Outdoor Dog Photography
“Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.”
Roger Caras
Pet Photography with personality
Dogs aren't like family, they are family
Your weekends are centered around activities that you can take your dog to
You'd rather hang out with your dog than with humans
You're low-key (okay, high-key) obsessed with your dog
"Treat yourself" means "treat your dog" with the best food, toys, and accessories you can get. They have cute leashes, a toy box, maybe even a separate shelf for all their things (no judgement!).
And they deserve a spot on your wall and on your coffee table...
...but you don't love photo studios, and you hate posing.
Well, good news! I have just the thing for you. Let's go outdoors and document that unique connection between you and your dog—cuddles & treats are included.
Creative Dog Portraits
San Francisco Bay Area Professional Dog Photographer
For the dog parents who treasure their everyday moments, as-is and not posed in a studio
Forever memories
During their time with us, dogs make such an incredible, life-changing impact—a custom outdoor photo session celebrates them and produces unique wall art for the rest of your life. The bond between dogs and their humans is irreplaceable, and I genuinely enjoy getting to know both ends of it.
No-pressure sessions
Sessions are done in my documentary style in a way that feels true to you. I may ask you to walk back and forth or sit down and cuddle—but that's the extent of my direction. The session should be fun for your dog and relaxing for you.
Anxious and reactive dogs deserve great photos, too!
I have firsthand experience as the parent of a highly anxious and reactive dog, and the foster dogs I photograph for adoption are often anxious as well. It's why my session time is variable: I've built in time for the dog to get to know me, and I understand the patience needed to work with them.
Two types of pet sessions:
Go with the classic Pup & me session
or choose your own adventure
Pup & Me
60-90 minutes outdoors
The classic session that celebrates your dog and you, up to four subjects (any combo of people & dogs). These sessions are all about the in-between moments of everyday life and done with a documentary approach. Three collections that include digitals and print credit are available, starting at $1550 for the base Classic collection (10 digital files).
A Day in the Life
4-6 continuous hours
Let's make a whole day of it. Go hiking, picnic, have a birthday party, eat a million treats, roll in the sand, visit a cafe—you name it, let's make it happen. This custom adventure session with continuous documentary photography starts at $6500. It includes ALL the best photos from the session, a 10-spread, custom-designed keepsake album, and additional complimentary product credit.
The Pup & Me Experience
Whether it’s your first or fifteenth time having professional photos made, don't worry: I’ll walk you through the whole process from start to finish.
1. Vibe check
Phone consult to learn about your dog, cover expectations, my process, and pricing details (no surprises later). To move forward, you’ll pay a $550 nonrefundable retainer to lock in your date.
2.Session prep & day
With my short worksheet, tell me all the fun and essential details about your dog! I'll send my client prep guide, so everyone is ready to have fun on the session day
3.Gallery preview & purchases
Five business days after your session, we'll review the best photos from it, plus some fully edited ones! Then, once you've seen exactly what we got, you'll be ready to choose your photos and decide on your collection.
4.Final gallery delivery
I work on the photos you loved, send over the final gallery, and you can immediately download & order the wall art you were eyeing!
My guarantee
During the session, I will show you the back of the camera so you have a general idea of what to expect in your gallery. In the unlikely event that you hate all of your photos, we'll schedule another shoot within two weeks at no additional cost.
About the collections
Along with a virtual stack of digital images, each collection option comes with a complimentary product credit, so you can get your favorite pictures where they belong: in print, where you can see them each and every day.
Your $550 retainer is applied to your selected collection. It covers pre-shoot prep, the photoshoot, selection call, and your choice of one photo printed on a 5x7" custom acrylic block with the matching digital file (example below).
The base collection includes 10 digitals and $200 in product credit, and there are two more options, depending on the number of digital images and products you need. This credit covers multiple print products.
All told, my clients invest $1550-$2550+ (plus tax) in their images.
I have always loved animals. I know that's a common thing to say, so let me elaborate.
It took me nine years to convince my parents to get a dog. Through high school, undergrad, and some post-grad time, I volunteered at an animal shelter, caring for shelter dogs and cats, as well as at an equine therapy facility for children with disabilities.
My degree is in Zoology with a specialization in animal behavior and neurobiology. Since I was 14, I wanted to be a wildlife veterinarian, so I fulfilled all of the pre-vet program requirements. My summers were spent with animals: I worked as a dog treat baker at a fancy pet store, I spent two summers interning at wildlife rehabilitation organizations, saving New Jersey and Canadian-native animals, which ranged from songbirds to fawns to raptors (my favorite) to baby seals. In the end, I realized that I didn't want to be a vet.
After adopting my dog, a pit-mix who was tagged as a "terrier mix" (whatever that means), I became aware of the stigma surrounding pits, pit mixes, and bully breeds. They are the most common group of breeds at shelters. So I began volunteering my photography for California Bully Rescue and discovered a love for photographing dogs. With Zoey, I learned about how to manage reactivity, read dog body language, and get the best photo when she always seemed to look away once a camera was leveled at her.
Bay Area Dog Portrait Portfolio
Before & After
Leash Removal Editing
Your dog's safety is one of my biggest considerations. For most of the sessions, dogs are on leash! With some magical editing, I remove leashes from photos where they aren't necessary. These photos show the before and after results.
An example of when I would keep a leash in the photo is if you do a walk in downtown SF (where leashes are required)—it makes sense to keep it in. Leash removals are the first step in the editing process, so the "after" photos in the examples shown are not the fully edited photos.
FAQs
My dog doesn't know many commands and can't sit still, is that okay?
Absolutely! A lot of the dogs I've photographed were in training for commands. When I press the shutter button, many frames are captured in one second, so that 1/4 second when the dog sits down and stands back up is recorded. Posing is also not necessary for a session—I prefer a documentary style of photographing.
My dog has to stay on leash—can you edit that out?
Your dog's safety is a top priority! If we're in an unfenced area or they're in training, a leash is required. In most cases, leashes can and will be edited out. For photos taken in urban areas where being leashed on a sidewalk makes sense, the leash will stay in the photo.
How many photos should I expect to see during my selection call?
In a 60-90 minute outdoor dog session, you should expect to see a minimum of 50 photos. Depending on the type of activities we do during the session, you'll have a wide variety of photos to choose from.
My dog is shy, anxious, and/or reactive—what do you do to handle that?
I totally understand this, as my dog is all three and I wrote a thorough blog post to cover this. We can schedule sessions earlier in the morning and/or use locations with minimal dogs around. We'll also discuss triggers, so they can be taken into account when choosing a location. I know it takes time for a dog to familiarize themself with a space, and that time is built into the session (that said, 90 minutes is not a hard limit). I'm also a firm believer in positive reinforcement, such as through treats or praise.
What are your rescheduling, cancellation, and refund policies?
The retainer is nonrefundable; however, you may reschedule and transfer it to a different date. I know life happens, so I offer one free reschedule with at least 48 hours' notice before the session date. The reschedule must be within 3 months of the original date.
A rescheduled date more than 3 months away, or any additional reschedules, incurs a $25 fee. Inclement weather for outdoor sessions may be rescheduled without penalty within one month of the original date (I'll make the final call).
How can I use my photos?
You receive a personal use license and print release in the contract. This means you can use the photos on your personal social media pages, make prints or albums, and include them in a personal email newsletter. You can't use them for commercial purposes or resale, and you can't upload them to AI to create new photos.
I've never had a professional dog photoshoot before. Is that okay?
Absolutely! Before the session, I'll send over a prep guide, so you know what and how to prepare. And during the session, it'll be a lot like hanging out with a friend. I'm a pretty chill person—I may ask you to sit in a certain light, but I won't be formally posing you. I want the photos to look as natural as possible for you!
What is the payment schedule?
To book an outdoor dog session with me, I need a $550 nonrefundable retainer, which is applied to your chosen collection's total. Collections begin at $1550 (+tax). The remaining amount is due within 15 days of the selection call. To put your images into my editing queue, the invoice must be paid in full. Alternate payment plans are available by request.
If not paid in full after 15 days, I consider the project closed. To reopen, an unarchiving fee applies, plus any late fees.
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