Riley at Selsdon Nature Reserve: A Sunrise Session With Kelly Close By
Kelly is a professional photographer herself, although she works in a field about as far from dog photography as you can get. She knows how to make a photograph. But photographing her own dog, Riley, while also holding his lead and helping him feel comfortable, was another matter entirely.
It is quite difficult to be behind the camera and beside your dog at the same time. Especially when beside you is exactly where they want you to be.
Kelly wanted beautiful photographs of her boy, and she knew that making them would need some thought. Riley is very closely bonded to her, needs to remain on lead, and finds separation from her difficult. So when we planned his session at Selsdon Nature Reserve, keeping Kelly close was part of the plan from the beginning.
What followed was a gorgeous sunrise, plenty of snacks, and a morning spent exchanging dog and photography stories while Riley got on with being Riley.
If staying close helps your dog feel comfortable, we can plan their photographs around that. → Explore Outdoor Sessions
Getting to know Riley before we met
Kelly was very open about Riley during our pre-session consultation. He has been attacked by other dogs several times, so she is understandably careful about where they walk and the situations they encounter. He also has separation anxiety and is especially attached to her.
That information helped us plan. I could think about where we would meet, how we would introduce the camera, and how to photograph him without asking Kelly to move further away than he was comfortable with.
It also meant Kelly didn't have to arrive and explain everything while trying to manage her dog and meet someone new. We had already talked about him. There was no need to see whether he could cope with something she had told me would be difficult.
Kelly knows Riley, and what came through in our conversations was how thoughtfully she advocates for him. That continued throughout the session, both in her handling and in the way she spoke about him and their life together. I really enjoyed working with someone so attentive to her dog.
A familiar place, and an early start
We chose Selsdon Nature Reserve because it was somewhere Kelly and Riley enjoyed together. Having that familiarity gave us a lovely starting point, and Kelly happily agreed to meet at sunrise.
There were two good reasons for that. The light, of course, but also the much better chance of having a quiet space around us. Sunrise can't guarantee an empty location, but choosing a time before the busier part of the day gave us the best opportunity to enjoy the surroundings with fewer people and dogs about.
The morning rewarded the early alarm. We had a gorgeous sunrise, and time to walk together before getting into the photography.
It was my first time photographing at Selsdon, and I love exploring somewhere new with my camera. There were bluebells to work with, beautiful light, and a swirl in the foliage that immediately had me looking for a way to bring it into a photograph. You can see it in one of Riley’s portraits here.
Kelly and Riley already knew the place, but I got to discover it through the photographs we could take together. A very lovely way to spend an early morning.
A place your dog already enjoys can be a wonderful starting point for their session. → Explore Outdoor Sessions
Starting with a walk
When we met, we gave Riley plenty of space. There was no compulsory greeting, no expectation that he should come over and make friends with me straight away.
We walked alongside one another so he could get used to my presence. Then we walked some more with me simply holding the camera, giving him a chance to become familiar with that being out too, before asking anything more of him.
Kelly had come very well prepared with snacks. Within minutes, we were all getting along, chatting, laughing and swapping photography and dog stories as we enjoyed the morning.
I could see how closely bonded Riley was to Kelly, so we never asked for more separation than he could comfortably manage. Working within those boundaries, I didn’t see the anxiety she had described.
It wasn’t a stiff photoshoot, just a fun walk with a new friend where a camera sometimes appeared during pauses.
Kelly could stay right beside him
For many of Riley's individual portraits, Kelly was nearby with treats. He could sit or stand comfortably because the person he wanted beside him was still there.
From the finished photographs, you might not realise just how close.
When I needed to remove Kelly from an individual portrait, I also photographed the same scene with neither of them in the frame. That empty photograph gave me the background I needed to edit her out afterwards. Riley didn't have to sit alone at a distance while we hoped he would be happy about it.
His lead stayed on throughout the session too, and was removed in editing where appropriate. Keeping him safe was never something we needed to compromise to get the photograph.
And in the photographs of Kelly and Riley together, she stayed exactly where she belonged: in the picture with her boy.
This is one of the practical reasons working with a dog photographer can help even when, like Kelly, you already know your way around a camera. You get to stay with your dog. I can concentrate on the photograph, knowing how I'll finish it afterwards, while you concentrate on being beside them.
Your dog can stay on lead, with you close by. We can work with that. For more on how I approach sessions with dogs who need additional space and understanding, read No Dog Left Behind.
If you're looking for a dog photographer in London, my Outdoor Sessions are planned around your dog, including the support they need from you during photography.
A paw, some tricks, and plenty of treats
Riley was so focused and intelligent, and clearly enjoyed training and learning new things. Kelly was quick to pick things up too, so we chatted about games they could play together to help build his confidence. It was lovely watching them work together. He also looked like he’d been born to pose, which was super convenient for me.
By the end of the session, he was happily giving me his paw and doing little tricks for treats. Kelly was still close by, but Riley was choosing to have his own little interactions with me too.
There is something very lovely about being included like that. Especially when you've taken the time to let a dog decide how much interaction they want, and they begin offering a little more of it themselves. It’s times like this where my motto to be “every dog’s best friend… with their consent” is proven true.
It was a warm ending to a morning that had already been full of good conversation and beautiful light. And, judging by Riley's interest, a perfectly worthwhile use of the snack supply.
We can leave room for your dog's own way of getting to know me. → Explore Outdoor Sessions
Seeing the photographs together
Kelly's mum joined us for the viewing, and they both loved Riley's photographs. Kelly chose her complimentary print and a collection of digital files, giving her something to display as well as photographs to keep, share, and have framed later in a style that would match their decor.
Riley joined us too, and at one point he came and sat beside me for a little while. This required me to remain completely still and behave like a completely normal person about it, rather than visibly show how pleased I was.
When a dog chooses to come close like that, I want to give them room to enjoy it without my reaction startling them or bringing the moment to an abrupt end. So I sat quietly and let Riley decide how long he wanted to stay.
Kelly later wrote:
"I can't thank Amie enough for our incredible pictures of my boy. He's so so anxious, but she not only made him comfortable but me as well with the photoshoot. Thank you so much, Amie; we absolutely love our photographs."
I'm so glad the experience felt comfortable for Kelly too. She could stay with Riley, support him as she normally would, and enjoy having photographs made of her boy without having to do every part of the job herself.
Photographs with your dog, as they are
Riley's session gave us beautiful portraits while leaving the things he needed firmly in place: his lead, a familiar setting, and Kelly close by.
If you love the idea of photographs of your own dog but wonder how it would work when they need that same closeness, I'd love to hear about them. Tell me what helps them feel comfortable and what you'd like their photographs to capture.
You can explore my Outdoor Sessions in London and Surrey to find out more. We'll plan around your dog and the relationship you already share.
