Let’s be honest: your dog probably has better main-character energy than half the humans in your family. So why leave them out of the photos?
More families are booking a dogs photoshoot as part of their session than ever before, and honestly? It’s about time. Your dog isn’t a prop, a backup plan, or something you reluctantly agree to after your kids beg for a week straight โ they’re part of the family, chaos and all, and that belongs in the story too.
That’s why a dogs photoshoot isn’t some separate add-on menu item here โ it’s just how I photograph families. Got a dog who sits like a perfect little gentleman? Great. Got a dog who bolts full-speed at the camera the second the leash comes off? Even better โ that’s the shot everyone will actually love in five years. Whether your pup is the calm, steady one or the certified chaos gremlin who upstages everyone mid-portrait, your session gets built around your family exactly as it is, dog included. Here’s how to make that day feel every bit as relaxed and beautiful as the rest of your gallery โ slobber and all.
Family Photos With Your Dog
Dogs are family. Not an accessory to the picture, not an afterthought โ family, in every sense that matters. The one who greets you at the door every evening, who curls up beside the baby’s crib, who has quietly witnessed every ordinary, beautiful day of your life together.
And like every season of family life, this one doesn’t last forever. The puppy years pass in a blink. The steady, gray-muzzled senior dog who’s been there through everything won’t be there always. The particular chaos and tenderness of a new baby meeting the family dog for the first time happens exactly once. These are not moments you get to schedule again.
A photograph holds what memory alone can’t โ the exact weight of a puppy in someone’s arms, the softness in a senior dog’s eyes, the way a newborn’s tiny hand rests against fur. Years from now, these are the images you’ll return to. Not because they were perfectly posed, but because they were perfectly true.
Ready for more information on my family dog sessions? I’d love to capture it: contact me here for date availability!
๐ฟ 1. Tips for a Great Family Photoshoot With Your Dog
Time it around your dog’s calmest hours.ย Dogs, like newborns, have a rhythm to their energy โ a window when they’re settled rather than wound up. For most, that’s shortly after a walk or a meal, when the initial excitement has worn off but before restlessness sets in. I build your session timing around golden hour for the light, but I’ll also ask about your dog’s natural rhythm so we’re working with their temperament, not against it.
Bring backup โ treats, a favorite toy, or an extra pair of hands.ย A little high-value motivation goes a long way toward a dog who looks toward the camera instead of toward the nearest squirrel. If someone in the family isn’t in every shot, they make a wonderful behind-the-camera helper, holding treats just past my shoulder to catch your dog’s attention exactly when we need it.
Coordinate, don’t match.ย A shared color palette across the family โ soft neutrals, muted greens, warm tones โ reads as intentional and timeless in photographs. Putting your dog in a matching bandana or literal matching outfit, on the other hand, tends to date a photograph the moment you look back on it. Let your dog simply be part of the palette, not a costume within it.
Choose a location that gives your dog room to be a dog. Some of my favorite family-and-dog sessions happen at open, dog-friendly spots around the Bay Area โ Sycamore Grove Park in Livermore, Shadow Cliffs in Pleasanton, or a quiet corner of a vineyard property where there’s space to roam before we settle in for portraits. The right setting means less leash-tension in your photos and more of your dog’s real personality coming through.
๐ฟ2. What to Expect During Your Session
Once you reach out, the process is simple and unhurried, start to finish.
We begin with a conversation. You’ll share a bit about your family โ including your dog’s personality, energy level, and anything that helps me plan for them the way I plan for every family member. From there, we’ll choose a location and time that suits both your family’s rhythm and your dog’s.
On the day, nothing is rushed. We’ll move naturally between posed family portraits and the quieter, candid moments in between โ your dog weaving through the group, a hand resting on fur, the small unscripted seconds that end up meaning the most. My approach stays the same whether your family has two members or six, human or otherwise: gentle direction, real moments, and space to simply be together.
Afterward, your gallery is worth the wait. Every image is edited with the same soft, timeless quality you’ll find throughout my portfolio, so your dog’s portraits sit seamlessly alongside the rest of your family’s story.
๐ฟ3. A Recent Bay Area Family + Dog Session
Rejina and Ryan’s session at Heather Farms in Walnut Creek was exactly the kind of afternoon I love photographing โ golden light, a little chaos, and a lot of love.
Bodie, their Bernese Mountain Dog, was, without question, the star of the day. Gentle giants like Berners have a way of grounding a whole session โ even mid-romp through the open fields at Heather Farms, there was this steady, affectionate presence anchoring every frame, tail going the entire time. Bodie was the gentlest, sweetest big dog I’d ever met โ he was friendly from the moment we met, tail wagging the whole time. Between the posed family portraits, we let the in-between moments happen on their own โ Rejina and Ryan’s laughter as Bodie stole the scene more than once, the open trails and gardens at Heather Farms giving us the perfect backdrop for both structured shots and the candid ones that just unfolded.
By the end of the session, what we had wasn’t just a set of portraits โ it was an honest record of what this family actually looks like, together, right now. Bodie included.
๐ฟ4. FAQ
Q: Can I bring my dog to a family photoshoot?
A: Absolutely. Dogs are part of the family, and I love including them in your session. Just let me know when we’re planning your shoot so I can build in the right timing and location to keep everyone โ two-legged and four-legged โ comfortable.
Q: What if my dog gets anxious or won’t sit still?
A: That’s completely normal, and nothing to worry about. I’m not looking for a perfectly posed, stationary dog โ some of the best photographs come from the wiggly, distracted, mid-zoomie moments. We’ll work with your dog’s real personality rather than against it, and I’ll guide you through small tricks (treats, favorite toys, a helper just out of frame) to help keep their attention when we need a few calmer shots too.
Q: Do you charge extra to include pets?
A: Not at all โ your dog is part of the family, and I photograph them as such. There’s no extra charge to include your pet in your session.
Whether it’s your first family session or your fifth, I’d love to help you preserve this season of life โ dog and all. Reach out and let’s talk about what a family photoshoot with your pup could look like. Let’s capture your family โ pup included <—reach out for a schedule!
If you enjoyed this lovely article, take a look at my other pages below!ย
- Bay Area Family Photographerย
- 7 Fantastic Playgrounds in Brentwood, CAย
- Things to Do in Brentwood, CA: Exploring the Best of the East Bay’s Charming Town โ
Map of service area by Bay Area Family Photographer Vanessa Montano.
Service Area Bay Area, San Francisco, Oakland, Livermore, Brentwood and Walnut Creekย
Contact me for more information!ย
~Vanessa
