"You must know a lot of really well-trained dogs" is something I often hear from clients after they look at my Instagram feed or website. Why? Because it appears that every dog is off leash in their session. Nothing could be further from the truth. As a matter of fact, the vast majority of the dogs you see photographed outdoors on location in and around the Dallas - Fort Worth metroplex were on-leash and I just removed it as part of my standard retouching service.
Safety first always! I like to say that none of us had it in our schedule to chase down a loose dog today (not to mention the obvious danger factor). Even if you say "He's fine, he wont' run away" I'm going to reply "That's ok, let's just put the leash on him, I'll remove it in retouching".
What are some of the other things we're going to do to keep your dog safe during their photo shoot?
- I'm never going to photograph on railroad tracks, it's dangerous and against the law
- I'm not going to photograph on the side of the highway no matter how pretty and thick the bluebonnets are
- I'm not going to set your reactive pup up for failure by scheduling your session at a busy location, or busy time of day (I have a reactive dog myself and so am very sensitive to their needs)
- I'm going to ask if your dog has food allergies so any treats that I bring along to help get through the session don't cause digestive distress
- I'm going to read your dog's body language and only greet them if they WANT to be greeted (there are a lot of dogs that don't feel the need to engage with strangers and I respect that).
- I'm not going to ask your dog to do anything they don't want to do
- I'm going to monitor your dog's body language throughout the session to ensure they're enjoying themselves
- I'm going to provide breaks if and when I think your dog needs it, sessions are not time limited
I want not only the images from your session to be enjoyable, but also the memories of the entire experience. We'll discuss your pet's individual needs (i.e. dietary, reactivity, mobility, etc.) as part of the pre-session consultation where I provide guidance on clothing, decide on a location, the types of images you'd like from your session and scheduling.
Slide The Bar To See The Leash Magically Disappear
Something you may not know about me is that my childhood nickname was Pixie because of the short pixie haircut I've had almost my entire life. My mother still calls me it today, although it's been shortened to "Pix" as I guess that sounds a bit more grown up LOL. I've taken to calling my image retouching "adding the pixie dust", which you can see in the image below along with the removal of the leash. Digital image files need to be developed just like film. Cameras cannot capture everything and as the artist, I want to hold and guide the viewer's eye for maximum enjoyment of an image. I'm continuously learning new retouching and editing techniques to create a uniquely pretty Penny Whistle portrait.
All Around The Circle
It's all about keeping your pets safe during their photo session this week and first up is Professional dog photographer Darlene Woodward of Pant the Town Photography shares how she keeps your dog safe, her number one priority, during a photo session and then continue clicking on the link at the bottom of each post for an around-the-world tour of helpful information from some of the most talented pet photographers on the planet.
Tracy Allard of Penny Whistle Photography is a Certified Professional Photographer with the organization Professional Photographers of America; a designation held by fewer than 2,000 photographers nationwide and a hallmark of consistency, technical skill, artistry and professionalism. As a Certified Professional Dog Trainer, Tracy believes that safety is always the number one concern when working with pets, she wants everyone to have a great experience during the session and that means no stress for you and fun for your pup!
Penny Whistle specializes in both on-location and studio photography providing pet, equine, family, couples & engagement and high school senior portraits as well as corporate headshots and commercial photography services in her studio located in historic downtown Carrollton as well as on location in Coppell, Grapevine, Southlake, Flower Mound and surrounding communities in Dallas – Fort Worth, Texas.
