Including your dog and newborn photos can be a fun way to capture your furry friend and your new baby. It’s important to ensure that your dog is comfortable and safe during the photo shoot, and to have someone else on hand to help manage your pup while you focus on your baby.
Lifestyle photography is just that – you and your life in your place and that includes your dog and newborn! Whether its posing with the family or tilted head looking into the crib, theres almost endless ways to include your dog and newborn photos
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Hey! I’m Alison, lifestyle photographer, recovering homeschool mama of 4 boys circus and USMC family.
I’ve been photographing families for 12 years. One thing I’ve learned: photos never lose their value.
But the thought of dealing with 3 hour studio photoshoot is just too much.
Not only do you have to worry about getting everyone dressed and to the studio on time, but spaces can be cramped and uncomfortable – and take forever!
In home newborn photos are half the time and capture the intimate details that studios simply can’t.
How Newborn Photos Work
- We book your due date. I only take 2 families per week to leave plenty of wiggle room. Baby’s gonna do what baby’s gonna do! We get wardrobe set before delivery.
2. After baby arrives and everyone is home, we set the actual photo session day. Newborn sessions are weekday mornings usually around 10am and last up 90 minutes and are easy and painless.
3. Two to three weeks after photo day we gather again virtually for your Gallery Reveal & Order appointment! Buy only what you love. Digital files come with the print products.
Why include your dog
For a many families your dog came way before baby. Sometimes the dog is well advanced in years and may not live along enough for the baby to remember him or her. Sometimes the dog predates your marriage!
How to include your dog
No matter how well trained or lazy your dog is, its still an animal. We truly can’t control it. The dog(s) only have a few days, maybe a week to get to know your new baby, adjust, and cooperate for photos in home with a stranger.
Its important to keep expectations low when doing dog and newborn photos.
Here are my 5 Best Tips for including your dog in newborn photos:
- Acclimate your dog to the new baby before photo day.
- Exercise your pup before the photo session.
- Attempt only a few, safe shots with the whole family.
- Have lots and lots of treats on hand!
- Do your dog and newborn photos at home
Safety including your dog in newborn photos
You never really know what your pup is going to do with baby. I like start with the whole family first. This is a sneaky way for mom or dad to manage or control the dog discretely.
I personally do not like laying baby on on very near to any animal – dog or cat. There’s just to much room for error in getting stepped on, sat on, pushed over.
- Start with the whole family so mom or dad can control the dog
- Never put baby on top any animal
In home newborn and dog photos
The beauty of in home newborn photos is that your dog (just like a sibling!) is in their own space. Unlike a traditional photo studio, your dog is already familiar with the space and smell of his own turf. He’s already calm and comfortable and knows his own limitations. Best of all, your dog has his own bed and space to retreat to when photos his part is done!
- Your dog is calm in own space
- He knows his limitations
- He can be free when his done with his photos
Dog And Newborn Photos
More Newborn Photo Resources
I'm a USMC spouse, South Carolina native, recovering homeschool mama of a 4 boy circus. They've taught me the most important facet of family photography: KEEP IT FUN!
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