One of my favourite places to photograph dogs is Eastney Beach, Portsmouth. Probably because I loved to walk Dougal, my Scottie, there when we lived in Southsea. It was our happy place after a long day at work.
That's why I instantly thought of this location when I discovered that Isla's family lives in Portsmouth.
The colourful beach huts made Isla's cute face pop, and having her on a lead meant she didn't have to be in a formal stay. As a matter of fact, her raised paw makes this image look as if it wasn't posed at all.
After a few classic portraits (like the puppy dog eye shot in the header), we headed down to the sea, where Isla's personality really shined. Despite being 10 years old, she was in her element as soon as her favourite toy came out - in a true Border Terrier style. Just look at that happy face; she had the time of her life :D
I even managed to create a shake triptych which is not an easy thing to do and always takes a few attempts. However, it was totally worth it, as Isla's parents loved it so much that they had to have it as wall art.
Isla's mum and her daughter didn't want to be in the pictures, but I was able to capture an adorable candid moment they loved. I don't think they even realised I was taking pictures then, and I feel that the magic of this image is in this intimacy.
Our session was in February, so we were extremely lucky that we had clear skies at sunset. This allowed us to create a silhouette. I love this image, as you can see the connection between Isla and her family without getting lost in the details.
If you are thinking, 'I would love to have a beach session with my dog'...
...there are two things to consider: your dog should be confident on the beach and shouldn't be too nervous/reactive towards other dogs.
If your dog is a bit timid, we can always opt for a sunrise session (starting from 4/5.30 am) when there are not too many other dogs or people at the beach.
It isn't a problem if your dog is not allowed off the lead. I can always edit out the lead in Photoshop. Your dog's safety always comes first.
