Create Some Photo Magic With Your Dog This Christmas

As a career photojournalist, I love photography and how it can help bring a story to life, or move a story along. I've written about photographing our pets here in my blog and for AmericanPet Magazine (starting on page 37). I love how photos can capture that special moment, one to relive over and over. And the holidays are an especially fun and festive time to do a photoshoot, and what a wonderful bonding experience to share with your beloved dog.
 
You've most likely seen the newest trends of capturing beautiful and magical photos using a lighted box.

Yes, a lighted box!

To demonstrate, I'd like to welcome now-retired Therapy Dog, our dear furfriend "Mishka." Her hu-mom has graciously shared these pics with us in hopes of inspiring other families to also capture these special, easy to create photos this holiday season.

 

What You'll Need... 

🎄 Your dog! 

🎄 A medium-size box

🎄Flashlight, cell phone with flashlight, or a strand of color or warm white battery operated Christmas lights

🎄Your camera and/or cell phone camera   

 đźŽ„Treats 

Inside Mishka's box view.
You can also use white lights, or even tape a light or your cell phone with its flashlight feature on (low) to the inside of the box. 


Set-Up...

 1. Wrap a box and leave the top open.

2. Place the mini white or color lights in bottom of box, or tape a flashlight or cellphone with light on low to side of box. 

3. Turn on your tree lights.

4. Turn off room lights.

5. Let your pup check out the box first...

 Mishka giving the box an inspection sniff!


6. Position your dog sitting up in front of the tree. 

7. Turn your camera's flash off, set it on portrait mode. (And you may wish to use a tripod for this as it's low lighting). If you use your cell phone camera, turn off flash & hold steady.

8. Drop a treat into the box.

9. Step back, focus, and snap that shutter button (on continuous mode, if you can).

10. Also for fun, call your dog and toss a treat into the air and snap them going for it! Or squeak their favorite toy for a cute head-tilt portrait. Or wave a treat and capture them while they are smiling, like Mishka here! The possibilities are endless! Be creative!

 

11. Don't forget to hop into the photo with your pup! Many times we get so busy, we often forget to get in the photos! Simply set your camera on auto timer, take your seat next to your furry bestie, both glance down into the magic box, or even at each other, for a lovely memorable portrait! 

12. Results...

Gorgeous and oh, so Magical! 


  How about a close-up?!
 
How beautiful is this of Mishka with the light and shadows, and her 
brilliant smile!
 
Or for a more dramatic flare...Black & White!
 
I love B&W! It adds such a wonderful mood. 
 
I personally love the dramatic mood a black & white (B&W) photo conveys. Even though it's a Christmas photo with all the dazzling colors of the lights, doesn't this portrait look beautiful in B&W? While you can choose to shoot the photo in black & white mode, it's also very simple to convert a color pic. For Mishka's portrait, I dropped the photo into a photogrpahy app, converted it to B&W, and adjusted the exposure, shadows, and clarity (you can adjust your new B&W pic to your preference). The final touch was adding a dark vignette, and Voila! 
 
These light box portraits make for a beautiful canvas art to hang on your wall, make into lovely ornament (especially that close-up!), and/or use the images to create special Christmas cards (stationery or digital) to send to friends and family. No matter what you choose to do, have fun with your dog and know you are making some very special holiday memories that will last a lifetime. 

 


 Many thanks to Mickey Padesky and her gorgeous girl, Mishka for modeling!

  


For more pet photo tips, visit my article HERE. 

 

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