I finally figured it out…
How to get dogs to perfectly pose for photos. Wanna know the secret?
DON’T POSE THEM AT ALL.
Let them wander in and out of your shots and authenticity play with them. IT WORKS! 😉
(they say dogs are like children…and I believe it)
When Sarah and Jake popped out of their car with their dogs, I was I little worried as to who would be watching them when we take photos. I am so used to dogs at shoots needing to be watched by a third person, so my mind was blown we these two puppies frolicked up the trail with us, stopping every minute or so to look back and check to make sure we were still following.
They were the perfect trail and mountain top dogs!
I got to focus my time with Sarah and Jake all while their dogs popped in and out of shots – which played so beautifully into their relationships. It made for the best storytelling!
As you can tell, it was WINDY. Anytime you shoot on a mountain you must brace for at least two things – colder temperatures and WIND.
…and also the potential for some crazy storms. Especially in the summer when evening thunderstorms like to pop up out of nowhere.
About an hour before their session a nasty storm was passing through the area – it also brought the promise of scattered rain for the rest of the evening. I reached out Sarah and Jake expecting them to watch to cancel, but to my surprise they were game for the rain – as long as there wasn’t lighting.
And thankfully the brunt of the story cleared out 30 minutes before our start time.
SO WE TOOK OFF! And it was some of the most cinematic + soft lighting I have experienced at this location. I have shot here many times by now, but it really was unmatched so far this evening. The light fog, rainbow, and moody lighting made for the perfect backdrop to document these two and their pups.
So rain can bring risk, but sometimes it makes for the BEST conditions!
If you are looking to make your shoot a weekend getaway, I recommend camping at Linville Campground – it’s only about 25 minutes from Hawksbill (this hike) and right down the road from Linville Falls. (pictured above) It was so lovely!
