Ohio Puppy Photography - Winnie the Golden

One frequently asked question I get is “Can you photograph young puppies?” Clients worry that their new wiggly ball of fluff won’t sit still long enough to have their picture taken. But here’s the secret: they don’t have to! With puppy sessions we will go with the flow and make sure it’s a fun and stress-free experience for your puppy. They may even blissfully fall asleep at the end of our shoot like 8 week old Winnie the golden retriever puppy here.

Your pup's adorable antics and charm deserve to be preserved forever. Puppies grow up so fast! That's why investing in professional pet photography while your new pet is still a young puppy is a great choice.

Professional pet photographers specialize in capturing the unique personality and quirks of your puppy. They know how to bring out the best in their subjects, whether it's their playful spirit, curious nature, or heart-melting puppy dog eyes.

Puppies can be super wiggly at this age, so keeping them on leash is always a good idea. I will photoshop the leash out after our session so it looks like your sweet little fluff ball was running free, when in reality she is safe and leashed the whole time. That means there’s one less thing to worry about during your session!

Plus, the experience of a professional pet photoshoot is enjoyable for both you and your puppy. It's a chance to bond, create lasting memories, and have fun capturing moments that reflect the joy your puppy brings to your life.

If your ready to book your puppy’s pet photography session, visit my booking page to request your shoot: Book A Session

Ohio Professional Dog Photography - Dolly & Juniper

There are tons of great reasons to get pet portraits, but one of the most special is when you add a new puppy to your home. I recently had the pleasure of photographing Dolly and her little sister, Juniper the Toy Poodle puppy, together with their mom. I like to keep all my sessions as stress-free as possible for everyone involved, which means we'll work with whatever your dogs feel like doing. With puppies, sometimes that means letting them get their zoomies out while I photograph! Although most people think a professional dog photographer would prefer a puppy who sits still the secret is I love the chaos and energy puppies have as it allows me to get some cool action shots.

This little family of three was such fun to work with. Dolly and Juniper were full of life and personality, and it was so easy to see just how special they are to their mom. I love capturing the quiet little moments of love shared between a dog and their human. Which photo below is your favorite from this session?

Ohio Commercial Dog Photography Shoot - Shetland Sheepdogs

I recently had the pleasure of doing a multi-dog photoshoot for a commercial pet brand client looking to license some photos of Shetland Sheepdogs for their products. I put out a model call over on my facebook page. I quickly got connected with Érable Shetland Sheepdogs, who brought me these 4 amazingly-well behaved Shelties. We had our session at New Albany’s Rose Run Park. Although we had a gloomy fall day to work with, that didn't stop these pups from shining bright. Plus the moodier lighting felt perfectly fitting for this October photoshoot.

If you are a pet-focused business looking some high-quality, professional animal imagery, please use my contact page to reach out today. I have thousands of images available for licensing, or we can also set up your own custom commercial pet photo shoot.

Travel and Destination Dog Photography - Grey and Otto

I feel like I met a celebrity! Recently I got to photograph Grey the Great Dane & Little Brother Otto! I met their mom, Charlene, on Facebook several years ago through a mutual interest in dog photography. Charlene is a talented Pittsburgh pet and family photographer (check out her work here: https://usandthedog.com/ ) It was so amazing to finally meet everyone in person. Plus it’s always extra special when you get to photograph another dog photographer’s pets!

For those who don't know, Grey and Charlene are an accomplished therapy dog team in the Pittsburgh area. Together they have clocked hundreds of therapy visits, bringing a little piece of doggy cheer to those who need it most. Grey's little brother Otto hopes to fill his big shoes one day when he's old enough, and become a certified therapy dog as well.

For our session we traveled to a cute little campground destination situated in the Appalachian foothills of eastern Ohio, near Cambridge. It's always an exciting challenge to photograph somewhere totally new, but we had some beautiful scenery to work with. My favorite part of the session was the blue-hour portraits we did beside the campground lake.

Are you interested in getting dramatic, eye-catching, one-of-a-kind portraits of your dog, but you reside outside of the Columbus, Ohio, metro area? Let’s talk! Travel and Destination pet photography could be the right fit for you. Whether you’re 30 miles away or 3,000, I can build you a custom package that meets your needs. Plus, if there’s one thing I love just as much as photographing pets, it’s traveling! Use my Contact Page today to schedule your travel and destination pet photography session!

Newark, Ohio Puppy Photography Session at Highland Hills

All puppies are cute, but holy cow, English Bulldog puppies are in a league of their own!

I had the pleasure of photographing 8 rolly, polly English Bulldog puppies and their momma at the gorgeous Highland Hills Venue. These insanely cute puppies belong to the venue owner, so it was fitting to do the session there. I'm so glad we did, because the location is amazing!

Nestled in the Appalachian foothills outside of Newark, Ohio. Highland Hills Venue is a photographer's dream. They have a gorgeous wooden barn with outdoor string lights, a beautiful view of the surrounding hills, a pond with fountain, a vintage truck, and horses, longhorns, and highland cows. If you're looking for an event venue for a wedding, party, or as an amazing photo shoot location, I highly recommend checking them out!

The center piece of the venue is a large, rustic barn. I liked that the neutral wood colors and textures made a simple yet attractive backdrop.

On the back side of the barn is a nice covered patio with string lights. This spot overlooks the pastures where the longhorns and Scottish highland cows reside. I especially love that this patio and barn is slightly higher elevation than other areas of the property. This allowed me to get an unobstructed view of the hills and sky in the background.

The whole venue is amazing, but I think my favorite spot was the cute vintage pickup truck by the pond with the Appalachian mountain foothills in the background. What a perfect setting for pet photos!

Ohio Puppy Photography - Cellana the Standard Poodle

Isn't Cellana, the 10 week old Standard Poodle puppy just gorgeous?! Besides being super fluffy, she also has a special power--with the help of some water, she can transform into a sheep! Cellana was a good sport for our quiet creek session, and was brave about getting in water for the very first time!

This secret little hidden gem of a location is one of my favs! Nestled in the Appalachian foothills just 20 minutes from Columbus, it provides a peaceful, quiet, and of course gorgeous spot for photos. Although the water level in the creek was quite low due to the drought we've be having, we still made the most of our time there.

Do you have a water-loving dog that you'd like to have photographed in this spot? I have a very limited number of sessions available for this particular location this Fall. My calendar books up SUPER fast, so if you're interested in scheduling something for your own pup, reach out today!

Columbus, Ohio, Dog Photography Session - Ziggy

Happy-go-lucky 6 month old Ziggy had his session at Schiller Park recently. This park holds special meaning to his owners, so it was a perfect spot for us to shoot. Selecting a meaningful location can make your session even more memorable.

Schiller park offered us lots of great backgrounds to choose from. Plus Ziggy lives right by there, so he knew the park like the back of his paw, and led me to the best spots!

Another way to make your session even more special is to include yourself in some of the photos with your pet. Not a fan of being in front of the camera? No worries—I’ve got you covered. There are lots of ways to be included in the photos together with your dog, without you having to stare right into the camera and smiling. We can take candid shots of the special bond you have with your puppy. We can also photograph in a way that doesn’t show your face. The goal is to make your session as stress-free and fun for both you and your dog as possible. So rest assured, you’ll leave your shoot feeling great about our photo shoot!

Bexley, Ohio, Puppy Photo Session - Solitaire the Cocker Puppy

Isn't Solitaire just gorgeous?! This sweet, cuddly Cocker Spaniel puppy came to Stop the Suffering Animal Rescue of Ohio as a cast-off from a puppy mill. This poor baby had a bad heart, so her breeder planned to euthanize her instead of providing her with the PDA surgery she really needs to fix it. Luckily STS was able to rescue her and get her the medical attention she needs in order to have a normal, happy life. Solitaire was adopted and now lives with an amazing family who adores her. She has 4 children and 3 doggy siblings to play with, as well as a dream back yard to run around in. We took advantage of the incredible gardens at Solitaire’s new home for her session. There was such amazing spring color, gorgeous landscaping, and of course perfect golden hour light for our shoot. Solitaire was so much fun to photograph, and I’m wishing her all the best in this next chapter!

Columbus, Ohio, Rescue Dog Photography - Giving back

Growing up my parents engrained in me the importance of giving back to your community in whatever way you could. The idea that you should always give more than you take, is one that I’ve carried with me into adult life…which is how I became involved in dog rescues!

As a kid, some of my happiest memories were going to the local humane society with my dad, and just spending time with the animals. I loved being able to meet so many different pets and giving love and attention to them when they need it most. Especially since ending up at a shelter is perhaps the most stressful experience of a dog’s life.

When I was in college, rescues started becoming more common. I also got my very first dog at this time, and well, once I had a dog in my life it was game over—I became obsessed with dogs and began photographing friends’ pets for some of my college assignments. So, when I graduated and moved to Ohio, I wanted to find my fellow dog people. That’s when I decided to join my first animal rescue. I started out by fostering dogs when my schedule would allow it, and then quickly discovered the need for high-quality photography of these adoptable dogs. With the rise of social media and adoption sites like Petfinder, having professional, attention-getting images of dogs in need proved to be instrumental in helping these good boys and girls find their forever homes.

Besides the obvious benefit of giving back to the community and helping animals in need, I love photographing rescue dogs and puppies, as it helps me keep my skills sharp. In rescue you have all kinds of cases, from beloved family pets whose owners passed away, to puppies that maybe were an impulse buy from a pet store or backyard breeder, and now that puppy is too big/energetic/too much work for their new owners. We also see some devastating cases of abuse, neglect, and severe under-socialization in situations like hoarding cases or puppymill cast-offs. Through volunteering with area rescues, I have been able to work with animals with all different levels of training, energy, confidence, and friendliness. This experience has helped me learn how to work with each animal individually, tailoring the shoot to their comfort level, in order to make their session as stress-free as possible.

The most common worry I hear from new clients inquiring about a photo shoot for their family pet is that they worry their shy dog won’t “cooperate”. I always reassure them that in 13 years of photographing animals, I’ve not yet met a dog that I couldn’t win over. I owe a lot of that to my experience in volunteering to photograph for rescues. Meeting and working with such a wide variety of dogs and cats has given me the necessary skills, tricks, and patience to take on any pet confidently.

Winter in Ohio is generally the slow season for most photographers. This means I have more time to volunteer and photograph adoptable dogs. One recent session that has really stuck with me is the “PopStar Litter”. The “PopStar” puppies are currently looking for their forever homes through Stop The Suffering Ohio. This little family’s backstory is heartbreaking. Unfortunately, the 7 adorable puppies you see here had an awful start in life. These sweet babies were found (as newborns) the day after Christmas, literally freezing to death in a trash pile in Kentucky! Luckily they were found just in time by a good Samaritan. After receiving emergency medical care, battling respiratory illnesses, and being bottle fed and cared for around-the-clock by foster volunteers, these babies are finally happy and healthy pups who are ready for their forever homes. To apply to adopt, visit stopthesuffering.org/adopt

Not in a position to adopt a new friend, but still want to help homeless pets? Area rescues and animal shelters are at capacity. If it weren't for our volunteers, we wouldn't have been able to save this little family. It takes a village-- from those who transported the puppies to Columbus, to the veterinarians who treated them, to the foster homes who provided love and care, to those who helped raise the funds to be able to pay for the emergency costs. Every bit of help makes a difference, and there are so many ways to make an impact. Visit STS's website to learn about ways you can help pups like these: https://www.stopthesuffering.org/copy-of-about-1

Commercial Pet Photography Shoot in Central, Ohio - English Springer and Cocker Spaniels

I always love commercial shoots, as they’re just so much fun to work on. For this particular project, the client was looking for glamorous and seasonal images of English Springer Spaniels in the great outdoors. Of course I instantly knew which location to use!

This secret spot is my absolute favorite spot in the fall. It’s a little hidden gem in the Appalachian foothills, just a short drive from Columbus. Every October the trees completely carpet this creek bed with leaves, which makes for an incredible scene set against towering shale cliffs. For me when I get to combine dramatic landscapes with gorgeous dogs in a shoot—it’s just ...*chef’s kiss*

I had the pleasure of photographing Kelce and 14 week-old Tate from Windmoor English Springer Spaniels. They brought along 2 beautiful English Cocker friends as well, so of course I snapped a few shots of them too! It’s hard to pick a favorite shot from this session, as they’re all just sublime!