Happy new year to you, it seems a distant memory now as we’re all getting back into the swing of things. I hope you all had a restful time.
I had the pleasure of photographing a lovely little Jack Russell before Christmas. Her owner purchased one of my Old parlour studio and outdoor sessions as a gift for her partner.
I really love combining two styles in these sessions, stylised shots in the studio and then lots of fun and character outside where we still had a golden blanket on the ground from the autumn leaves.
We started off in the studio, I take time to let dogs get used to the surroundings, me and my camera so our little friend had a good sniff around before we took some shots.
The black background gives a timeless feel and enables me to capture classic portraits concentrating on detail. Eyes and texture of fur are really important to me and I love creating these types of images. It is also a great way to show interaction between dogs and their humans, focussing on that special relationship we have with dogs.
We then ventured outside, luckily the weather had been kind to us and we had good conditions although a little wet. The fallen leaves and textures of the trees provided excellent backdrops. Outdoors is when you really see a dogs character. Watching them explore and enjoy themselves is so wonderful as each dog has their own way to navigate the world.
We let her investigate the outdoors and kept it really natural when we stopped to take an image. Some dogs are always on the go so it is important that I understand how long they can realistically stay still for so as not to stress them. This is why I allow for up to 2 hours, giving us plenty of time to get used to each other and to have lots of breaks.
One of this Jack Russells favourite things was her orange ball. I always ask owners to bring along anything that their dogs enjoy to play with, it acts as a comfort to them but also tells me a bit more about their character.
We had a fun game throwing the ball for her, she would have played fetch all day if she could! I was really pleased we could capture some playful images like this.
It’s such a joy to photograph dogs, each one is different and that is always exciting. I have always believed animals are the best therapy and when I see the relationships between the dogs and their owners who come to visit me it just reinforces that more and more.
Dogs are not just pets, they are really important parts of our lives and so that is why I love to create these images, to celebrate dogs and the positive impact they have on us.
If you would like to book a photo session for your best four legged friend then get in touch via the website or by emailing me heidi@heidicrundwell.com
To find out more visit my pet photography page on my website.