Easy and Unforgettable Dog Portraits - for Free!

Hey there, doggie parents!

Miki, Jaffa and Zander hold a drop - the are actually on lead but I edited out the leads for a clean look

Have you ever reminisced over old times about old doggos who might have passed on, or are now in their dotage, and wished that you had more or better photos of them? Do you ever wish you could train your current dog to just hold still AND pay attention long enough for you to get a good shot?

Does it frustrate you that you can’t get them to stay still and look at the camera? Do you feel sad that you can’t afford to invest in a professional photo shoot because you know that one day you are going to want to look back on some quality photos of your special dog?

Would you love to capture their essence in a single, frame-able, and FREE portrait?

As a doggy parent, I know how tough it can be to get that perfect shot when your dog just won't stay still or look in the right direction. The early days with my first dogs were certainly just that tricky and I wish now that I had more lovely portraits from that era of my beautiful dogs who are not still with me.

But fear not, because, with a few tips and tricks, you can become a professional at getting them to stay still for you to take some amazing pictures of your four-legged friends.

In this blog, we’ll talk about the three FREE things that you need to get that awesome shot, as well as some tips to make it better.

So, grab your camera and your doggo and let's get started!

You’ll need a solid stay type of command

Miki poses on a tree stump

The first step to getting a great picture of your dog is to make sure they stay in place long enough for you to snap the shots.

Training a solid sit or drop command will come in handy when you need them to stay put while you adjust your camera or find the perfect angle. You’ll want to use plenty of soft, calm praise if they hold still for you so you don’t overexcite them too soon, and try choosing a place and time where their distraction levels are low or controllable. However, these positions can sometimes look a bit forced, so I rather like to have a “place” type of command, where I indicate where I want them to be – e.g. up on a tree stump like you see with Miki here - and that I want them to remain there. I let them find a natural and comfortable stance or position of their own choosing.

I use the command “go here” and I’ll always point to where I’d like them to pose but I allow them the flexibility to find the best way up there themselves - unless it’s so high they need to be lifted. Then I’m straight into my praise, taking care of my tone. (Have you read my blog about using your Tone correctly?)

If they get down or move off, I say no - without angst - and walk them back to where I want them to remain, before resuming my praise. Don’t force anything that is causing them fear but otherwise, they can certainly learn to control their impulse to run off and do their own thing, and this is a great way to work on that.

Jaffa sitting on the child's swing - there's a slight breeze but not enough to swing him

For example, I once asked Jaffa to pose on a child’s swing seat, which he did. He wasn’t comfortable about it, but I sensed no fear or anxiety, so it was a great time and place for him to place his trust in me. However, when I asked him to pose on the slide he was clearly fearful so I backed off and we did something else instead.

You could practice commands like sit, drop, mat, or place regularly with your dog, even at times and places where you have no intention of taking any photos, so they get used to holding the position for longer periods of time, and in different places that you’d like to go to with them.

HINT: Teach a Release Command to let them know they are finished posing! Pick a word they don’t hear in day-to-day chatter – I use “free” – and when I say it, that signifies that we are finished, they can now go off and do their own

thing or come over to get a reward.

You’ll need some awesome motivation for your doggo

Zander & Jaffa pose in a sit out in the paddock

Think ahead of time what objects, actions or sounds are likely to get your dog to look at you over and above everything around them. Bring along their favourite treats or toys to use for the planned photo shoot, or I also like to use squeaky noises or certain words that get their attention.

For example, I often have in my pocket the dismembered heart of a squeaky toy (which saves me from the bulk of a whole toy) or I know that Jaffa loves to sing along with me so I’ll make his singing noise to get him going.

If you have a favourite squeaky toy, treat or other object, make sure you hold it right next to the camera lens, and hold the camera lens close to your face if you can, because they might just prefer to look at you. That will give you the best chance of capturing a pic of them looking directly at the camera.

Hint: Be careful not to overuse the treat or toy as it may distract your dog too much or make them too excited. I like to frame up my shot and hover my finger over the camera button so that when I make the noise and they suddenly look around, I’m ready to squeeze off my shot.

You’ll need a camera

The best camera is the one in your pocket

You don't need an expensive camera to take amazing pictures of your dog. The best camera is the one you have with you, and that's likely your smartphone. With the advancements in phone camera technology, you can take high-quality photos with just your phone.

Jaffa from below - I was laying on the ground and he wandered over me

So don't worry about investing in a fancy camera - just use what you've got! Without needing to become a photography expert you can use a few simple tricks to get great and unusual shots.

Try some of these:

• Get down to your dog’s level to take the shot or raise them up on something interesting like a log or bench. The angle you take the photo from can make all the difference in capturing the personality of your dog. This will help to create a more intimate and engaging photo that showcases your dog's unique character
  

• Get directly above them for a bobblehead view or lay down on the ground and let them wander above you for a character shot from underneath. Think outside the square
  

Portrait Mode shot of Jaffa singing - from directly above

• Put your iPhone on Portrait Mode for a lovely blurring of the background without you needing to worry about focusing. The soft background is very flattering and keeps the focus on your dog rather than anything that might be around them
  

• When you frame up your shot, check for anything in the background that you might not want to see later when you frame it up. For example, I once got a lovely shot that I liked but discovered my other dog in the background cocking his leg on a tree which was not something I wanted to look at every day in a framed shot
  

• Put your iPhone into Burst Mode and start your sequence of shots before you hold up your treat or toy, or make a squeaky noise, and continue the sequence till after they look or move away. When you review the whole sequence of shots you’ll be surprised how many good ones the phone will capture for you and you can edit the burst to keep only the ones that you love Hint: Here’s a Guide to Burst Mode if you’ve never tried it before
  

Jaffa from above - I love the angle of his neck and this showcases his personality to a T for me

• If you are out in public and can't take them off the lead, hide the lead behind their body when you pose them or get your shot any way that you can, as you can always edit out the lead. Hint: I use an awesome FREE app called Snapseed to crop, edit, enhance, or erase distractions. Download it and play around with some of its features. If you make several copies of your favourite photo, you can use different looks or edits on them until you find the ones that you love the most.

Remember, taking a great photo of your dog takes practice and patience. Practice your commands ahead of time. Remember to pack the things you’ll want when you head out and about with them. Be patient when getting ready to photograph your dog, take lots of shots, and don't be afraid to experiment with different angles, lighting, and positions.

With these tips in mind, you'll be sure to capture some amazing moments with your furry friend. If you give it a try I'd love to see the results any time, so send me an email and attach your favourites!

Happy snapping!

About A New Leash on Life Dog Training

Zander, Keryn, Jaffa & Miki

Because I use a balanced approach to dog training if you choose to train with me, we will be using positive reinforcement and rewards, but we will not be using food. I prefer not to rely on food because I don’t want to take food with me every place I ever go, I don’t want my dogs to learn to ignore me if I have no food or run out, and I don’t want to end up in a situation where I might still be of less importance to my dog, even with food, than the dog he's playing with or bird he’s chasing etc. Additionally, I do use the word no, and I do teach a consequence process for ignoring me or for an unacceptable behavioural choice, but without resorting to fear, intimidation, or pain.

So, for me, I train my dogs the way that I feel aligns with my belief system – rewards for listening and good behaviour but without food reliance – consequences without violence for inappropriate choices.

What do you believe in?