Simple Props. The Right Prop to Use with the Right Dog.

Simple props. One of my philosophies as a pet photographer who has photographed more than 1000 dogs is to use the right prop for the breed, color and size of the dog. Here in this portrait of Koda, a very cute Bichon/Shih-Tzu mix I used a dark, single color chair to high-light the white fur and of course the very cute nature that little Koda possesses. One thing I did not do during this portrait session is to use my antique, off white chair with Koda because instead of standing out on that particular chair she would have tended to blend in and the portrait would not have been very effective.

I have never been one to have a real busy setting for my pet portraits as I feel that it takes away from the subject, the dog or dogs and makes the portrait more about the props. In this portrait, it is all about showcasing the cute, sweet nature of Koda.