Photographing dogs is great fun, particularly when it's your own pet! Every shoot can be different as each dog will behave differently, and you never know what to expect. It's also great to capture your own memories with your dog, whether you're at home, or having adventures on your daily walks!

Here are my top tips for photographing your dog:

TIP ONE: CHECK OUT THE LIGHT

Photography is ALL about the light. If you can, avoid photographing your dog in harsh, bright sunlight. Early evening or a bright, cloudy day will give you lovely soft light which will give your photos an extra special look.

TIP TWO: GET DOWN TO THEIR LEVEL

Getting down onto the same level as your dog means you get a better angle and your dog will look in proportion, rather than having a huge head and tiny body. 

TIP THREE: DON'T CALL THEIR NAME

It sounds counter-intuitive, because it's your natural instinct to call your dog's name to get their attention! Unfortunately, when most dogs hear their name, they'll come to you, and you'll get a close up of their nose or a slobbery tongue. Try not to use their name, but use other methods to get their attention.....

TIP FOUR: MAKE THEM CURIOUS

You want your dog to be looking at you, and the best way to do this is make them curious. Try a squeaky toy under your knee or make a silly noise they may not have heard before to get their interest.

TIP FIVE: HAVE FUN!

Don't get too hung up on the technical stuff, but make sure you capture your pet having fun and looking happy. You can try different things such as putting a little peanut butter on your dog's nose to get some funny expressions as they try to lick it off (please make sure peanut butter does not contain xylitol which is harmful to dogs - always check before feeding any new food to your dog!)

I hope you have fun photographing your four-legged friend - why not share some of your photos on our Facebook page?