Celebrating your Best Friend - Maine Dog Photography

As a pet owner, you know that your beloved pet is your whole world. They are so much more than just a pet or just an animal, they are a best friend and a family member who is there to share in life's special moments, and there to help you through the good times, and the bad. Whether you own stoic German Shepherds, or the cuddliest Maine Coon cat, you both share a special bond and a friendship that cannot be broken. 

As a photographer who is based in Maine and New England, and who exclusively offers pet photography sessions, capturing and celebrating the bond between owner and their four-legged best friend is something that I am not only passionate about, but something that I encourage each and every owner to have done during their session. Many times, owners often prefer portraits of their dogs or horses alone. While we can create amazing one-of-a-kind portraits that evoke emotion and capture what makes your pet so perfectly them, I always like to discuss with clients that a big part of your pet is also you, and the friendship that you two share. 

When it comes to celebrating this friendship and the bond you and your pet share, the first thing I always ask owners is 'if you had nothing else in the world that mattered, what would you be doing with your dog?' Or 'what adventure would you be going on with your horse?'. From romping the beaches at sunset playing fetch amongst the waves, to galloping down a trail through a pine grove forest, the options are not only endless, but also are totally custom to you. These portraits that are captured are meant to create memories to last a lifetime, and to perfectly encompass you and your best friend in your favorite element all the while enjoying the experience together. 

Many times what holds owners back from being in the portrait with their pets is that they are unsure of what to wear, how to pose, or uncomfortable with the way they may look on camera. In reality, as a full-service photographer with years of experience, I can promise you that your only job is to enjoy the session with your pet! From discussing clothing ahead of time, to posing, lighting, and locations during the session, I am here to guide you along every step of the way. Below are some different ways that we can perfectly capture you, and your furry best friend. There are so many different ways to capture this bond, and they can be customized completely with how comfortable you may or may not be on camera!

Poppie, the Merle French Bulldog, soaks up Golden Hour with her mom at Wolfe’s Neck State Park. Here we chose an area in the forest to pose both Poppie and her Mom amongst the trees where there was flattering light filtering through the trees. Photo taken by Gina Soule.

Here Poppie is posed in her mom’s lap in the same location at Wolfe’s Neck State park as above. This is an example of how we can incorporate images that still capture the friendship and bond a pet and their owner may share, but put more of an emphasis on the dog. Photo taken by Gina Soule.

Do you and your dog love training together? Let’s capture that! Beau the Rescue Dog shows off some of his tricks with his best friend, his mom, in Freeport, Maine. Photo taken by Gina Soule.

Theo the Australian Shepard and Ollie the Cattle Dog mix, pictured here doing their favorite thing, which is spending hours exploring and enjoying the summer sunset in South Berwick, Maine with their mom. Photo taken by Gina Soule.

The sad reality of being a dog and pet photographer that I face time and time again, is that your pets are never here long enough with you. Having beautiful images and portraits to look back on from your photo session that captures this special bond of you and your best friend is something that is truly irreplaceable. Whether you have a new puppy that you have welcomed into your life and are just starting out on your journey together, or it is time for an end-of-life pet photography session for your heart horse, immortalizing this friendship through custom portraits and wall art is something that is so vitally important. This very point is why I encourage each and every own to be involved in the portrait with their pets. 

At the end of the day, you pet is your whole world. There is no better way to celebrate the love and bond you share with your four-legged best friend then taking an adventure together, and capturing it on camera to remember for years to come. Whether this is your first time having a portrait session with your pet, or you are a returning customer, we cannot wait to see you and to freeze these fleeting moments in time of your and your furry best friend. 

Want to see what other pet photographers are saying about capturing portraits together with your four-legged best friend? See what my good friend Syracuse photographer Nancy of Nancy Kieffer Photography says by sharing a session with a boy and his dog.

We are fully booked for the Fall Sessions, and the 2024 photographic season! Want to see some other things to do around the Greater Portland, Maine area this Fall Season? Check out this blog post for more insights!

About the photographer:

Gina Soule is a pet and dog photographer that is multi-internationally award winning and renowned for her work, and is regarded as one of the best pet photographers throughout New England. She has mastered the art of photography through years of studying, active participation in professional photography organizations, and dedication to her craft, as well as the pet photography industry as a whole. Gina has been voted as the best photographer in Maine and recently was named Maine Photographer of the Year. When not creating custom sessions for clients or doing specialty Celebration of Life Sessions with the Tilly Project, Gina donates her time to animal shelters and humane societies throughout the state of Maine to help homeless pets get adopted. She can be found on social media at www.facebook.com/ginasoulephoto or www.instagram.com/ginasoulephoto