Most of my clients book a pet session because they want a nice portrait of their dog. That's wonderful — but over the years I've realized people often don't book because they don't know all the moments worth photographing. So here are the kinds of dog sessions I offer, and the kinds of moments they're for.
If you've got a different occasion in mind, just ask. I love when clients bring me ideas I haven't done yet.
Birthday Sessions
Whether it's their first birthday or their tenth, dogs deserve a party. My birthday sessions take place in the studio and come with a homemade dog-safe birthday cake and birthday props — hats, banners, themed backdrops. The dog gets to play with everything, eat the cake, and we capture it all.
These end up being some of the most fun sessions I do, and the photos that come out tend to be the ones people put on their walls.
Training Graduations
When your dog graduates obedience class, agility, therapy training, scent work — that deserves a portrait. We can include the diploma, a graduation cap, your dog in their working gear, the trainer they learned with, or the friends from class. Short, focused sessions that document something they actually earned.
Holiday Sessions
Christmas, Halloween, Valentine's, Easter, Fourth of July, Hanukkah, Lunar New Year — if there's a holiday, there's a session for it. I run themed mini sessions throughout the year with seasonal backdrops and props, plus full-length holiday sessions on request for things like Christmas card photos. If you're trying to put your dog on this year's holiday card, book early. These dates fill first.
Welcoming a New Baby
The dog is meeting a new sibling. That's a family milestone worth documenting. Sessions can be at home or in the studio, with the baby and dog photographed together and separately. We go at the dog's pace and the baby's — no forced shots, no pressure. These work especially well in the first few months while everyone is still figuring each other out.
Welcoming a New Pet
Bringing home a new puppy. Adopting a second dog. Adding a cat to the household. Introducing a rescue. The "first weeks home" photos turn into family records you'll look back on forever — especially as everyone settles into their new normal. I usually recommend doing these in-home. The new pet is already overwhelmed; they don't need a strange location on top of it.
Glamour Sessions
The dog as the star. Studio lighting, statement backdrops, costumes if you want them, an editorial feel. These are for clients who want a portrait that looks magazine-shoot polished — the kind of frame you'd display large on the wall. Some clients come in with specific outfits or themes; others let me design the look. Both work.
Anything else
This list isn't exhaustive. Some other sessions I've done or am happy to do:
"Gotcha day" / adoption anniversary portraits
Senior dog tribute sessions (different from Rainbow Sessions - these celebrate a long life while it's still in full swing)
Multi-dog reunions, like littermates meeting up
Best-friend portraits - your dog and their favorite dog buddy
Engagement and wedding photos that include the dog
"Just because" sessions with no occasion attached
If you have a moment with your dog that feels worth capturing, it probably is. Send me a message and we'll figure out a session that fits.
