As A Pet Photographer, I Help Rescue Dogs Find Their Forever Homes By Doing Proper Photoshoots (16 Pics)

Although pet photography is becoming more and more well known by the general population, people are still often surprised by my answer to the question ‘What do you do for a living, Leigh?’. The story behind how I got into pet photography or even photography in general is a little strange, I suppose.

I’d owned a camera for years, had taken a few snapshots here and there for fun, but had never really found a passion for it. But one day, I came home to find my house had been robbed and among other things, my camera, which had only been gathering dust, had been taken.

Anyway, for some unknown reason, the first thing I replaced was my camera with the exact same one that had been stolen. But this time, for reasons I’ll never understand, I was all in and spent all my spare time driving out to far-off locations to take landscape photos. This soon turned into event photography, which I did for a while. However, by the 334th time someone drunkenly slurred into my ear at close proximity ‘Heeeeeyyyy, can u take a foto of meeee’ I knew I had to find something else. And when I thought about it, all I really wanted to do was hang out with my dog. So then I hatched a plan where people would let me hang out with their dogs! What a brilliantly clever scam! And here I am today, with possibly the best job any dog lover could think of.

Taking photos of people’s furry best friends is amazing and I love having the opportunity to meet, photograph, and hang out with so many different breeds and pooch personalities. But I knew there were so many dogs out there that didn’t have a home and maybe needed a little help being seen.

Having a rescue dog myself, I follow many independent rescues online and I know firsthand that adoption photos online are often…. lacking. Now that’s not a slight on the rescue groups at all, they do an amazing job and literally give up sleep and financial freedom to help dogs in need and the sheer amount that comes through their doors each week is staggering. But I knew if I could get them into the studio and show their dogs a little love and kindness, I could provide them with images for their adoption profiles to really help them stand out from the crowd.

I’ve met so many rescue dogs over the years and there is really no way to define them. Some that I meet are hyperactive and literally running up the walls, some are super sweet and just want some love, some are cheeky and mischievous and some are just big loveable goofballs.

One trait that is very often shared with all of them, however, is at first they are quite shy, especially if they’ve been living the past few weeks, months, or even years in a rescue with many other dogs. They walk into a strange environment and are greeted by a strange man (or so I’ve been told) who holds a gadget over his face that causes bright lights to flash in their eyes. If that doesn’t sound like an alien abduction on paper, I don’t know what does.

Now you can very quickly find their vice, be it treats, or toys, or squeakers and noises, and all of these help a lot, but the one thing that really brings them out of their shell is simply time. I try and give every dog, be it someone's beloved pet or a rescue, time to relax, get to know me, and realize this is a safe and fun space. With just a little bit of patience, their personalities start to emerge and you are treated to meeting their true personality.

Unfortunately, some dogs I meet are currently in a rescue because their previous parents… weren’t the best humans and mistreated them. These dogs can have understandable trust issues, some may flinch if you raise your hand while others may try and take a chunk out of your leg if you get up from the floor too quickly. These types of dogs just need a little extra space and patience to develop a level of trust with me. I don’t fault dogs who snap at me, they sadly just don’t have many positive experiences with humans to draw from. All I ever ask of a dog is to be a dog and whatever they want to give me is completely determined by them.

I usually try and provide rescues with 4 to 5 different images of their dogs so that when people see them online, they get a better understanding of who they really are. If they are super sweetheart couch potatoes, I’ll try and get an image of them stretched out in their best Titanic ‘paint me like one of your French girls, Jack’ poses, if they are super high-energy, a photo of them chasing the ball or leaping into the air, and if they are goofy and loveable, you really can’t lose with a crazy-faced treat-catching pose. I really don’t have a specific set agenda for what images will work best, it all depends on what they reveal to me as we get to know each other in the studio.

I know you’ve probably heard the phrase ‘adopt don’t shop’ before and I certainly would never suggest that rescuing a dog is the right thing to do, I’ve had both bred puppies and rescues before and they’ve all held a special place in my heart. But if you’re looking for a new furry-faced member of the family (I’m not talking about grandpa) don’t rule out a visit to your local animal shelter, there are so many dogs out there that are looking for a new home who might not be exactly what you imagined for yourself, but once you meet them, you can’t imagine life without them. My current boy Toki is a rescue border collie and although I’ve had many dogs over the years, I can honestly say he’s my fur soul mate and the best buddy I’ve ever, and quite possibly will ever have.

Even if you’re not currently looking for a dog, check out a few independent local dog rescue groups' social media pages, follow along, offer support, and maybe even throw them a few dollars in donations now and then. Having followed and worked with a number of these small rescues, I’ve had the opportunity to really see how selfless and beautiful these human beings are, and they give up so much of themselves just to make sure that each dog gets the love they deserve.