When I photographed Laura and Tucker together in the entryway to their mews, I gave them very little to do. There was a beautiful frame within the surroundings, so I invited them into that space and asked them to enjoy each other.
Laura lit up beside her boy. That was the part I loved photographing most.
She had contacted me at short notice because Tucker was due to have a leg amputated very soon. She wanted beautiful photographs of him before surgery, including photographs of the two of them together. There was something specific she wanted to preserve, and we made a plan around Tucker and the time they had before his operation.
Our setting was South Kensington, in the neighbourhood where they spend their time together. Our meeting time was 5 am. And the weather, having apparently missed the planning conversation, started my day off with a little bit of wobble!
You can enjoy being with your dog. I'll look for the frame and photograph what happens between you. → Explore my Dogs & Their Humans Portfolio
Meeting Tucker
Tucker was six when we met. Rescued at just three months old, he had later lived in the US with Laura. By the time I photographed them in London, they had a life together full of the sort of stories that make you understand how much a dog means to their person.
Laura told me about that life as we spent time together. There was so much laughter and love in the way she spoke about him. She absolutely adored Tucker and was very attuned to what he needed.
He can be shy, but he took to me pretty quickly and wanted to be petted. We became fast friends, which was a really lovely part of the morning for me. There is always a pleasure in getting to know the dog a human has been telling you about, and finding your own little connection with them too. Especially when they’re not a fan of anybody and everyone.
The upcoming surgery was the reason for arranging the photographs at the time. But once we were together, there was just Tucker to get to know, and a relationship to photograph. Tucker's personality and Laura's delight in him were right there in front of me and for a little while, I felt like I was a part of their special family.
A very early start, with an unexpected forecast
When we woke that morning, it was raining heavily and unexpectedly. Not quite what we'd planned for our 5am sunrise photography session.
Looking at the weather, I could see that it appeared likely to stop, and Laura trusted my judgement to go ahead. We worked around the conditions with Tucker's comfort in mind, rather than treating the early start as a reason to push on regardless.
That trust mattered. Laura had come to me because these photographs meant a great deal to her, and she was entrusting both the photography and the experience to me. I wanted to make something beautiful for her while keeping the morning centred on the dog she loved.
Early light can offer something quite different from a bright afternoon, and the weather that morning became part of the circumstances we worked with. Laura later described the lighting and colours as among the things she loved most about the photographs.
It was lovely to read that afterwards, knowing how the day had begun. A forecast is something I assess throughout the planning of a session, but the photograph still comes down to looking at the light and surroundings in front of us, as well as how the dog is doing.
We can plan for the light while keeping your dog's comfort at the centre of the morning. → Explore Outdoor Sessions
Photographing the neighbourhood they shared
South Kensington gave us beautiful surroundings, but choosing Tucker's own neighbourhood had practical value too. We were photographing around places he spent time with Laura, and he could hop in and out of his stroller as needed.
That meant the session could work around him. There was no need to make covering a particular distance part of the session, we could use the surroundings available to us and let the stroller support the experience whenever he needed it.
Laura was so aware of him throughout. Watching someone understand their dog that well makes working together a pleasure. She knows Tucker, and I could make the photography fit around that knowledge.
I enjoy photographing dogs on London's streets for the shapes and frames they offer, and this session gave us that, along with a sense of familiarity. The setting belonged to their daily life together. We weren't asking a location to carry the whole story; Laura and Tucker brought plenty of that themselves.
For anyone considering photographs with a dog whose mobility or energy needs some thought, this is one of the things we can discuss beforehand. A stroller, short distances or a small area to work within can all be part of a session plan. We start with what is comfortable and practical for the individual dog.
If you're looking for a dog photographer in London, you can explore my Outdoor Sessions to see how we plan the experience around your dog, including the places and support that suit them.
A frame for the two of them
The photographs together were my favourite part to make. Laura's face changed when she was with Tucker. She lit up, and it was such a lovely thing to watch through the camera.
In the entryway to their mews, I found a frame and space I liked, then invited them into it. From there, the direction was to enjoy each other.
That is how I like to approach people-and-pet photographs. I can help with where to be, so the composition works, without asking someone to become a different version of themselves for the camera. Laura didn't need to demonstrate that she loved Tucker. It was already obvious.
Their connection gave those photographs their meaning. The surroundings helped hold the image together, but the reason I wanted to take it was what happened when Laura was beside her boy.
It is also why I encourage people to be included in their dog's session. Individual portraits are wonderful to have, and Laura wanted Tucker's too. But photographs together can show something different: the way you are with them, as well as how they look.
You don't have to arrive knowing how to pose. We can find a lovely place for you to be together and leave room for the familiarity that is already there.
If you'd like to be in some photographs too, we can make space for that without stiff posing.
Seeing Tucker again after his operation
By the time we met for the viewing, Tucker had had his amputation and was without the leg I had painstakingly filled in all the shaven hair from during retouching. He was adjusting amazingly, and it was so good to see him again. I think he was just as happy to see me!
Laura's boyfriend joined us. He was lovely too, and clearly loved Tucker. While they chose their photographs for a presentation box and prints, I spent time petting and snuggling with Tucker.
There are worse ways to spend a viewing session, honestly.
Seeing him again gave the session a lovely continuation. We had made the photographs before his surgery, as Laura had wanted, and now here he was with us while they decided which images to take home.
The viewing is where photographs begin to find their place in someone's life. With Tucker, that meant a presentation box and prints, including images of him alone and the photographs of their relationship that Laura had wanted to preserve.
You can read more about what happens after a photography session if you're curious about seeing your own gallery and choosing how you'd like to enjoy the images.
Laura's words
Laura later shared this review:
“I can’t say enough good things about Amie! I came to her at the last minute, at a time when having beautiful photos of my boy Tucker really mattered to me, and she made it happen without any fuss. She understood right away why it meant so much and was so kind about the whole thing. She even turned up at 5am on a stormy morning to catch the best light, and was so patient and sweet with Tucker. The photos have the most stunning lighting and colors - they’re honestly so artistic and beautiful. She’s a true artist. They’re the nicest photos I have of him, including a few of the two of us together on my front step that I’ll treasure forever. She was lovely from start to finish and even checked in on him afterwards. Thank you so much, Amie - I’m so glad I found you. If you’re thinking about it, book her!”
I'm especially glad she has those photographs of the two of them together. I loved making them, and knowing what they mean to her is a lovely part of the work.
What stays with me from Tucker's session is Laura's joy in him. The morning needed planning around surgery, the weather, and his comfort, but there was also plenty of affection, good company, and time to get to know a very lovely dog.
We photographed him in the neighbourhood he shared with his human, used his stroller as needed, and made room for them to be together. Then I got to see him again, adjusting so well after his operation, and fit in a few more snuggles while his family chose their photographs.
Your dog, your familiar places, your life together
If you'd love portraits of your dog, including photographs of the two of you in a place that means something to you, you can explore my Outdoor Sessions across London and Surrey or get in touch. Tell me about your dog and what you'd like to remember. We can work out what would suit them.
