Family Dogs / Surrey Family and Pet Photographer

Family Dogs

I love taking family photographs and I also love photographing dogs. That is why I recently started a personal project called Family Dogs, with an aim to document the relationship families have with their pet dogs. To kick start the series, I photographed a gorgeous cocker spaniel Lexi with her human family. We arranged our dog and family photo shoot near Leith Hill as the family lived close by and one of their favourite things to do in spare time was to go on long country walks.

Family portraits with pets

It was a warm summer day in late summer, with sunshine coming through the clouds but with rain looming in the distance. We started our walk at the bottom of the hill, walking up the gentle slopes, sun coming through the trees. This first part of the session provided some great opportunities for group shots, the colours of the dead leaves on the ground matching Lexi’s coat. It was lovely to work with the earhy colour palette. A part of the route up towards Leith Hill has some impressive tree roots which form an amazing pattern on the ground. I knew I wanted to include these in the photographs, so I positioned Lexi for a few dog portraits. I particurlarly like black and white versions of these photographs, the textures and patterns really come through. Once we were on top of the hill, I looked around for nice spots for some more family shots. The heather was in bloom and I wanted to include it in the photos. Often when photographing families with dogs, there is quite a bit of arranging going on. Either the dog doesn’t want to sit still, the kids want to run around or both things happen making it nearly impossible to take a group shot! On this occasion, by some miracle, the family set down and just as they did so (while also looking at the camera), Lexi came from behind and poked her head through a little hole in the middle. This is one of the rare unposed, unplanned photos which just happened and turned out amazing! It is one of my favouirtes from this family and pet photo session, probably because it was so spontaneous!

Dog Portraits

Finally, a dog photo session with an energetic dog like Lexi wouldn’t be complete without a few action shots. I got Lexi to run along the paths amongst the heather and she did so with such speed that my auto focus struggled to keep up. I love taking a variety of different shots which capture memories of our pets in different situations - while frantically running around, chasing a ball, playing with another dog or a family member, or having a quiet moment. Different moments take us back and awaken memories we thought we lost.

Family Photography with Dogs

If you live in Surrey and are interested in participating in my Family Dogs photography project, please get in touch - I would love to hear from you and photograph your family and your dog(s)!

Dog Photography Gift Vouchers

If you are looking for a different kind of gift for someone’s birthday, anniversary or Christmas present, then a photography gift voucher may be the answer. I offer 1h and 2h dog photography gift vouchers. You can add extra credit to the gift certificate, which can go towards digital files or prints, or leave it up to the receipient to choose what they’d like at the end of the photoshoot. Get in touch if you have any questions!

Dog Photography Session in Surrey

We’ve been spoiled for beautiful summer evenings this year. I tend to photograph whatever the weather, I really don’t mind a bit of drizzle or even rain but I do love warm sunny summer evenings and the golden light that comes with it.

I photographed these two ladies earlier this summer, when the grass (and days) was still long. When I first started photographing dogs, I focused on getting a nice portrait of a dog, or a great action shot. My dog photo sessions have evolved since then, and in additin to capturng those types of shots for my clients, I also try to capture the relationships dog owners have with their beloved pets. The special bond between these two ladies was apparent from the start which I hope I captured in this set of photographs.

Do you know a dog owner who would love to have the relationship with their dog captured? As a pet photographer, I work across Surrey, London and the South East capturing these relationships. Drop a line if you would like to discuss a pet photoshoot, or if you would like to purchase a dog photography gift voucher.

Dog photographer in Surrey

My lovely neighbours wanted a few photos of their dogs Nelly and Annie, so a few weeks ago we went on a local Surrey walk to photograph the two ladies. I wanted to capture them enjoying their every day walk - running around the cricket pitch and walking through the tall grasses. These two ladies are elderly which I find can sometimes be a challenge during dog photo shoots in terms of producing a variety of images for my clients. However, these two were such stars - they were up for posing for portraits (individual and group!), they loved having a run around and interacted so eagerly with their owners. I really couldn’t have asked for more.
I love photographing dogs and their families, so if you are interested in having a dog photo session with me, please contact me to discuss your idea. Or perhaps you would like to surprise someone with a dog photoshoot experience? Gift certificates are a great way to treat your loved ones to an experience with their canine friend. If you would like to enquire about pet photography gift vouchers, please get in touch to discuss your requirements. You can also head over to my shop to purchase a 1h or 2h dog photography gift voucher,