A Girl and Her Dog: An At Home Indoor Family Photo Session

I always grew up with a furry best friend by my side. My mother always prioritized me having a dog as my companion, which led me to become an adult with infinite love and strong-bonds with animals. For as long as I can remember, there was always a dog by my side, which is probably why my favorite kind of sessions to photograph always boil down to just a girl and her dog. Whether it be documenting the bond between a child and their dog, an expecting mother with a pup who always keeps a helpful and protective eye on her belly, or a woman wanting to document her first fur-baby, the bond between a girl and her dog can be found everywhere.

When Amelia’s mom had first contacted me, she expressed how much they wanted to capture Amelia’s fun and loving personality and the beautiful bond she’s created with her old fur-sister, Ruby. Ruby is truly the family’s first baby. She is described by her mom as the family’s moon and their stars (which is actually the most precious thing I’ve ever heard of in my life). Since becoming a big sister, Ruby has become the best and most caring best friend a girl could have. Between always keeping a protective eye on Amelia and sneaking in loads of puppy kisses, Ruby is absolutely always there for Amelia. At only one year old, Amelia was already filled with so much sassiness, joyfulness, curiosity, love, and excitement; and it was an absolute pleasure to not only witness all of these beautiful qualities of hers but also to document them forever for her and her family. 

During our at-home indoor family sessions, we fully embrace your day-to-day life, which means we let baby Amelia crawl around and get all the cuddles from mom, dad, and, of course, older fur-sister Ruby. I photograph a mixture of both posed and candid images, so that we still get you your nice family photos, while also still embracing the chaos that comes with having a one-year-old and an energetic golden retriever. We then headed upstairs to Amelia’s bedroom, where I was able to capture her in all her sassy and silly glory (with a mild cry sesh in between). She showed off her infamous “handstands”, her favorite stuffed animal, and some of her favorite toys. Ruby, of course, was very eager and thrilled to be included in the family photo session. She got cuddles from dad while Amelia took a calm break, and of course, went right back to hanging out with her little sister once she was done. 

Choosing to photograph your children around the 1-year mark is always a great way to celebrate this new stage of your family. Many people think first birthday photo shoots and immediately jump to the idea of a cake smash (which is always a fun idea, and I’ll never shy away from photographing a cute baby eating cake), but you can always opt to do an update on your family photos instead of the cake smash; which is what baby Amelia’s family chose to do.

During my initial phone call with Amelia’s parents, we discussed at length whether it would be more suitable to photograph their family session outside or inside. Ultimately, we all agreed that an indoor family session would be the best option for them, since it was their first session with me, and Amelia was still so little. Choosing to do an indoor family session is always so fun and cozy, because we get to not only take advantage of your beautiful home, but it’s also makes it more comfortable for your kids, as it’s where they feel the most themselves, and we get to include your fur-baby in all aspects of the session (rather than just keeping them on a leash at your local park). Your home is your family’s most natural setting, and it’s where you spend the majority of your time – so why not document your true everyday experience! Once Amelia is a bit older, we can take more advantage of her family’s favorite places (like their local park, or favorite ice cream spot), where she can run around and get to embrace all her mobility and silliness. 

If you’re also a girl with a dog, like baby Amelia or me, check out my blog A Girl and Her Dog: A Guide to Dog Dates in the Philadelphia Area.