Let’s get one thing straight right away: I am the bad auntie.
I am the auntie who will shower your kids with candy and presents and teach them all the bad words.
That could be why my brothers avoided the hell out of me while their daughters were growing up.
I like to think it was more because I lived thousands of miles away on the other side of the country but that’s just so I can sleep at night.
But that’s neither here nor there when it comes to getting your adventure dog’s attention for that One. Epic. Shot.
I call it ‘Adventure Dog Sideeye’
I am a pro at the Adventure Dog Sideeye.
After all, my adventure dog loves giving me sideeye. She’s also really good at bitchface.
I have developed patience while working with Bella to get incredible images of her at amazing locations in Spokane and North Idaho.
And my patience makes your sessions easier, more enjoyable and way more productive.
(Thanks, Bella!)
Of course, sideeye or even bitchface can come in handy. They actually work well for The Power Pose where your dog is stamping his paw down onto the ground and announcing his presence to the world.
Most of the time, however, we want him looking deep into my soul … er, lens … to get that engaging look that pops off your wall and into your heart, reminding you of that special bond you share.
Here’s how we do it:
1. Noisemakers
If there’s anything that makes Bella jump and pay attention, it’s the sound of the UPS truck driving through the neighborhood five blocks away. Or the C-A-T quietly making his way into the neighbor’s backyard.
Dogs are sensitive to noises. A squawk, a bay or a shweee-oop can turn a head toward my camera, maybe … just maybe … even tilt one. Oh, the head tilt is the money-maker, baybee. It’s a sure bet to make you heave an “oooooohhhhhhhh, my baby,” when you’re viewing your gallery.
I have a collection of noisemakers that I’ve picked up from Sportsman’s Authority, Dick’s and Amazon. They have such name as “sick rabbit” and “dying elk.”
I also have a squeaker, a clicker, a rubber chicken and an ordinary old whistle that takes me back to all those times I heard it on the ice and promptly got sent to the penalty box.
2. Treats
Most dogs – and I say “most” because when we’re out and about, Bella does not care a whit about this – are food motivated.
Wave a smelly treat under their nose and dadgummit, they will do damn near anything I want. A super smelly chunk of dehydrated salmon and all of a sudden, your dog will do my bidding. She will spin, wag her tail, promptly sit and pay attention.
Treats are especially helpful when I’m playing with my superwide lens and almost in your dog’s face.
All I have to do is hold my super smelly treat right under my Tamron 10-24 and voila, your dog is looking right at me … er, my lens.
Tennis balls, while often not stinky, are pretty similar to this. If I want a golden retriever or Labrador to look me dead in the lens, I know I have to have a ball handy.
3. My loud mouth
At some point, my excessively loud voice and the impossibleness of embarrassing me had to come in handy.
It’s true. I have no indoor voice.
And I imagine I look like a bit of an idiot while I’m conducting my adventure dog and Memories sessions.
Not only am I flat on my stomach on the ground, hip deep in lake water or perched precariously on a rock, I’m also fumbling into my waistbelt for treats and noisemakers, all the while trying to coax your pup into that most precious of poses.
Sometimes it’s easier to employ the noises I can make myself.
They might sound like a fart. I might “bok-bok” like a chicken. I might “merawwwwr” like a cat. “Ka-kaw” like a crow or do my best to sound like a fire truck siren.
I’ve no doubt it’s a sight for the average bystander.
4. You
Oh yeah, when I said “here’s how we do it,” I didn’t mean the group of us who hold the camera, those of us who are your esteemed dog photographers around the world.
I meant “we” as in “you and me.”
Yes, you don’t get to stand by and watch the proceedings. You, my dear client, are often an active participant in your session, well beyond posing prettily with your adventure dog for a few shots.
Many times you are my biggest battle in getting your dog’s attention. More often than not, your dog has eyes for you only. She is waiting for your command, eager to please you and only you.
Thus, I will get you to stand over me — yes, over — or at least very close to my shoulder and say your dog’s name.
Trust me, it’s magic. And I make you two promises:
- I’m vaccinated.
- I did not have beans for supper last night.
5. My secret weapon
For standard images like The Power Pose, The Down and The Mugshot, I usually have my Nikon D750 in my hand. It’s a full-frame sensor that renders bigger files that are perfect for creating your Statement Pieces.
If, however, your adventure dog is looking everywhere else, but for an occasional glance in my direction, I will pull out my trusty Nikon D500 that shoots frames per second like you would not believe.
I could throw numbers at you but they don’t really matter. Just know that with my D500, I have to be judicious in using it because I can leave a session with a 1,000 frames to go through if I’m not careful. It may, however, be the difference in getting that split-second look into my soul, the one that means I have The Shot, the one that will melt your heart.
Behind the scenes help
So many thanks to Kendra Dodge of the Better Together Animal Alliance for her behind-the-scenes look at one of my Paws of the Panhandle sessions!
Hey, look, dogs are unpredictable critters, so patience is key when you’re an adventure dog photographer.
Both Shep and Bella have brought me to different levels of understanding what patience is and why our best fur friends require it — not just for dog photography, but for life and building that incredible bond we share.
A bond you should be freezing in time with a portrait session of you and your adventure dog doing epic things in the Inland Northwest.
Go here to contact me and book a free consultation!
I may not be able to promise I didn’t have beans…LOL
Hahahahahaha! Warn me first.
Oh my god, that power pose puppy kind of makes me squeal! I love your lighting, even though it reminds me that I’m not using lights and I need to.
Ausha was a gorgeous little girl, wasn’t she?
Great post as usual. Love that puppy! I wished I lived in as pretty a place as Spokane!
You know how I feel about EVERYWHERE in Canada.
You have great ideas – each blog post is giving me a little insight into how others work. I like the various ideas, the behind the scene photos and those up front, in your face shots!
Linda … you may have given me new ways to describe my work. I love you!
Are you sure you didn’t have beans? LOL! And that chicken might have some “scare” factor, too! Your posts always make me smile! Beautiful images ! Especially loving Aggie – what a beauty!
Wait until you see the image of Aggie with her pop. I don’t know if I’ve ever taken a sweeter picture.
I’ve had clients straddle me while I’m laying on my stomach on the ground in order to get their dog to look at the camera – I’m sure it’s quite the site to other park goers LOL (oh, and I’m usually making strange noises too!)