are more captivating because they help us become immersed in their world.
Be patient.
Remember not to get frustrated if your dog isn’t doing exactly what you want for the photo op. Chances are they have no idea why you are pointing that rectangular thing at them. Our dogs are very attuned to our changes in emotions. They can sense whether we are relaxed or stressed.
It’s all in those puppy dog eyes.
As they say, eyes are the window to the soul. Focusing on the eyes during a portrait of your pet can take your photo to the next level.
Use your cell phone to your advantage.
Here is a great resource for tips on how to level-up your cell phone picture skills. Check it out HERE.
I’m still rocking the I Phone 6sPlus so I’m not going to pretend to know hacks for more recent models. There are a ton of youtube videos for camera hacks for your particular brand and model.
Stay tuned for a future blog post about how to take better photos of your pets where I go into more detail about tips for pet photography!
Genius Prop Ideas for your Fall Dog Photo Shoot!
Props can really take your fall photoshoot to the next level. They add a punch of personality to the photos. Here is a list of props that are a great addition to your pet photo session!
Signage
Blankets
You doggo’s favorite toy
Festive Bandanna
Pumpkins
Leaves
Halloween costumes for your dog
Mums
Halloween/Fall decor
Mugs
Fall Dog Photoshoot Inspiration
Now, here comes the good part: photo inspiration! Since we are in the midst of fall, I wanted to share last year’s fall photoshoots! I had such a blast meeting all of these doggos and their hoomans!
