Studio or Outdoor Pet Photography - Which Session Is Actually Right for Your Dog?
Here's the question I get more than almost any other when someone reaches out to book a session: "Should we do studio or outdoor?"
And I get it. You've been scrolling my portfolio, saving images, maybe even making a little Pinterest board of vibes you love. Some of those images are moody and intimate with a simple backdrop. Others are golden-lit and open, with a dog mid-sprint. They might almost feel like two different photographers. So which one is right for you?
My approach as an R+ (positive reinforcement photographer) is to not focus on what you want.
Anyone who has worked me with knows the right first question is: what does your dog need? Keeping that in mind will make it a better experience for everyone and lead to more authentic portraits of your pup.
Once we answer that, everything else - the setting, the light, the whole feeling of the session — will fall into place. So let's start there.
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Before You Think About Backdrops, Think About Your Dog
I know that sounds backwards. But the most beautiful location in the world produces mediocre photos if your dog is stressed, overwhelmed, or checked out. Not only that, but my sessions are also meant to a positive memory and experience for all of you. Even if I’m able to get portraits of your dog at a location that isn’t ideal for them, it won’t make for the best memory if you remember how stressed they were.
The "perfect" session is the one where your dog is most able to be themselves. That's where the real portraits live.
So tell me - which one below sounds familiar?
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Your dog is reactive or has an incredibly high prey drive
This might be the thing I wish more people knew before they dismissed the idea of a professional session entirely: reactive dogs can be incredible subjects. Some of my favorite portraits ever have come from dogs that just needed a little more time, space and/or patience and we were able to create stunning portraits all while making it an enjoyable experience.
But for a highly reactive dog, there are two options : outdoor at one of two locations that gives us PLENTY of space if we do see a dog, or one spot in particular where you likely won’t see one at all. I’ve scouted and personally selected these spots for reactive dogs. It’s always advised to pick an early morning and even better if it’s a weekday.
There’s also the obvious studio option. The studio removes variables of a kid on a scooter, squirrels doing their thing and driving your dog with a high prey drive nuts, and distractions that will make your dog go over threshold in general.
It's one space that your dog gets to explore and acclimate to on their own terms before we ever pick up a camera. I control who comes through the door. Your dog gets to just... be.
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Your dog is anxious or on the shy side
Shy dogs and anxious dogs are some of my favorite clients, honestly. There's something about a dog who holds back a little, who takes their time trusting — when they finally do, you can see it in their whole body. That's where the most real portraits come from.
For these dogs, I almost always recommend the studio, and here's the reason people don't always expect: fewer things to be nervous about. Outdoors feels "bigger" to a lot of anxious dogs. The smells, the wind, the strangers, the constant movement — it's a lot of input. The studio is one room. We spend the first chunk of time doing nothing but letting your dog wander, sniff every corner, decide the space is safe. No rushing. The camera doesn't come out until your dog has made their peace with being there. After that, I’ll do some positive reinforcement with the lighting equipment and they’re a professional model in no time!
By the time we're shooting, most shy dogs have relaxed into something that looks a lot like themselves. And that's the whole point.
One of my all-time favorite sessions that I still think about was a very nervous dog named Tess. She needed the extra time and positive reinforcement to feel comfortable and stay on the paper, but once she did - the portraits were absolutely heart melting! Just the other week, Tess’s mom had this to say about the session:
“Patience and positive reinforcement did wonders for my veryyyyy camera-skeptical Tess!”
Your dog is high-energy and thinks "sit" is more of a suggestion
High-energy dogs come alive in open space. We start moving, they start moving, and instead of fighting that energy I just lean into it — the run, the leap, the nose pressed into the ground on something extremely important that only they can smell. Those moments aren't chaos. They're character.
A few things that help: we shoot early, before the heat (especially important in a Chicago August) and before the trails get crowded. And if you're wondering about the leash — yes, we work with it, and I edit it out in post. Your dog doesn't have to be off-leash trained to get great outdoor shots.
What does help is having their favorite high-value treats and maybe a pre-session walk to take the edge off. I'll go over all of this with you before we shoot.
Your dog is a senior
I want to say something plainly here: if you have a senior dog and you've been putting this off, please stop putting it off.
I don't say that to pressure you. I say it because I've had clients reach out after, wishing they had done it sooner, and I never want that for anyone reading this.
For senior or ailing pets, in-home or the studio are often the most comfortable option — there's no long walk from where you parked or along the location and no uneven terrain to navigate. Some of the most quietly stunning portraits I've ever made have been sessions celebrating the quiet moments.
If being outside matters to you - and sometimes it really does, because there's a park or a trail that's theirs — we can absolutely make outdoor work. We'll choose one beautiful spot, keep the session unhurried, and let the location do what it does. Sometimes a blanket in the shade is everything.
Your dog would happily go home with literally any stranger
You already know - these dogs are genuinely easy — they adapt, they perform, they charm everyone in a five-block radius. If this is your dog, the session type comes down to what you want, which brings us to the next part.
Okay — Now What Do You Want?
Once your dog's comfort is accounted for, we get to talk about vision. And this is the fun part. Think about your decor and aesthetic preferences.
Studio sessions tend toward something more timeless. It's your dog's face, your dog's eyes, the connection between the two of you, without competing with a busier background. They work beautifully printed large. They have an editorial quality that I personally love - something between a portrait and a piece of art.
Outdoor sessions feel more like a love letter to your actual life together. If you walk a particular trail every weekend, if your dog loves a morning at the beach where they can splash around and play fetch to their hearts content (not to mention and the skyline portraits we can get while at it - breathtaking). If you want to capture the two of you in the city and seasons you actually live in - that's outdoor. There's movement and light and a sense of place that studio simply can't replicate. These sessions especially create stunning heirloom albums.
Some clients end up booking both, and I'm always happy to talk through what a combined session might look like on a discovery call.
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A Few Practical Things Worth Knowing
Weather is the obvious wildcard for outdoor sessions. Chicago is Chicago — and I have a flexible policy as well as taking only a certain number of clients per month that makes rescheduling easy if needed. The studio, obviously, doesn't care what's happening outside. Unpredictable weather with 80 degree temperatures one day and 40 the next? We're fine and you can have peace of mind that the session will not be rescheduled.
Outdoor sessions can run a little longer because we're working with natural light and people out and about if we’re at a more popular location. Studio sessions are typically 45 to 90 minutes. Either way, we move at your dog's pace - not a clock.
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Still Not Sure? Want both? We can do that, too!
That's what I'm here for. When someone reaches out to book, I always love to ask you about your dog — what they're like, what makes them nervous, what makes them light up — and about what you're hoping to feel when you look at these photos years from now.
Nine times out of ten, the right session becomes obvious in my optional introductory call or my questionnaire.
If you're ready to start that conversation, send me a note here → https://www.kimberlykingen.com/get-started. I'd love to hear about your dog!
And if you're not quite there yet, take a look at the portfolio — both studio and outdoor work — and see what pulls at you. Your gut usually knows.
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Kimberly Kingen is a luxury pet photographer based in Chicago, IL, specializing in authentic portraits of dogs and their humans — in studio and across the city's most beautiful outdoor spaces.