Started shooting pet portraits a while back and it's nothing like shooting people. A few things that took me way too long to figure out:

1. Treats > commands. Every trainer will tell you "sit, stay" — but the shot that actually gets the wagging tail and perked ears comes from a squeaky toy held right above the lens, not a verbal command.

2. Shoot in bursts, always. Dogs don't hold expressions. You get maybe a quarter-second window of the ears up, mouth open, eyes bright combo. Burst mode is non-negotiable.

3. The owner's energy is the dog's energy. If the owner is stressed about their dog "behaving," the dog picks up on it instantly. My job half the time is calming the human, not the animal.

4. Natural light softboxes beat harsh strobes. Dogs (especially rescues) can be spooked by a flash pop. A big diffused softbox gives you the same quality without the startle reflex.

5. Senior dogs are the most requested, most emotional sessions. So many people book a session for an older dog "just in case." Those are the sessions that matter most — treat them that way.

If you're a pet owner who's never done a professional shoot, it's a lot less stressful than people expect. Happy to answer questions if anyone's curious about the process.