Welcome!
I am so excited you have booked your Tail Wagging Pawtrait session with Love Phodography, we are really looking forward to creating some fabulous memories for you with your dog.
I've written a little bit of info for you to read to help you prepare for your photoshoot! It's so important you are super relaxed and looking forward to your shoot so please take a few minutes to have a read so you're all prepared and raring to go!
Before your Session!
Although your dog may disagree, getting them groomed (or doing it yourself!😵) before your photoshoot will help your pup to look their absolute best! There's nothing worse than when my lovely customers say "oh I wish I'd had his hair cut" when they're viewing their incredible photos from the big day!!
If this isn’t a regular event for your four legged friend, it may seem like a daunting task - but fear not! By planning a week before your shoot getting your pup clean & tidy can be fun for both of you!
Don’t leave it until the day before to get your dog groomed, just like having your hair cut it’s best to plan for a week or so before your session to have your lovely locks tidied up!
Give your dog a jolly good bath the day before your session so their coat is in tip top condition. Stick to products that you know work well on your pooch so they are familiar & wont cause any unwanted allergic reactions.
Before you leave for your photoshoot give your pup a really good brush so their coat is lovely and shiny. If you have a pooch with lots of hair around their eyes make sure we can see their eyes clearly by giving the hair a little trim
What to Expect During your Session!
01
Your dog's happiness & welfare is paramount!
As well as many years experience photographing these wonderful animals, I have a Canine Behaviour Training Diploma but, as we know, every dog is different! If you spot any tell tale signs that your dog isn't happy during the session before I do, please let me know and we'll immediately pause the session. Please feel free to visit our Dog Welfare Policy
02
Basic Commands
We’ll be using commands like sit, stay, down and rewarding your dog with praise and treats for doing what’s been asked of them - it makes a huge difference to your session if you practise this before you come!
If you’re having an outdoor session we’ll still use the basic commands but we’ll also be looking for recall too from time to time.
03
Breaks
We’ll break up your session with plenty of time for your dog to have a sniff around and a drink, if you have a discerning dog don’t forget to bring their water bowl!
04
Collars & Leads
As long as it's safe to do so we will remove your dog's collar, flea collar & lead throughout the session.
I always carry a slip lead with an adjustable stop we can quickly pop on when needed
05
Positive Reward
Everything I do is based around positive reward techniques, I will never manhandle your dog or get frustrated with them when they don’t understand instruction and ask that you do the same whilst your shoot is in progress please.
06
Treats
I’ll provide natural treats along with some small pieces of cheese for if your dog needs extra encouragement! If your dog has any food allergies please let me know before your session and / or bring your own high value treats
07
Photos with Humans
I know I know, we all hate having our photo taken BUT if I haven't already told you, my most favourite photos of Mash are with me - showing the bond we share and everything I love about him. I know without a shadow of a doubt these will be the photos that mean the absolute most in the future and weirdly, even though I hate having my photo taken (I feel your pain!) the ones of us together are the ones that dominate the walls of my home!
So... we’ll bring you all together from time to time during the session for a few relaxed photos, we'll get you walking together, having a snuggle if that's your thing, looking out over the landscape, all those kinds of things and I promise, I will never ever tell you to smile!
Now for the Humans... Stuck with what to wear?
Humans need to prepare too!
When thinking about what to wear, the most important thing to consider is your clothing should reflect your own personal style. You should feel comfortable and wear soemthing that makes you feel happy and confident!
TOP TIPS!
- Consider your location - if you’re going to the forest then maybe your green sweater and drown leggins may not be the best choice of outfits!
- Dress like yourself - but at your best!
- Dress to flatter your body, don’t hide your curves in shapeless, bulky clothing or coats
- Look at the colours around your home and go for soemthing that will look good on your walls
- Go for classic, neutral colour palettes with a pop of colour
- Accessories and layers can be good
- Add some pattern but keep away from narrow stripes, large logos, writing and characters
- Boots & Shoes over trainers where possible
After your Session!
TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL
PHOTO SESSION
- Please set aside enough time for your sessions and arrive on time or a few minutes before, we don’t want to cut your session short at the end.
- Please try not to worry, there’s not many of us who like having our photos taken but we’ll have lots of fun and laughs to get you to relax and I promise no cheeseyness (well not much!)
- When choosing your outfits, especially if your partner is joining you, lay your outfits out on the bed to check they look good together - they don’t need to match (that could be odd!) but you’ll love your images more if the outfits co-ordinate! Stay away from writing and large cartoons & logos
- If you have any niggles give me a call before the shoot - 07866 440740
