Overview
Have you ever tried to photograph a dog who just won’t sit still? Or a dog who shuts down the moment the camera comes out?
You’re not alone. In this course, you’ll learn exactly how to help different types of dogs feel safe, focused, and ready for their portrait session. We’ll show you how to understand the dog in front of you, adapt your approach quickly, and choose posing techniques that genuinely suit their temperament.
By the end of this course, you'll have the confidence and understanding to handle any dog calmly and efficiently - making your sessions smoother, more enjoyable, and allowing you to open your doors to a wider range of clients.
Why our approach?
If a dog gets spooked with your flash lighting, or they wont sit still for their portrait, no amount of technical knowledge will help recover your session.
This course combines dog behaviour theory with practical, accessible and realistic posing techniques. You’ll learn not just what to do to get a dog to pose, but WHY it works - giving you the confidence to adapt your approach to any dog that walks into your studio.
This course has been reviewed with input from a qualified dog trainer who specialises in nervous and reactive dogs to ensure the approach remains responsible, ethical, and aligned with best practice.
What is the course?
This is the essential toolkit for photographers who want to photograph dogs more confidently and quickly - even if they are nervous, overstimulated or untrained.
You’ll learn how to:
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Read and respond instantly to dog behaviour and body language
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Manage the environment to reduce stress and avoid overwhelm
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Use positive associations and motivators that actually work
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Guide owners so they help rather than hinder the session
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Capture authentic expressions without force, frustration, or pressure
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Create studio quality photographs anywhere, and with any dog
Entry Requirements
This course is suitable for:
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Pet photographers of all levels
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Anyone doing live events, pop-ups or studio sessions with unfamiliar dogs
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Photographers who are venturing into the pet space
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Experienced photographers who want to open their doors to more dogs
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Anyone who has ever said “this dog just isn’t listening”
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Photographers who want to create ethical sessions with dogs to be genuinely happy, safe, and confident in front of the camera
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Photographers who are working in rescue settings with nervous and untrained dogs.
A Preview of the Course
Backed by Dog Behaviour Science
"They have created a course that is insightful, compassionate, and incredibly mindful of every step of the process when photographing dogs - the environment, the humans, and of course the dogs themselves.
Their experience and passion for their work is apparent in every module, and they have produced a piece of education that goes so much further than just 'how to teach a dog to sit and stay'; it will help anyone who takes this course photograph dogs in a way that helps them flourish and feel comfortable, without force, coercion, or stress."
- Alyssa - Better Nature Dog Training | CSAT, ABTC-ATI, MAPDT
1. Dog Behaviour Theory
You’ll discover why dogs behave the way they do, and learn simple, practical strategies to manage your studio or pop-up environment.
By creating a calm, structured space, dogs are more likely to relax, engage, and pose naturally for your camera.
2. Guiding the Humans
You’ll learn how to guide dog owners and families with children effectively.
By setting clear expectations and providing calm, confident direction, you’ll ensure both dogs and their humans contribute to a smooth, enjoyable session.
3. Photograph ANY dog
You’ll learn how to read and understand the temperament and motivations of every dog that comes into your studio.
This knowledge lets you confidently choose the right techniques for each dog and select poses that highlight their personality.
"The biggest thing I wanted to learn is how to work with a variety of dog personalities in a way that is both productive and enjoyable for myself and the dog, so that nobody ends up stressed out from a session.
Overall this was so clear and well thought out and to the point. It was a beautiful job of overlaying video examples with how the portrait turned out with what you were describing, so I could kind of see the whole thing come together.
I love that there was so much emphasis on the well-being of the dog and working with their instincts in order to keep this as positive as possible an experience for everybody involved. I'm ready for the next course now!"
- @catchphotostudio
"Working in the veterinary field, I can really appreciate all the tips and education you put into these videos! The canine behaviors and working with those types of behaviors were spot on!
The videos were very well put together! They are easy to follow and very informative. I feel it’s pretty spot on when it comes to pet behaviors and how to work WITH the pet and owner, not controlling them. Dogs are fun to work with but you have to know how to communicate effectively to them.
My favorite was learning the different “types” of dog personalities you see and what tricks work best with each."
@katiemcgraw.photo
