Which Season for Dog Photography?

A Dog For All Seasons

Let me start by saying I’m so grateful just now for the dog photography. Hairy Dog has allowed a small amount of income to keep trickling in at a time when others have been less fortunate. Socially distanced outdoor sessions, peppered with the scent of hand sanitiser have become the norm for me and my clients but just being outdoors, meeting people and dogs has helped keep me relatively sane, so thank you if you’ve had a session recently!

Aberdeenshire dog running in Autumn

Over the last month, there has been a flurry of last year’s Christmas gift vouchers coming in and it’s been brilliant! Late Autumn has become my favorite time of the year to have dog photography sessions. The dogs are at their best in the cooler temperatures and the countryside in and around Aberdeen / Aberdeenshire is at its very best. The colors have been especially good this year and I’ve been shown lots of interesting new walks – one

of the many perks of meeting dogs in their favorite places.

Photograph of a Jack Russell in Aberdeenshire

Needless to say, dog photo sessions at this time of year did have their pitfalls: the one thing I need is light. Especially when it comes to very fast dogs and especially if the session is likely to be in woodlands or forests. Light rain / snow / misty conditions can all add impact and atmosphere but a gray, leaden sky doesn’t help anyone! It has meant a few good postponements. I’ve recently invested in a large pile of new cameras and lenses which do allow a bit more latitude when it comes to low light but there are limits!

Gift vouchers for dog portraits in Aberdeen


Anyway, all this musing was brought on by speaking to a fellow dog photographer online about the best time of year to shoot. To be honest, I’d always thought Spring was ideal – the odd light shower, everything coming back to life, reasonable temperatures etc, etc. But looking back through my catalog from the last nine years (nine years!!) there’s a spread right throughout the year, every year, usually with a bit of a slow down around December and January. It made me realize that there’s always a backdrop worth including, be it lush green foliage in the Summer, frost and snow in the Winter, the obvious Autumnal colors or the budding shoots and floral colors of Spring.

Cockapoo photography Aberdeenshire by Hairy Dog

But really, Autumn still nails it for me. The dogs aren’t overheating or freezing, I’m not overheating or freezing and other than having to keep an eye on the weather, it just ticks all the boxes.

It’s also about this time of year that new orders start coming in for gift vouchers. I’ve put together a whole range this time around, just to offer a bit of choice. Some of the options might be more suitable for a family or group of friends clubbing together, to buy a special gift whilst others offer a more basic level of session (but still includes the very best dog photos available in Aberdeen IMHO 🙂 ). You can see the new offerings here – Christmas gift ideas for dog owners

Christmas gift vouchers for dog photo sessions

Look forward to meeting you and your dogs – also, don’t forget you can book any of the packages as a treat for yourself and your family too. And I’m always delighted when the family gets involved and wants to be in a few photos too – my background was originally people photography and I like to keep my hand in!