Robyn White Photography

FAQ: Which type of dog photography session should I choose?

I often have clients ask me which type of dog photography session is right for their pet. Given that I offer a variety of session types, knowing what will work best for your pet and for the goals you have for your images can help you figure out what might work best.

Dog Photography Session Type: Mini or Full Session?

In my business I tend to offer two broad types of dog photography sessions: quick mini sessions and full sessions. There are key differences between the two:

Mini Sessions

  • Tend to be under 30 minutes in duration.
  • At a set location, with a set “look.”
  • Good for animals who are confident, not reactive to other animals or people, and have a solid “stay” command.
  • Good for clients who just want a handful of images. Sessions will typically result in around 10 images.
  • Recommended print products: a piece of wall art and/or single prints.
Two dachshunds are sitting on a small bench. They are on a pink backdrop and are wearing valentines costumes.
A pitbull type dog is standing on a beach with a body of water beside him.

Full Sessions

  • Can be as long as needed. (I usually recommend clients allow for 2 hours.)
  • Can be at a location of your choosing or even a combination of locations.
  • Good for multi-animal households, animals who are nervous or excitable, extended family sessions, etc. (To read more about how I work with particular pets, visit my blog here.)
  • Good for clients who want a larger number of images and more variety. Sessions typically result in 20+ images.
  • Recommended print products: folio boxes, albums, wall art collections.

Dog Photography Session Location: Studio or On Location?

If you’ve been on my website, you’ve likely seen both studio and outdoor sessions represented. Historically, I’ve mostly done studio sessions, but in the past couple of years I’ve also been deliberately doing more outdoor sessions as well. Choosing studio images or outdoor images is really a matter of personal preference, though what will work best for your pet should also be considered as well.

Studio sessions

Studio sessions are a great option for dog photography sessions if you are interested in getting images with a clean backdrop and for pets who would do better indoors. My studio is a 1700 square foot space within an old warehouse area. Your pets would be the only ones there during your session and although there can be some sounds from other tenants, it’s typically pretty quiet in the studio.

I do mini sessions in the studio on occasion, but you can also book a full session in the studio. One thing to keep in mind, though is that I do use flashes, which can be difficult for some animals. I do desensitize any animals who are new to studio set ups, but if your animal tends to be a bit nervous with flashing lights or in new places, booking a full session would be ideal so that we can take plenty of time to help them adjust.

A pitbull type dog is sitting on a pink backdrop and is wearing a pastel striped shirt.
A woman is stooping behind a pitbull type dog and pulling on the dog's cheeks. They are in front of a purple backdrop.
A boxer type dog is sitting on a white backdrop. She's wearing pink glasses.

As an added bonus, if you schedule a studio session but your pet isn’t adapting well to the studio lights or set up, we can also venture outdoors. Not only does the warehouse building I’m in offer gorgeous brick backdrops, but there’s also a park about a block away that we can utilize. My main goal is to make sure the pets I photograph are comfortable. If they aren’t comfortable in the studio, then we pivot to where they might be more comfortable.

All of the images below were taken just outside of my studio:

Outdoor pet session of a white dog wearing a blue bandana in front of a red brick wall outside of the Twist Drill building in Cleveland Ohio
A woman is sitting on the ground hugging a shepherd-type dog in a green park space.
A woman is holding a small shepherd-type dog in front of a green wooden door at the Twist Drill Building in Cleveland Ohio.

On-Location Sessions

On-location sessions might include a place you like visiting with your pet or even your home. If you want images at your home, I encourage doing back yard sessions in order to get the best light for your images. Although I do occasionally do mini-sessions at locations outside of the studio, they are typically in very specific locations with very specific backdrops. I will happily also do full sessions at a spot of your choosing and we can spend as much time as you like having an adventure and getting images. A key thing to keep in mind is timing. Outdoor sessions require certain lighting situations, so usually doing sessions either just after daybreak or just before sunset are the most ideal. Visit this blog post to see some of my favorite outdoor places to photograph in Northeast Ohio.

Outdoor pet photography session on Lake Erie in Cleveland Ohio. There is a shepherd type dog standing on a paddle board and a woman is in the water, her arms on the paddle board, and she's looking up at the dog.
Pet photography session at a Christmas Tree farm. There are two women and two bull dogs sitting together in between the trees.
Outdoor pet session on the shores of Lake Erie in Cleveland Ohio. A family consisting of a man, woman, two young girls, and an older dog are sitting next to the water on a beach.

Ready to schedule your own session? Visit my contact page to send me a message and let’s chat! And join my email list below to be the first to know when I schedule my next mini sessions!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *