We’re all guilty of a phone full of pics of our fur babies. Asleep in ridiculous positions, wet nose close ups, playing with bubbles in the garden, we just love showing off photos of our dogs to anyone who wants to see. And let’s not even go into the photo shoots we do for social media uploads and, of course, the annual Christmas card.
The best time to grab the ulti-mutt shot? When we’re away on holiday with our happy hounds. And the perfect place to stay that caters specifically for photogenic pups is Pack Holidays, with dog friendly holiday cottages to suit any number or size of dog. With handy info on nearby beaches, walks and more for fantastic photo opportunities, directions to nearby dog friendly pubs, cafes and restaurants, extra special touches and doggy treats on arrival and zero extra doggy fees, you’ll be sure to enjoy the paw-fect holiday with your dog.
So, how do you set up the perfect photo shoot for your dog to capture that brilliant shot to frame and hang in prime position? Here are ten holiday photoshoot ideas for your dog.
1. Capture Your Adventures Together
While you’re lining up a shot of your favourite holiday spot, that famous landmark or a stunning sunset, why not get your pup involved? Turn that great photo into an epic one! Your dog is on your adventure with you, after all and should be the main feature of your photo album. You could even take a fun selfie of you and your furry friend together.
2. Smile and Say ‘Sausages’!
Dogs pull the funniest faces. Try to get your pooch to pull different expressions, or be prepared to capture them naturally while away on your holiday. These kinds of silly shots make for a personality filled photo that’s bound to make you smile every time you see it. We recommend squeaky toys and tasty treats as bribes.
3. Show Your Dog on the Move
Action shots of your dog can be striking and hilarious. Set up a situation where your dog is running across a meadow or in front of impressive scenery and have a treat or toy on hand as their goal to run towards. Use a fast shutter speed and set your camera to burst mode before you start snapping away. The results will be so worth it.
4. Reach for the Skies
Dog’s love to jump. Throw a ball and jump on the trend of capturing a great shot of your pup mid-air, slobber flying and eyes full of joy and excitement. A fast shutter speed and burst mode is essential to ensure you don’t miss the perfect, comical shot.
5. Ready? Set? Let’s Get Wet!
Most dogs will take any opportunity to get wet. Whether you’re holidaying by a lake, river or the beach, or even have a sprinkler or hose at your holiday cottage, getting water involved in a photo shoot adds another dimension and can capture your pup’s adventurous side. If you’re lucky, you could even capture the drying off ‘shake’.
6. Play Around With Colour
Take the time to consider your dog’s natural colouring and how it can be complemented by the background shades. The reds and golds of autumn leaves suit just about any dog, or fresh green springtime shades can make your darker toned dog stand out. And never underestimate the power of a dark, moody backdrop.
7. Embrace the Seasons
If you’re holidaying in winter, use this fantastic opportunity to capture your pup frolicking in the snow, snapping at snowflakes and partaking in a snowball fight. You could even make a snow pup together. The white backdrop also makes for a magical Christmas card opportunity.
8. Make the Most of Car Rides
Does your dog love sticking their head out the window of a moving car and catching the breeze through their fur? As long as your dog is safely restrained and their head isn’t fully out of the window, you can capture some great action shots on your way to your holiday home.
9. Focus Point Fun
Play around with the main focal point of your shot. In a meadow of daisies? Ask your pup to sit and pop a daisy on their nose as the main focal point of the shot (if they’ll sit still long enough!) Or perhaps focus on their iddy-biddy paws with the rest of the shot out of focus. You could even try a wide-angle lense to emphasise the feature you want to focus on. It will distort the dimensions but works really well with pets.
10. See Things from Their Point of View
Get down on your dog’s level and see the world from their perspective. Particularly handy for close up shots, you can really capture your pup’s expressions or some ‘flying’ action moves from ground level.
Most importantly, have fun with your dog on these photo shoots. The experience is as important as the end result.
