Why Your Dog Belongs in This Summer's Family Portraits

There's a moment in nearly every session that I've come to look forward to almost more than the rest. The family is settled, the light is doing exactly what I hoped it would, and then someone looks down and says, "Can we get one with him too?"

Of course we can. He's not an afterthought. He's been in the background of your life for years — riding in the car with his head out the window, waiting by the door every evening, curled up in the one spot on the couch that's technically his now. He's family. And family belongs on the wall.

Summer Is When This Comes Together

There's a particular kind of light that only shows up in the weeks surrounding the longest days of the year — soft, golden, low enough in the sky to find everyone at once. It's the light that makes a portrait feel less like a photograph and more like a memory you can hang up.

This is the season families gather here on the Jersey Shore. Grandparents visiting from out of state. Kids home for the summer. Everyone together in the same place, at the same time, which doesn't happen nearly as often as we'd like. And right in the middle of it, almost always, is the dog — sitting at someone's feet, leaning into someone's leg, completely unbothered by the fuss and entirely sure he belongs there.

He does belong there. So this summer, every family session I do along the Jersey Shore — Manasquan, Sea Girt, Brielle, and the towns around them — includes time set aside specifically for him. Not squeezed in at the end. Not chased into a group shot while everyone holds their breath. A real portrait, just for him.

The Solo Portrait Nobody Expects, and Everyone Treasures

I've photographed dogs sitting tall in the dune grass at sunset, soaked in that same golden light as the rest of the family. I've photographed them at attention on a quiet stretch of sand, ears up, completely present. These solo portraits tend to surprise people — they didn't think to ask for one, and then they see it, and it becomes one of their favorites from the entire session.

It makes sense when you think about it. A dog's time with us is shorter than we'd like. The portrait you take this summer might be the one you're glad you have ten years from now. Some moments deserve more than a phone photo buried in a camera roll. Some faces — including the four-legged ones — deserve a place on your wall.

What a Dog-Inclusive Session Actually Looks Like

If you're picturing chaos — a dog pulling at a leash while everyone tries to smile — that's not how this goes. We build it into the flow of the session naturally:

• The family group, dog included. He sits, leans, or lies down right in the middle of everyone, exactly where he'd be anyway.
• A quiet solo portrait. A few minutes, just him, in the same beautiful light as the rest of your session.
• Candid in-between moments. Some of the best images happen when no one's posing — a hand resting on his back, a glance down at him mid-laugh.

No extra planning needed on your end. Just let your dog be himself, and we'll capture the rest.

This Is the Season to Do It

Summer doesn't pause for anyone, and the families who wait too long to book often find themselves wishing they'd done it sooner — especially when a beloved pet is part of the picture. If you've been meaning to get a portrait that finally includes everyone, this is the window.

Let's find a date this summer and make sure the whole family — the two-legged and four-legged members alike — ends up exactly where they belong: on your wall, for good.

Book your summer session →