Columbus Pet and Family Photo Shoot - Logan the Frenchie

Logan, the silliest French Bulldog of them all, was a joy to photograph during his recent pet and family session. This super friendly pup is very loved by his family, and holds a special place in the heart of his dog-dad. Logan and his dad made the big move to Columbus, Ohio, from Puerto Rico and went through the difficult transition of starting anew so far from home. Logan played an important role in keeping his dad's spirits up by providing lots of love, laughs, and company during an otherwise stressful time. I can definitely relate. When I moved across the country to Columbus back in 2012, I knew absolutely no one here and only had my corgi by my side, so I completely understand how important our furry friends are in helping us get through the challenging seasons of life.

We did our photo shoot at Creekside Park in Gahanna, Ohio. We wanted to have a good mix of urban scenes as well as some natural backgrounds to give us lots of variety. I love using this park, as you don’t have to walk far to get lots of different looks during a session.

As it turns out, it doesn’t matter what the background or location it—Logan is going to do his best to give face licking kisses wherever he goes. This goofy boy and his inability to hold his licker let me get beautiful portraits of him with his family with genuine smiles and laughter, and helped keep the session fun and lighthearted.

Logan’s people also wanted to be sure we captured a shot of him wearing his Superman costume complete with a big red cape. This was such a fun shot—I love when we get to do unique and personality-filled photos like this. To get this shot I placed Logan on a large rock and then I laid down on the ground and aimed my camera up. This allowed me to get a great larger-than-life shot of Logan proudly showing off his costume while his cape billowed in the wind.

Incorporating special items into your pet photo shoot is a great way to make photos more meaningful and memorable—whether it’s a costume, special collar, favorite toy, or their favorite treat.

Arrow's Dog and Family Photo Shoot by Midwest Pet Photographer Holly Hildreth

As a professional pet photographer, I always love having sunny weather for a session, But, sometimes Mother Nature has other plans. For Arrow's Family and Pet photo shoot, her plans included torrential downpours! But the silver lining to the gathering storm clouds is that it made for some really dramatic skies and lighting, which allowed us to take incredibly unique family photos. The impressive thunderstorm that provided us with such a great background for our session ended up drenching us on our way back to the parking lot at the end of the shoot. (Still worth it!)

We began our outdoor pet photography session in a shallow creek area at Alexandria, Ohio’s best hidden gem: Lobdell Reserve. The cloudy skies allowed us to get nice, soft lighting while we were photographing by the stream. This is proof that cloudy days can still give you amazing results for your dog and owner portraits!

Arrow loves to wade in water, so this was the perfect session location for him. It’s always so fun to incorporate some of your dog’s favorite activities to really help capture the essence of your dog. Plus you can’t help but smile watching your dog having a blast in their element.

After our playful romp in the creek, we took a little break to go back up on the edge of the woods where we found a nice little bench to take a moment to catch our breath before moving on to another spot.

Next we headed over to a hiking trail through a tall prairie grass field. This spot gave us an unobstructed view of the sky and allowed us to get some shots with the approaching storm in the background. We tried to work quickly to get our portraits done before the storm got too close, but we were really cutting it close. You can even see some raindrops in a few of these photos if you zoom in. While most people think of family portraits they envision a clear blue skies, but I vote for making stormy sky portraits a thing! I grew up in Tornado Alley, and nothing reminds me of home quite like watching a storm build up in the distance. While we don’t get nearly as many storms here in central Ohio, every now and again we do get a pop up storm that puts on a show.

Ready to book a pet and family session for you and your dog?

Click the link below to get started!

Book A Shoot

11 Poses for Dog and Owner Photo Shoots | Rock your Next Session with These Professional Pet Photography Tips

Are you nervous about being in front of the camera during a photoshoot with your dog? Or maybe you’re a professional pet photographer who’s looking to add more variety to their sessions. While every dog and every session is different, here are some tried and true “poses” and prompts that have been client favorites for capturing natural, genuine expressions resulting in stunning portraits with your dog.

---

1.) Puppy Kisses

This pose is an instant favorite for most dog owners. Not only can I capture the love and unique bond you share with your dog, but it always ends up with real smiles and laughter.

Pet photographer’s pro-tip: Want to do this shot but your dog is not a “kisser”? Try putting a tiny little dab of spray cheese on your cheek. Works like a charm to get your dog to lick your face.

2.) Returning the Favor

If you get a photo of your dog giving you a kiss, then it’s only right to return the favor! This posing prompt gives us a great opportunity to capture meaningful, candid-feeling shots.

Pet Photographer’s Pro-Tip: I find kissing the top of the dog’s head or their cheek lets me get a clear view of both faces. Kissing the top of the dog’s head (where the hair is shortest) is critical for fluffy dogs whose long hair would otherwise hide the owner’s face.

3.) Follow Me

Capture the loyalty your pup has to you and your family with this pose. You can include faces or shoot tight like this photo so you only see legs, so it is great for those who many be a little camera shy. With shots like this you don’t have to worry about smiling or posing a certain way, you just walk with your dog and talk do them as you go so they look up at you. Easy!

Pet Photographer’s Pro-Tip: This simple pose is a great opener to start your session, as it helps get the dog acclimated to the camera from a distance while they’re focused on their owner. It also is a fun way to burn off a puppy’s over-excitement (excellent for high energy dogs). This is also a good option for shy dogs who need a second to warm up, as you can shoot from a distance while the dog is focused on the owner.

4.) Spot’s Favorite Spot

Most dogs have a favorite spot for petting. Whether it’s belly rubs, back scratches, or head pats, this “pose” shows your dog’s quirks and personality, and also invariably brings a genuine smile to your face as you watch your pup lean into you for more pats.

Pet Photography Pro-Tip: This is a great ice breaker, as it often gets the owner smiling and laughing and helps both the dog and the owner to relax. This can also be a great “break” activity for when the dog needs to take a second away from posing for a mental break. This helps get them reset between other poses and keeps them relaxed.

5.) Cuddle Time

If your dog is happy to have a quick snuggle, then this pose is a must-do. For small dogs you can hold them in your arms. For larger dogs crouch down down to their level so you’re both the same height and put your arm around them.

Pet Photography Pro-Tip: Not all dogs tolerate being hugged or snuggled and would prefer to have some space, so if you’re dog is not into it, do NOT to force it.

6.) Over the Shoulder

The “Over the Shoulder” is another great pose for people who may be a little camera shy. It is flattering for both men and women, and works against pretty much any background. If the dog is small enough, you can hold them in your arms and then turn your back to the camera.

Pet Photographer Pro-Tip: If the dog is too big to be picked up, you can have the owners sit next to their pup with their backs to the camera to get a full body shot like in the photo below.

7.) It’s the Little Things

Doggy detail shots are a must have, particularly for End of Life Pet photography sessions. Everyone has something they love about their dog, whether it’s the special pattern of their fur, or their cute little paws, or the way their tail curls over their back—capturing these small details really helps celebrate and preserve their unique traits.

Pet Photographer’s Pro-Tip: These shots don’t have to just be close-ups of physical feature. There are more creative ways to emphasize these things in your images. For example: let’s say the owner loves their dog’s fluffy tail. While you could just take a photo of the tail, you can also capture it creatively by getting a shot of the dog and owner walking away from the camera so you can get a two-for-one—you’ve got a nice candid moment of them walking together, PLUS it shows off the dog’s tail.

8.) Get on my Level

During sessions, you’re likely to find me laying on the ground while I shoot…so why don’t you come join me? It’s super important for me to get down to the dog’s eye level when shooting as this helps highlight your pet in the most flattering way. Laying in the grass with your pet allows you to both be on the same level, as equals. Being close together is relaxing for you both, and allows us to capture sweet candid moments.

Pet Photographer’s Pro-Tip: Have the dog’s owner talk to them and love on them while they’re on the ground together. That way you can get great eye contact between your two subjects, like in the shot below.

9.) Lap Dog

Most people think this pose is only for small dogs, but guess again! This is a fun one to do, as you also get an opportunity to get beautiful candid shots of you and your dog. This is an easy-to-do pose for both men and women. Be sure to give your pup lots of pets to keep them comfortable while they’re in your lap

Pet Photographer’s Pro-Tip: If the dog is uninterested in being in the owner’s lap, have the owner kneel down directly behind the dog instead for this shot.

10.) The Look Back

This one is especially perfect for dogs with a cheeky personality! Crouch down on the ground and talk to your pet, and I’ll capture your dog looking back at me.

Pet Photographer’s Pro-tip: To pull this one off, grab a unique-sounding noise maker that you have not used at all yet during the session. Save it specifically for this shot. While the dog has his back to the camera and is looking at his people use the novel noise maker and the dog will whip his head around quickly to figure out what that sound is. Since this moment only lasts a split second you better have a fast trigger finger in order to capture this one! You may only get one shot at this pose, because once the dog hears the weird noise maker a couple times he will no longer care enough to turn and look, so it’s best to get it on the first try.

11.) Well, Would ya’ Look at That

This one is super simple Just look at your dog! This super versitile pose can be done anywhere and you can be standing, walking, kneeling, or sitting—doesn’t matter. We can photograph this as a full-body or close up shot. This is also a very easy-to-do, flattering pose for both men and women of all ages.

Pet Photographer’s Pro-Tip: This “pose” is the gift that keeps on giving, as it that allows you to get several different-looking shots from the same prompt. Try playing around with this one by shooting a variety of angles and lenses. I prefer to do these kind of shots with a telephoto or prime lens (though I do love a good wide angle that allows me to incorporate more of the surrounding environment like the shot below).

Ready to book a photo shoot with your dog?

Click Here

Christmas Dog and Family Photo Session - Creekside at Gahanna, Ohio

Crowley and Family

A Christmas-themed session in Gahanna, Ohio

I just LOVE Christmas--it's my favorite holiday (I mean... I AM named after a Christmas plant after all, AND I was supposed to be born on Christmas day). So when Crowley's family booked a session at Creekside Plaza in Gahanna to get some photos for their Christmas cards, I was so excited. I knew we were going to get some amazing shots with their incredible Christmas lights display at Creekside.

I hadn’t been to Creekside for their Christmas display in quite some time, but I was so impressed. It seems to keep growing year after year! There were hundreds of thousands of Christmas lights all around the park as well as a gigantic tree all decked out.

Crowley’s family wanted to get some photos of themselves together with their dog. While I am an animal photographer first and foremost, it’s also super rewarding to capture the beautiful connection people share with their pets. Here’s what Crowley’s family had to say about their session with Holly Hildreth Photography:

“To say this was a wonderful experience is an understatement. It was joyful, fun and Holly made it effortlessly easy for us. She is a wealth of knowledge for places that suit the dogs needs on top of having gorgeous backdrops. She was amazing with our high energy dog and helped create a safe space for him. The photos will be forever on our walls until the next time we book with her for updates.”

Columbus Professional Dog Photography Session - Archie & Angel

Two signature elements of my photographic style are bold colors and dramatic lighting. When I get to combine those two things with a gorgeous dog? It's the best feeling ever--so satisfying!

Angel and Archie recently came to me for a fall pet session. We began their shoot by taking advantage of the last bits of autumn color, and then migrated down to the lake shore of Hoover Reservoir for some sunset shots. This little sandbar is underwater all year and only emerges in late fall/early winter. This was the first time this year where it's been accessible, and it was the perfect spot for capturing some gorgeous sunset portraits during a dog and owner photo shoot.

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?

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 this pet and family photo shoot 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.

While End of Life Pet Photography sounds like a very somber occasion, owners often feel much more joyful and experience a sense of peace during these photo shoots. End of Life sessions give you a time and a place to make a few last beautiful memories together with your dog before they pass. Owners also find that having these images after their pet crosses the rainbow bridge helps bring them comfort an a sense of closure.

Ohio End of Life Pet Photography - Cosmo

Cosmo and his family recently came to me for an End of Life Pet Photography Session when he received the unfortunate news that his cancer had returned. It's always an honor to be trusted with capturing some final memories of pets and families together—documenting the love and deep bond that is shared. While none of us know how long our pups have with us, it is never easy to say goodbye. I'll be thinking of Cosmo and his family as they spend his golden days together. I'll leave you with my little poem about the most handsome one-eared wonder, Cosmo:

"For now let's cherish every day,

Savor every moment's play.

Though I may not have much pep

Please know I’ve loved every step.

So scratch my ear that special way,

Say the things you want to say.

Talk to me and let me know

It's "ok" when I must go."

Columbus End of Life Dog Photography - Chloe the Sheltie

“I lost a treasured friend today

The little dog who used to lay

Her gentle head upon my knee

And shared her silent thoughts with me.

Although my eyes are filled with tears

I thank God for the happy years

He let her spend down here with me

And for her love and loyalty."

Chloe's family recently brought her to me for an End of Life photo session. While Chloe’s health issues limited her mobility, that didn’t stop her from laying in the grass, sniffing the summer breeze, watching storm clouds roll in, and sipping on some dirty lake water (her favorite!) I'm so glad we were able to get Chloe in for her session when we did, as the next day she crossed the Rainbow Bridge. After Chloe’s passing, her mom reached out to let me know how important these photos were to her. They were glad Chloe was able to get out of the house and enjoy one last evening together doing some of her favorite things. They remarked that Chloe seemed happier and more herself than she had in a long time. It was a bittersweet goodbye, but I am honored that I had the opportunity to document some final happy memories together for Chloe’s family to cherish.

Losing a pet is one of the most painful experiences in life. However, End-of-life pet photography can be a beautiful way to capture some last happy memories before your beloved furry family member passes. It can help you cope with your grief, navigate the loss, and remember your pet in a happy light. Owners also report it gives them a sense of closure as the sessions provide a time and a place to celebrate your dog’s life as well as come to terms with what is next. It also provides you an opportunity to give your pup one last evening to do the things they love, whether that’s just laying outside in the sunshine, wading in some water, going for a car ride, receiving pets, eating their favorite foods, or just enjoying some fresh air with you. If you are in need of End of Life Pet Photography services, please use the form on my Contact page to reach out today.

Columbus, Ohio, End of Life Pet Photography Session - Rocky

"I didn’t want to go at first,

I fought with all my might.

But something seems to draw me now

to a warm and loving light.

I want to go, I really do.

But I will try as best I can

to live just one more day with you.

To give you time to care for me

and share your love and fears.

I know you’re sad and afraid,

because I see your tears.

I’ll not be far,

I promise that, and hope you’ll always know

that my spirit will be close to you

wherever you may go.

Thank you so for loving me.

You know I love you too,

that’s why it’s hard to say goodbye

to this life with you." - Susan A. Jackson

I recently had an End of Life session with sweet Rocky here. Rocky's family contacted me about a session when he got some devastating health news. Unfortunately I was in Florida at the time. We discussed checking in to other awesome pet photographers in the area who might be able to get Rocky in before I got back to Ohio, as time is of the essence when dealing with End of Life cases. But, Rocky is a determined guy! He held on until I got back to Columbus. I think he knew just how important these photos would be to his family. After having a rough night, Rocky did not have the strength to walk or sit/stand for more than a fleeting moment, but what he could do was stretch out and enjoy laying in the cool grass, watching his fur sibling, Minnie, explore the park, and soaking up all the snuggles and pats from the people who love him the most.

One concern I hear from owners considering End of Life pet photography is that they’re afraid their dog isn't suitable for a photo shoot due to being blind, deaf, or mobility or otherwise impaired. They worry that if their pet is not able to run and play, then the photos won't capture their pup's personality. I’m here to tell you that you have no reason to worry! Here is proof that we will absolutely capture wonderful memories of your faithful friend regardless of any impairments they may have.

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!

Reynoldsburg End of Life Pet Photography Session - Tanner

“Blessed is the person who has earned the love of an old dog”. – Sidney Jeanne Seward

I am always honored to be trusted to photograph an end of life pet photo shoot, as I know how important these images are to the pup’s family. It’s an even bigger compliment when you’re capturing memories for a fellow photographer!

This is Tanner and his fluffy sibling, Sadie. Their owner (the wonderfully talented Jacqueline Marie ) contacted me for a session when Tanner's health started to fail. When you're an 18-year-old dog, you have to treat every day as a gift, so we got them in for my earliest available appointment. Once I met Tanner, it was easy to see just how much his family loves him, and the joy he brings to their lives. They all have a special connection that is just palpable in every photo.