Family & Pet Photography in the Surrey Hills | Natural Outdoor Family Photos with Dogs
A Morning With a Family and Their Romanian Rescue Dog | Family & Pet Photography in the Surrey Hills
I was recently contacted by a lovely lady who received a photography gift voucher for a family photo session with their Romanian rescue dog. It’s always such a joy when people want to include their pets in a family photo session, especially rescue animals, who so often have such moving stories behind them. I was delighted and honored to have been asked to document this family’s memories.
After chatting through a few ideas, we decided to meet early one summer morning at National Trust Abinger Roughs and Netley Park, tucked away in the beautiful Surrey Hills. It’s one of those places that always feels just a little bit magical - peaceful, full of texture, and with enough space to let everyone (including the dog!) breathe and explore.
We chose an early start to avoid the crowds and give the dog a calm, quiet environment to settle into. The morning began overcast with soft, diffused light filtering through the trees - which is actually a photographer’s dream! Then, just as we were getting into our stride, the clouds parted and sunlight began to spill through the canopy. Perfect timing for dreamy family portraits!
With family sessions, I always like to begin with a few “together” shots. These are often the anchor of the session; images that show connection, closeness, and the little dynamics that make each family unique. Once I have those in the bag, we can relax a bit more, and that’s often when the real magic begins.
Natural Outdoor Family Portraits with Pets
This family was a joy to photograph - warm, patient, and so caring for their dog, who had clearly come a long way since being rescued. It is always moving to see how much trust and love can develop between people and animals, and I think it really came through in the photos.
I also wanted to capture the bond of the little girl with her mum, so I observed their interaction and documented a few frames of the real genuine moments between the pair. And I couldn’t resist a portrait of their canine friend. The dog gradually relaxed, and I managed to capture some tender images of him looking up, eyes full of loyalty and affection.
As we wandered through woodland paths, we came across an area of wide open meadows, where cows were grazing in the distance. I noticed a fallen tree surrounded by wild flowers so I thought this would be a great scene to document the family relaxing and enjoying each other’s company - the laughter, the playfulness, the small gestures of care.
Pet Photographer in Surrey – Capturing Connection and Character
There’s something quietly powerful about photographing people and their pets. It’s not just about pretty portraits, it is about capturing a bond, a rhythm, a sense of belonging. This session was a gentle reminder of just how meaningful those connections are.
I left the Surrey Hills that morning with a full heart, a camera full of images, and a renewed love for what I do.
About Me | Dog and Family Photographer Surrey
Hello, I am Mina Milanovic, a lifestyle photographer based in Surrey, specialising in relaxed family and pet photography. My style is natural and storytelling-led, focusing on real moments, genuine connection, and the beauty of everyday relationships.
Whether it’s a walk in the woods, a morning at home, or an afternoon in your favourite park, I aim to create images that are timeless, honest, and full of life. The kind of photographs that feel like you, not posed or perfect, but beautifully real.
When I’m not behind the camera, I’m usually out in nature, enjoying a yoga class, or exploring new pockets of countryside for future shoots.
How to Book Your Surrey Pet and Family Photography Session
If you’re thinking about booking a session, whether for your family, your dog, or a mix of both, I would love to hear from you.
Here’s how it works:
Say hello – Drop me a message via email (mina@minamilanovic-photography.com) with a little info about who you are and what you’re hoping for.
Let’s chat – We’ll arrange a short phone or video call to talk through ideas and tailor the session to suit your family and your dog’s personality.
Confirm your date – Once we’ve agreed on a plan, I’ll send over deposit details to secure your session.
Relax and enjoy – On the day, I’ll guide you gently and intuitively so the session feels easy, unrushed, and enjoyable for everyone.
I am looking forward to hearing from you, and to working with you!
📍 Covering London, Surrey, Sussex, the South East, and beyond.
📧 mina@minamilanovic-photography.com
🌐 www.minamilanovic-photography.com
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mina_milanovic_photography/
Family and Dog Photography in Surrey
January is normally a month of catching up with admin and a backlog of blogs. This January is no different, even though we are in lockdown number 3. I am finding this lockdown more challenging than the last two so looking back on some of the positive things that came out of 2020 offers a respite and hope for this year.
Last year, I started a personal photography project entitled “Family Dogs”. I photographed a lot of families and a lot of dogs but the two seemed to keep quite seperate. I therefore decided to combine my two passions and create an opportunity for photography I really wanted to do. I love capturing an action shot of a dog running or playing, or a lovely quiet portrait. But what I really want to be photographing is the interactions families have with their dogs, kids playing with their four legged friend, giving them a hug or riding bikes while the dog runs along.
The family and dog photo session shown in the photographs below is from a recent Family Dogs Photoshoot, back when there were still a few leaves left on branches. This sweet family was a joy to photograph, the boys so keen to show me their pet chickens, paddle and dig clay in the stream, and ride bikes with their dog following them. One of my all time favourite photoshoots!
As a Surrey family and dog photographer, I work all over Surrey, London and the South East. This project is for local Surrey residents only, and I welcome anyone who would like to participate. If you are interested, please contact me to find out more.
London and Surrey Family Photographer / Richmond Park Family Photoshoot
I really enjoy catching up with return clients and finding out what they’ve been up to. It was lovely to hear from Berry, who’s Cockapoo Joey I photographed a few years ago. He was a young dog then, and was very energetic so taking portraits was a big challenge! Below is a photo from that photo session; a moment of stillness before more energetic running around!
Since our last meeting, there has been a new addition to the family, and there was a big family get together to celebrate the occasion! As London and Surrey family photographer, I work at different locations across the capital and Surrey, but it was a special treat to go back to Richmond park for this photoshoot. The biggest challange this time was to get everyone comfortable and happy in front of the camera; to arrange a large group of people and take a shot while everyone was looking! I found an old tree branch which looked like the perfect spot for a big family photo. The curves of the branch provided lovely lines for an interesting compositing, and contained enough perching spots for everyone to sit (not so comfortably!), or stand around. After a few attempts, the children and Joy looked directly at me, and by some miracle I was able to capture the big group shot! The rest of the shoot was done in the lovely tall grasses in the park, and around beautiful Isabella plantation. Here are a few photos from the shoot - images will automatically change, but do use the previous and next controls if you need to.
If you are organising a family get together, or are celebrating a special event, please get in touch, I would love to hear from you!
