New Albany, Ohio, Pet Photography Sessions - Location Scouting: Wildflowers

One exciting challenge in pet photography is trying out new locations for your sessions. But when working with dogs, it’s extra important to know what you’ll be getting yourself in to if you were to do a photo shoot there! When I am considering a new location for an outdoor pet session, there are some key things I need to figure out before the shoot in order to set your dog up for success.

One of the most crucial questions I want to answer when I am location scouting is: what are this park’s distractions? In order to get a first-hand look, I like to visit the park before our session (with my own dogs), and try to find out: Are there a lot of other park-goers? Will there be other dogs near us? Would we potentially encounter wildlife like geese, rabbits, ducks, or deer? How loud is the park? Are there any sounds that may startle a dog? How close to the road or parking lot will we be? How accessible are the areas within the park where I want to shoot? Where will the sun be setting in relation to some key features of the park? The list goes on and on, but each and every thing is an important detail in making sure you and your pup have the most stress-free photography experience as possible.

Recently, I had been wanting to scout out a new location closer to where I live in New Albany. As luck would have it, I actually stumbled upon an amazing spot one evening when we were walking to a restaurant. Nestled along a walking path in New Albany’s Rose Run Park, I spotted the most gorgeous pink and purple wildflowers. We took a walk through the park, and snapped some cell phone photos at a few spots I thought would make for a perfect background. I mentally took note of how busy the park was, what kind dog/foot/bike traffic there was, and then calculated when the best time for the session would be based on how the sun filtered in through the tree canopy. After our little scouting expedition, I knew just the dog that would be a perfect fit for this location: Oksana the Siberian Husky.

Coincidentally the same day, I attended a corgi meet-up with my own pup, Brisket, at Rocky Fork Dog Park in New Albany. Driving in, we noticed that there was an incredible field of wild butterweed just across the road! So when Oksana’s owner agreed to help me do a test photoshoot at Rose Run Park, I convinced her to also pop over to Rocky Fork afterwords. I’m so glad we did, as the shots from both locations turned out amazing! They were so good in fact, that I actually went back the next morning with my own dog for another photo shoot! But that’s a story for another post.

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!

Westerville, Ohio, Pet Photography Session - Scout and Finnegan

This wonderful Westie pair is Scout and Finnegan (The Scout Report & Finn Files). This dynamic duo had so much expression and personality, which made my job easy! These furry friends enjoy competing in all kinds of dog sports and of course love spending time with their family.

We had our session at Everal Barn and Homestead in Heritage park in Westerville, Ohio. I wanted to be sure to include some seasonal flowers as well as capture a gorgeous sunset. Scout and Finn came to me through a recent model call on my Facebook Page. I do occasionally put our model calls for special projects, so if you’re interested in your pup being considered, make sure to follow my page to stay informed!

Happy Paw-ther's Day! -Columbus, Ohio, Pet Photography

Happy Father's Day to all the dog dads out there! You are the best of the best. You are always there for your furry friends, no matter what. You take them for walks, play fetch with them, and give them endless love and cuddles. You are their best friends and they are lucky to have you.

Do you have an awesome dog dad in your life? If so, head over to my Facebook Page and give them a shout out in the comments for a chance to win a FREE mini-session!

Dublin, Ohio, End of Life Pet Photography Session - Spencer

Sometimes home is where the session is! This handsome gentleman is Spencer. Unfortunately Spencer's health was declining, and his family wanted to capture some memories together before they had to say "goodbye". Since Spencer was vision, hearing, and mobility-impaired, we thought he would be happiest and most comfortable doing his End of Life photoshoot at home.

Spencer was such a sweetheart during his session. He had the warmest smile, and an equally sunny disposition to match. It was very easy to see how much his family adored him.

Losing a furry family member is never easy--especially when you've shared so much of your lives together. But, I like to think that we are not saying "goodbye" but rather "see you later". As author Pam Brown once said, “If there is a heaven, it’s certain our animals are to be there. Their lives become so interwoven with our own, it would take more than an archangel to detangle them.”

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!

Westerville, Ohio, End of Life Pet Photography Session - Nymeria & Maks

How adorable is this brother/sister duo?! We had beautiful weather for littermates Maks and Nymeria's photoshoot. Their owner reached out to me through The Tilly Project to schedule an End of Life session when Nymeria unfortunately received a terminal cancer diagnosis. Unsure of how much time she had left with us, we made certain to get her in ASAP for a photoshoot. Both of these pups were super sweet during their session, and Nymeria was acting so happy that you almost couldn't tell that this 13-year-old girl was so sick. I hope that she continues to be her happy self and enjoy all her favorite things in the time she has with loved ones.

The Tilly project connects families with photographers who specialize in end-of-life pet photography. The aim of these End of Life sessions is to provide families with portraits to remember their beloved pet after they are gone, as well as provide a way to process the grief of losing their furry friend.

In addition to providing end-of-life pet photography services, The Tilly Project also offers a variety of resources for families who are grieving the loss of a pet. The project's website includes a grief toolbox, a blog, and a forum where families can connect with each other and share their stories.

Westerville, Ohio, End of Life Pet Photography Session - Nellie

"How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard."

This is sweet senior face is Nellie. Her mom reached out to me for an End of Life photoshoot when Nellie's health began to sharply decline. Luckily I have the most amazing, understanding clients which allowed me to move some session around in order to get Nellie in the very next day for her shoot!

Nellie’s owner describes her more like a sister than a pet. They have made so many memories in their 16.5 years together. It was easy to see just how special their connection was. While Nellie’s health issues limited her mobility, that didn’t stop her from laying in the soft grass, sniffing the cool spring breeze, and enjoying watching the sunset with the ones she loves the most: her mom, and fur-sibling Patriot. I'm so glad we were able to get Nellie in for her session when we did, as 2 days later, she made her journey to the Rainbow Bridge. Run free, Miss Nellie! Until we meet again.

While we all want our furry family members to be by our sides forever, unfortunately at some point we all must say goodbye. End of Life pet photography sessions are an amazing gift that you can give yourself. We capture beautiful memories in our time together, that many owners find helps them with the grieving process when their beloved pet passes. I keep time reserved in my schedule every week specifically for End of Life sessions where owners aren’t sure how much time their dog has left and/or are dealing with tough decisions around the declining health of their best friend. If you find yourself in this situation and would like to book your own EoL Pet Photo shoot, contact me today , and I will be in touch ASAP.

Alexandria, Ohio, Pet Photography Session - Spider the Mudi

When I saw the forecast was going to be a high of 24 degrees, I asked Spider’s owner if she wanted to reschedule for a warmer date. She decided to keep the original date and brave the cold, and I’m so glad she did! We got a little dusting of snow the night before, and the shallow creek we photographed at had turned to ice. It made for a beautiful location! I’ve been really wanting to do some more winter-looking shoots, and I got my wish! Spider was seriously such a treat to work with. He happily did all the poses I asked for, including climbing on logs, balancing on rocks, and more. We got so many great shots.

Many owners are hesitant to book a winter shoot, as they worry that the backgrounds will look boring and drab. Well, here's proof that you can still get amazing shots in winter! If you'd like to do your own winter shoot (and your dog is cold-tolerant), contact me today to schedule! www.hhildrethphoto.com/contact

Westerville, Ohio, Pet Photography Session - Gunner & Jasmine

Meet Jasmine, Gunner, and their adoring pet parents! Jasmine was such a sweetheart, coming right up to me and demanding pets as soon as I arrived. Gunner wasn’t so sure about getting his photo taken, but with some treats and patience he came around!

We chose Everal Barn and Homestead in Westerville for our soot location, as we wanted a park that still had some late fall color and was also quiet. This tranquil park is one of my favorite spots for my shy dogs! There’s not much noise or other park-goers, and it’s big enough that I don’t need to be super close to a shy dog—I can give them lots of space by photograph them from a distance with a telephoto lens. That way the shy pup does not get stressed about a stranger being too close.

As with all sessions, I work at the dog’s pace. I want to make sure every photoshoot is fun for the dog and owners, so we’ll only do things your dog is comfortable with. Through my pet photography career, as well as my experience in training my own dogs for obedience and agility, I’ve learned how to read all the subtle cues and body language dogs give off when they’re feeling overwhelmed. During your session I am always watching your pup’s interactions and continually reading what they’re “saying” during the shoot. When I see your pup needs a break, we will pause to give them a minute to relax, get a drink of water, play with a toy, or get some belly rubs from their owners. Having that small moment to reset and focus on something positive always helps pups to regroup, and keeps the whole experience positive and happy for them.

Westerville, Ohio, End of Life Pet Photography Session - Shadow

Shadow's owner contacted me when she received some devastating health news about this sweet, 9-year old Labrador mix. They wanted to get her in for photos while she was still acting and feeling like herself.

We planned to do photos with some nice fall colors in the background. However, after having 2 days the previous week with 50mph winds, I was worried there would be no leaves left. But even with most of the trees being bare, there are still little pockets of color to be found if you know where to look!

End of Life sessions are such an incredibly valuable gift that you can give yourself and your loved ones. I keep time reserved in my schedule every week specifically for cases like this where owners aren’t sure how much time their dog has left and/or are dealing with tough decisions around the declining health of their best friend. If you find yourself in this situation and would like to book your own EoL Pet Photo shoot, contact me today and I will be in touch ASAP.

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!

During our pet photo shoot, we walked a beautiful trail at Alum Creek State Park in Lewis Center, Ohio, down to the lake and back, stopping along the way for short play sessions against gorgeous fall colors. We got so many beautiful images that it’s hard to choose a favorite!

Grove City, Ohio, At Home Pet Photography Session - Marcella

Sometimes home is where the shoot is! Meet Marcella. Marcella’s owner found me through The Tilly Project, which is a network that connects pet owners with photographers who provide end of life photography services. We did Marcella’s session in her own back yard where she was most comfortable. While this girl is getting up there in age, you'd never be able to tell. She was happy to play tug and fetch just like a pup! Here’s what Marcella’s owner had to say about her session:
“This was a stress free project and Holly’s organizational skills and knowledge led to amazing results. It could have been stressful with the wrong person. Her energy is calming. I did not feel rushed at all or pressured about anything from our first contact on Facebook to the correspondence with the final product. Booking Holly is 100% with the time and money!!! Thanks to her I have images I only dreamed of having but she made them a reality. Thank you, Holly, for being so easy to work with and sharing your talents with us all!!!!!”

Do you have a furry family member who is in need of End-of-Life Pet photography services? If so, please contact me today. I keep time reserved in my schedule every week for cases just like Marcella’s, where owners aren’t sure how much time their dog has left and/or are dealing with tough decisions around the declining health of their best friend. End of Life pet sessions are such an incredibly valuable gift you can give yourself and loved ones that captures your pet’s personality and the special bond between owner and pet.

Westerville, Ohio, Pet Photography Session - Buggy the Shar Pei mix

I admit, I absolutely LOVE fall! And whenever I see some gorgeous golden sunlight shining through colorful autumn leaves during a session, it's just perfection. Meet Buggy, the Shar Pei mix. Buggy takes doggy modeling very seriously and demanded to be paid in McDonald’s chicken nuggets. Obviously she got all the nuggets she wanted! I mean, how could anybody say "no" to that face?

Buggy has short black fur, which really stood out against the colorful fall leaves. One concern I hear a lot from clients is that they can’t seem to get a good picture of their black dog on their own at home. Often there’s no detail in the fur or the fur looks blue. I tell these owners that they’ve come to the right person, as I have extensive experience photographing black dogs of all shapes and sizes, and have been able to hone my lighting to really show off that gorgeous black fur that truly looks black.

Westerville Ohio Puppy Photography Session - Carmella the Mini-Bernadoodle

Meet Carmella, the 10 week old Mini-Bernadoodle. This insanely cute puppy was just as sweet as she looks—nothing but wiggles and kisses from this good girl. She was curious about everything during our session at Everal Barn and Heritage Park in Westerville, which made for a super fun shoot. I LOVE photographing puppies! With all their energy and excitement, it makes it easy to get lots of great personality shots. But you have to have a quick trigger finger, or else you’ll miss those fleeting moments of stillness!

One concern I hear quite often from prospective puppy clients is the worry that we won’t be able to get good pictures because their young puppy doesn’t know any commands, and also can’t be trusted off leash. But, what most folks don’t know, is that I keep the puppies on a leash the whole time. Yep, that’s right. In every photo here Carmella is actually wearing a collar and leash, and I Photoshop the leash out afterwords. That way there’s no worries about safety, and we can keep your pup close by. There’s also no need for these little ones to know any commands. Although it’s always nice to have a good “sit”, sometimes you get more exciting photos when you just let your pup play, explore their environment, and just be a puppy. Puppies have a very short attention span, so it’s important to make sure to keep the session light and fun. That way the experience is as stress-free as possible for both you and your puppy.

Westerville, Ohio, Pet Photography Session - Tyson the French Mastiff and Henry the French Bulldog

While driving to my shoot of Tyson, Henry, and their owners, the rain was coming down in buckets. Not a good sign! Thankfully when I arrived to the park, the rain tapered off. It was still cloudy, but at least it was dry, so we started to shoot. Somehow we ended up getting super lucky, and the gloomy clouds broke up just in time for some gorgeous sunset shots at the end of our session.

Tyson’s owner let me know when booking that she wanted to celebrate the time they have left with him by doing a photoshoot together. Knowing this, I wanted to be sure to catch a few extra shots of the special bond they had. Seeing just how much love all four of them had for each other made my job easy!

Westerville, Ohio, End of Life Pet Photography Session - Twinkle the Boston Terrier

Twinkle’s owner reached out to me as soon as she received some devastating health news about her furry family member. Less than 24 hours later, Twinkle was in front of my lens for her special photoshoot. Twinkle passed away at home, surrounded by family, shortly after our session. I am glad that we had this chance to make a few last happy memories in the time she had left with us, and grateful to Twinkle’s family for trusting me with such an important shoot.

Twinkle’s owner found me through The Tilly Project, a network that connects pet owners with photographers who provide End of Life (EoL) pet photography services for cases just like Twinkle’s. EoL sessions are such an incredibly valuable gift that you can give yourself and your loved ones. I keep time reserved in my schedule every week specifically for cases like this where owners aren’t sure how much time their dog has left and/or are dealing with tough decisions around the declining health of their best friend. If you find yourself in this situation and would like to book your own EoL Pet Photo shoot, contact me today and I will be in touch ASAP.

Columbus Ohio End of Life Pet Photography Session - Rajah

I’ve known Miss Rajah for years, as her owner is a good friend of mine. In fact, this beautiful brindle ball of sweetness had play dates with my oldest corgi, Rigby, when HE was just a tiny puppy. When Rajah received some unfortunate health news, her owner asked if I would do a session with her in the time she had left. The answer was an enthusiastic “YES!!!”

Rajah is, and always has been, one of the Good Ones. I wanted to make sure I captured her sweet, incredibly laid-back personality. Rajah is more of a “lay in the sun” rather than “go for a run” kinda girl, (which…SAME). Rajah has lived an amazing life so far. Since Covid hit, Rajah and her owners have been road tripping all across the US in their camper van. I think Rajah has been able to pee in more states than any other dog I know.

We had Rajah’s session at Clintonville’s Park of Roses, which is absolutely bursting with color this time of year. We took a nice stroll around the park, taking advantage of the gorgeous backgrounds as we went. At the end we got a nice, subtle sunset. A perfect session ending for such a perfect girl.

End of Life Pet Photography sessions are such an incredibly valuable gift that you can give yourself and your loved ones. I keep time reserved in my schedule every week specifically for cases like this where owners aren’t sure how much time their dog has left and/or are dealing with tough decisions around the declining health of their best friend. If you find yourself in this situation and would like to book your own End of Life Pet Photo shoot, Contact me today .

One regret I hear over and over from clients is not booking a shoot soon enough. They figured they have plenty of time and plan to eventually book something later on, but their beloved furry family member passes away before they get around to contacting me. While I can always do a shoot that accommodates your dog wherever they are health and ability-wise, many folks prefer doing a session while their dog is still happy, alert, and mobile, as they want to remember their friend’s spirit while they’re still acting like themselves. I HIGHLY recommend doing your shoot sooner rather than later, as we never really know how much time we have with our pets. To see more examples of End of Life sessions, click on the “end of life” tag at the bottom of this post.