North Park Engagement Shoot and tips for including your dog in your photos! San Diego, Ca | Devin and Zach
Devin and Zach met in Chemistry class!! They have CHEMISTRY!! And make chemistry puns PERIODICALLY!! Of course we can only make bad chemistry puns, because all the good ones Argon. I hope this has caused a good reaction!!
ANYWAYS!! Devin and Zach are the freaking BEST! After 7 years together, many moves and a bunch of dogs, they’re tying the knot! Back in the good ole’ days of going out in public and standing close to each other, we met up at Mike Hess Brewing for their engagement shoot! Since they currently have two dogs, we wanted to grab a beer somewhere that was pup and photo friendly. Mike Hess in North Park was the perfect solution (I’m done I swear). Sydney, Devin’s sister, came along as well to lend an extra hand with the dogs and clothing changes. After a beer, we just wandered around North Park and explored the neighborhood. There are so many photogenic spots and great murals in the area for fun pops of color and design.
Having pups in photos is always the best and I always get excited when clients want to include them! Having nice photos with your pets is important! They are totally family and I always encourage my clients to include them when having their photos taken.
Want photos with your dog?! Here are some helpful tips for photoshoots with your pups!
Work on basic commands (Sit, Stay) leading up to the shoot!
Even with the wiggliest of pups, a confident “sit” is going to help them focus!
Get some good zoomies out the day of the shoot.
A tired pup is a well behaved pup!
Bring high value treats!
When in doubt, most dogs will look at the camera for an extra special snack.
Bring a friend to assist holding the dog(s).
Because everyone loves OPTIONS, having a friend there will give you the opportunity to have photos both with and with out pup!
Arrive early!
Most dogs get super stoked on new spaces and new smells. I always recommend arriving to your shoot at least 30 mins early to give pup time to smell, explore and settle into the area. This is also a great time to get zoomies out!
PATIENCE!
Before my career as a photographer, I was a dog walker and vet tech for 6 years! Even the most well behaved of animals can be unpredictable. Dogs usually get excited meeting new people or in new situation, so it’s ok if they are full of energy at the beginning! If your pup is a real goof, I am ALL about that and am happy to let them go nuts as long as needed. We will totally get a photo of all of you looking at the camera once they settle in. Dogs are a gift and I love getting to photograph them!
Devin and Zach, thank you for such a fun day and bringing your sweet angels. I know the future is a lot of unknown, but I KNOW that we are gunna have the best freaking time when you two tie the knot!