Should you include your dog in Family Photos?

Your dog is part of the family. So why is the dog never in the family photos?

I hear this all the time. The kids have had their school portraits, there might be a nice shot on the wall from a holiday, but the dog who sleeps on the end of the bed and greets everyone at the door is nowhere to be seen. For a lot of the families I photograph, that feels wrong. If the dog is family, the dog belongs in the photo.

I've been including dogs in sessions for 23 years. It isn't an add-on or a novelty. It's one of my favourite parts of the job. So if you've been putting off family photos because you aren't sure how the dog will cope, let me talk you through it.

Will my dog behave?

This is the question I get more than any other. The honest answer is that dogs don't need to behave. They need to be themselves. I'm not after a stiff, sitting-to-attention shot where everyone including the dog is frozen. I'm after the real thing. The dog leaning into your youngest. The dog looking up at you. The dog doing a lap of the studio because there's a new smell to investigate.

My studio is a big 175sqm space with room for a dog to move. Dogs are allowed to sniff around, settle in and get comfortable before we start. When a dog feels relaxed, the photos look relaxed. That's the whole trick.

A few simple things that help

A few small things just make the session run smoother. Take your dog for a walk beforehand so they burn off some energy.

If your dog gets groomed, book it in for the week before rather than the day before, so their coat has a little time to grow back.

And bring some treats along. I actually prefer to work without them, because dogs can get a bit fixated on the treats, but they're there as a backup if things aren't going to plan.

You don't need to train your dog for anything beforehand. I'll just work around them, help them feel comfortable and gently guide them into the shots.

And if your dog gets nervous, let me know before the session. I've worked with anxious dogs and senior dogs and everything in between, so I'm comfortable with whatever the day brings.

Why it matters more than you think

Here's the part people don't always say out loud. Dogs don't live as long as we want them to. The family photo with the dog in it becomes one of the photos you'd never part with, because one day that dog won't be there and you'll be so glad you have it.

I photograph a lot of families who come back years later, and the sessions with the old dog in them are the ones they talk about most. That's not something you can redo. This is the dog you have right now, at this age, with these kids at these ages. That combination exists once.

‍What the photos actually look like‍ ‍

Warm. Natural. A bit chaotic in the best way. Your dog isn't squeezed into the corner of one shot at the end. Your dog is in the family portrait, on laps, in the middle of the cuddle pile, wherever they naturally end up. Because that's where they are in real life.

If you'd rather be outdoors, I do outdoor sessions too, which some dogs love because there's more room to run. You can see how those work on my outdoor sessions page.

Ready to get your dog in the picture?

‍If you have a dog who is family and a wall that is missing them, let's sort it out. I'll handle the chaos. You just show up with the family, the dog and the treats.‍ ‍

Book your session here or get in touch if you have questions about bringing your dog along. I'm always happy to talk it through.

‍ ‍

Kate x

Can You Bring Your Dog to a Family Photo Shoot?

Yes, you can bring your dog to a family photo session in Sydney, and at my studio the dog is part of the family, not an add-on or a problem to manage. I'm Kate Buechner, I've photographed roughly 2,500 Sydney families over 23 years, and about a third of my sessions have a dog in them. If you've been wondering whether your dog can come, this post tells you exactly how it works and why it goes better than you think.

So, can the dog actually come?

Short answer, yes, and I'd encourage it. If the dog is part of your family, the dog belongs in the photos. About 30 per cent of the families I photograph bring a dog, so this is normal here, not a special request I have to think twice about.

The reason it works comes down to the space. My studio in Gordon is a 175sqm room with three big arch windows, and it's set up to feel like a home, not a clinic. That size matters more than people realise. It means I can take your dog off the lead and let them actually be a dog. There's room to move, room to sniff about, room to settle. A small studio can't do that, which is why a lot of photographers quietly steer you away from bringing the dog at all.

So the question isn't really "will you allow my dog". It's "is your space set up for it". Mine is, and it's been set up for it for years.

But my dog won't behave. They'll never sit still for photos.

This is the worry I hear most, and I understand it. You picture your dog ignoring every command, bolting around the room, refusing to look at the camera while you stand there apologising. It almost never goes that way.

Here's what actually happens. The dog comes in, has a good sniff around, usually jumps straight up on the bed or the lounge, and within a few minutes settles right down. I never start shooting the second you walk in. I give the dog time to get used to the space first, because a relaxed dog photographs beautifully and a rushed one doesn't. By the time I begin, your dog isn't on edge anymore. They're at home.

It helps that I love dogs. I've got my own miniature dachshund, Lollie, so working with dogs isn't a service I tolerate, it's something I look forward to. Dogs read that. They sense when someone's comfortable with them, and they relax accordingly. The takeaway here is simple. You don't need a perfectly trained dog. You need a space and a photographer that work with the dog you've actually got.

How do you even get the dog in the photo?

The other worry, right behind behaviour. People imagine the dog will be off in a corner while the family poses, and they'll end up with photos that don't include the one they came for.

What really happens is the dog usually steals the show. I tend to put the dog right in the centre of the family, and nine times out of ten they love being the centre of attention. You'd be amazed how many of my favourite family images come down to a dog doing a head tilt at exactly the right moment. It's the best thing ever, and it's the frame the whole family ends up wanting on the wall.

One thing I do that not everyone does, I'll also photograph your dog on their own. Not just tucked into the family group, but proper portraits of the dog by themselves, so you've got something beautiful of them to keep. Dogs don't stay with us as long as we'd like, and a real portrait of yours, the way you actually see them, is worth having. That's the bit families tell me later they're most glad they got.

What you'll walk away with

When a dog comes to a session here, you don't get a stiff family line-up with a dog awkwardly bolted on the end. You get your family as you actually are, dog included, relaxed and real, plus a few portraits of the dog on their own that you'll be glad you have down the track. That's the whole point of how I work. Real families, real moments, dog very much welcome.

Whether your family is two people and a puppy or a full house of kids and a dog who thinks they're a kid too, that's worth photographing exactly as it is right now. If you've got a dog you want in the frame, have a look at my Dogs and Their Families gallery or send me a message and let's talk about a session.

Kate x

What Do You Actually Need for a Kids Modelling Portfolio?

Most parents who contact me about kids modelling portfolio sessions aren't sure what they actually need. Their child has been scouted, or they've decided to approach an agency, and someone has told them they need photos. Good photos. But beyond that, it's a bit vague.

Here's what I can tell you after 23 years of photographing children on Sydney's North Shore: agencies are not looking for the photos that make your child look beautiful. They're looking for photos that show an agency who your child actually is.

What Agencies Are Looking For (and What Most Parents Don't Realise)

There's a common misconception that a kids modelling portfolio is essentially a collection of the nicest photos of your child. It's not. Agencies want to see clean headshots, natural expressions, personality, and range. They need to be able to look at those images and quickly assess whether your child has the kind of presence that translates to commercial work.

That means the photos have to do specific things. A clear headshot showing your child's face without distraction. Images where your child looks genuinely relaxed, not like they're performing for a camera. Two or three different looks to show versatility. And most importantly, images where the real personality comes through, because agencies work with casting teams who need to know what they're getting.

I've worked with Sydney modelling agencies across my career and I know what a portfolio brief looks like. This isn't a standard family session. Every image I make in a kids modelling portfolio session is shot with that brief in mind.

Why a Relaxed Child Always Photographs Better

This is the thing I come back to in every single kids session I do, whether it's a family portrait or a modelling portfolio. A relaxed child photographs better than a performing one. Every time.

When kids arrive at my Gordon studio for a portfolio session, I don't pick up the camera straight away. I spend time talking to them first. Finding out what they're into, what makes them laugh, what they're nervous about. By the time we start, they've usually forgotten they're there to have their photos done. That's the goal.

I had a 10-year-old once who told me she was worried she didn't know what to do with her face. We spent five minutes making each other laugh before I even touched the camera, and by the end of the session her mum was floored by how natural the images looked. That's not luck. It's just knowing how to work with kids.

After 23 years and roughly 2,500 families and children through this studio, I'm comfortable saying that getting genuine, natural expressions from children in front of a camera is genuinely one of my strengths. I know how to make it feel like nothing.

Who These Sessions Are For

Kids modelling portfolio sessions at über photography work for a wide range of ages and stages.

If your child has just been scouted and needs a portfolio to approach an agency for the first time, this session gives you exactly what you need to make a strong first impression. If they're already signed and need fresh images that reflect how much they've grown and changed, this session covers that too. And if they're already working in the industry and need updated portfolio images or new content for their social media, we can build a brief around that specifically.

Sessions start from around six months old, as soon as a baby is sitting up, and go right through to teenagers. The 45-minute studio session at my Gordon studio on Sydney's North Shore includes two to three outfit changes, and I'll guide you on what to bring and how to style each look before you arrive.

You can find full session details, including pricing and how to book

What Happens After the Session

Within a week of your child's session, you'll have an online viewing session to choose your final images. Two retouched high-resolution files are included, with additional images available if you'd like more.

If you'd prefer to select images on the same day as the session rather than waiting for a separate viewing appointment, just let me know when you book and I'll arrange for your viewing to happen the same afternoon. It's one less thing to coordinate, and for families with busy school schedules that option tends to work really well.

The images are delivered as high-resolution digital files, ready to submit to an agency or use for social media straight away.

A Note for Parents Who Are Considering It

If your child has shown an interest in modelling but you're not sure whether to pursue it, a portfolio session is a genuinely low-stakes way to find out. You'll have professional images that showcase their personality and range, and you'll quickly get a sense of whether this is something they enjoy and are ready for. Some kids arrive at the studio a little uncertain and leave completely buzzing from the experience. That tells you something.

And if it turns out modelling isn't for them right now, you'll still have a beautiful set of portraits of your child at this age. That's never a waste.

If you'd like to know more about booking a kids modelling portfolio session in Sydney, get in touch

Kate x

The Best Age for Toddler Photos (And Why It's Sooner Than You Think)

Most parents assume toddler photos happen somewhere around two or three. By then the kids can follow basic instructions, right? Here's what 23 years of photographing Sydney families has taught me: one is the sweet spot, and if you wait, you'll miss it.

Why Parents Wait Too Long

It makes sense on paper. You think, I'll wait until they're a bit older. Until they can understand what's happening. Until they'll actually cooperate.

But here's the thing. A one-year-old who's just found their feet is one of the most naturally photogenic humans you'll ever meet. They're curious about everything. They're steady enough to stand and toddle but still small enough to feel like a baby. They think you're the funniest person alive. They haven't developed the self-consciousness that comes later. They're just completely, entirely themselves.

That window is shorter than you think.

What Changes at Eighteen Months

I want to be honest with you about what happens when you wait, because I see it all the time in my Gordon studio on Sydney's North Shore.

At one, your toddler is just walking. They're wobbly and delighted about it. They're exploring, they're stopping, they're looking around, they're coming back to you. That movement is beautiful to photograph because it's slow enough to catch and genuine enough to feel real.

At eighteen months to two years, everything changes. They're not walking anymore. They're running. They have very strong opinions about where they want to go and what they want to do, and they have zero interest in anyone else's agenda. The determined streak that makes two-year-olds so wonderful to parent also makes them genuinely challenging to photograph, and I say that with complete affection for this age group.

The one-year-old will wander towards you. The two-year-old will wander away from you, at speed, towards whatever they've decided is more interesting.

That's not impossible to work with. I've photographed a lot of two-year-olds across Sydney's North Shore and I know how to get the shots. But the ease and the sweetness of the one-year-old session is something different. It's a specific window and once it closes, it's gone.

What One-Year-Old Photos Actually Look Like

I want to reset expectations here, because "toddler photos" might conjure an image of a child sitting nicely and smiling at the camera. That's not what I'm going for, and honestly it's not what you want either.

What I'm looking for at this age is the real stuff. The way they concentrate when they're figuring something out. The laugh that comes out of nowhere. The look they give you just before they do something they know they shouldn't. The way they reach for you when they want to be picked up.

None of that requires cooperation. It requires patience and someone who knows how to watch and wait. After 23 years and roughly 2,500 families photographed across Sydney, I've learned that the best images at this age come from following the child, not directing them.

Your job during the session is just to be with them. Talk to them, play with them, be the person they always want. My job is to be ready when the real moments happen.

You Belong in These Photos Too

Here's the part I'd be leaving out if I didn't say it: you should be in the session too.

Your one-year-old thinks you are the most important person in the world. That relationship, the way they look at you, the way they reach for you, the way they light up when you walk into the room, is one of the most beautiful things I get to photograph. And it's specific to this age in a way that shifts as they get older and more independent.

Most mums I photograph tell me that the images of them with their child are the ones they love most. Not because they look perfect. Because they look true. You, with your one-year-old, at exactly this moment. That belongs on your wall.

I say this because I know the instinct is to stay behind the camera. I know you're not sure how you'll look. I've been photographing North Shore mums for over two decades and I promise you, the photos you'll treasure most are the ones you're actually in.

How to Know If Now Is the Right Time

If your child is anywhere between ten months and fourteen months, now is the time. You don't need to wait for the birthday. You don't need them to be walking confidently. You just need to book it before the window closes.

If they've just turned one and you've been thinking about it, stop thinking and book it. The eighteen-month version of your child is coming faster than you expect, and as much as I love photographing them too, the one-year-old session is something I'd hate for you to miss.

I photograph families across Sydney's North Shore from my studio in Gordon, and I work with children at every age and stage. If you'd like to talk through timing or what a session looks like, get in touch here and I'll help you figure out the right moment.

Kate x