Rescue and Shelter Pet Photography Dogs 101

May 28

Written By Elsa B

Taking photos of homeless pets can be a very rewarding volunteer hobby or part of your job. You don’t need thousands of dollars to capture a pet’s personality, or tell the story of a pet with great photos!

I was taught by a professional photographer that would volunteer her time to take our homeless pet’s pictures every week. I learned so much about rescue and shelter photography by being her assistant, keeping the pet engaged, looking adorable, or changing up the scenery.

If you or someone you know is interested in helping a shelter or rescue get more pets adopted, their photos are the first impression a potential adopter sees!

The number one rule is always to use an open hand when using treats, you never know how mouthy a dog could be! (I had to learn this the hard way!) Between squeaky toys, treats, bells, certain sounds, or commands, most dogs will respond to at least one! When taking photos, you have a golden window within the first minute or so to grab their attention. Find out what makes the dog or puppy interested in you or your assistant, this will give you the best photo results!

Personally, puppies are the hardest pet to photograph, especially with portrait mode because puppies move constantly! For puppy photos, I have an assistant to hold the puppy up in front of the backdrop. I will then make a lot of sounds and or squeaks, to get the best reaction! In all of my years, puppies seem to respond most to squeaks from a squeaky toy and fart noises. Puppy photos can be hit or miss, and sometimes they don’t turn out that great, but puppies usually get adopted a lot faster than adult dogs!