Ohio Dog and Owner Photoshoot - Berklee at Hoover Reservoir

An Autumn Pet and Owner Portrait Session in Westerville, Ohio | © Holly Hildreth Photography

Berklee the hound mix came to me for a Pet and Owner photo session at Hoover Reservoir in Westerville. Berklee's mom wanted to be sure we incorporated some color into our shoot—something that can be tough in early winter. Luckily for us, there are still beautiful pockets of color if you know where to look.

One of the trademarks of my photography is my off-camera flash lighting style. Even when a scene might regularly look pretty brown or drab (as is common in the late fall and winter here in Ohio), by utilizing a combination of high shutter speeds and a flash, I am able to make the colors pop. This technique is how I do all my dramatic sky sunset sessions. By shooting this way, it makes the colors of the sky and the golden sunlight much more intense and brings back some virbrant color into a scene.

Columbus End of Life Pet Photography - Dugan

Handsome 13 year old Dugan recently came to me for an End of Life session when he was diagnosed with a sinus tumor. He was a tiny gentleman during his pet and family session and was nothing but happiness, tail wags, and love--at one point taking a quick break from shooting to run up to me and ask for a belly rub. It was very clear to see just how special Dugan is to his people. I’m so glad we were able to capture the bond he had with his moms while he was still feeling good. I'll be thinking of Dugan and his family as they treasure the remaining time they have together.

Ohio End of Life Dog Photography - Louis, Slugger, & Easton

End of Life Pet Photography

Saying “goodbye” to our furry friends is never easy. EoL Pet Photography is a wonderful way to celebrate the life of your furry friend before they pass.

While I always hope for amazing sunny skies for every session, sometimes Mother Nature has her own plans and gives you a dark and drizzly day instead. Your can actually see the raindrops in some of these photos if you zoom in! Louis, Slugger, and Easton recently had their fall session with me. Days before their session, Slugger's family found out he is diabetic. Getting a diabetes diagnosis in dogs can be extremely overwhelming at first--trust me, I know firsthand! Since my personal dog is also diabetic, I knew exactly what Slugger needed. We were able to time his session around his feeding and insulin schedule as well as use low-glycemic treat options that wouldn't impact his blood sugar. I'm so glad we were able to capture some beautiful portraits of these 3 adorable pups, despite the rainy weather, and am wishing Slugger's family all the best as they embark on their doggy diabetes journey together.

Here’s what their owner had to say about their pet photography experience:

“Wow! Holly was fantastic for so many reasons! She worked with all three of our dogs at once and delivered some fantastic photos! She took pictures of our three boys on a rainy, yucky day and turned them into magic!

My favorite part of the experience was the accommodations she made for our newly diabetic pup, Slugger. She was so great working with all of our dogs, but really tailored our experience to Slugger, by recommending the best treats, working around our feeding schedule, and offering her experience with her own diabetic fur baby.

We could not be happier with our experience. :)”

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!

Westerville, Ohio, Pet Photography session - Kaiser & Copper, Doberman

I had the privilege of photographing Copper and Kaiser, the Doberman Pinschers, at Hoover Reservoir in Westerville. We had perfect, unseasonably warm autumn weather for our session. One reason I love photographing at this park is that it offers many different “looks”. We took advantage of the colorful leaves and gorgeous backgrounds, and ended with the pups taking a little dip in the lake for some action shots. These two good boys were a total pleasure to work with, and were eager to try anything, whether that was posing on a rock or splashing through the water.

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!

Lewis Center, Ohio, Pet Photography Session - Dove

Leaves, camera, action! You may recognize this gorgeous White Swiss shepherd as Dove the Diabetic Alert Dog in Training! I photographed Dove last year while she was still a puppy. It was great to see her again now that she’s all grown up. Not only is this dog gorgeous, but she’s got brains and athleticism too! Dove showed off her recall skills, frisbee catching, and diving/water retrieval prowess during her shoot. Even though it was a chilly day, Dove couldn't wait to jump into the water! We walked a beautiful trail at Alum Creek State Park down to the lake and back, stopping along the way for short play sessions against gorgeous fall colors.