Some of the best photography lessons I’ve ever received aren’t from my work as a content producer. As a volunteer at a local animal shelter, dogs have been some of my greatest teachers on how to create meaningful relationships and capture the best moments.
As loyal and energetic companions, dogs have taught me lessons that have translated beautifully into my work with photographers. Whether it’s adapting to different environments or anticipating clients’ needs, dogs offer insights that every photographer can benefit from. Here are a few lessons from four-legged friends that you can use on your next photography job:
Flexibility and patience goes a long way
If you’ve ever been around dogs, you know that no two dogs are exactly the same. Some follow commands to a tea and others may be distracted by every scent or sound. Training a dog or getting used to them requires immense patience. You can’t rush the process or expect immediate results, but taking things slow can develop a stronger bond.
Although most of my time with dogs involves taking them outside to run, play, or enjoy treats, I’m not the only person they interact with. They engage with people in many different ways ranging from play groups, kennel cleaning, and other appointments. Because of this, it’s important for me to remember to go with the flow and adapt to whatever the day brings.
Adaptability and patience is also a very important part of photography. Whether you're coordinating a shoot for a portrait session, a corporate event, or advertising, things rarely go exactly as planned. Lighting changes, weather shifts, and spontaneous moments can create unexpected challenges, but they can also present opportunities for unique shots. Working for an arts organization, we often have to plan for unexpected rain, new programs, or large crowds. When meeting with a photographer at an event, I give them a run-down of where and when activities are happening and offer to provide support with additional lighting or talking with visitors or event performers to stage shots and get what we need.
Getting the shots you want takes time. Whether you’re waiting for the perfect expression or the ideal composition, patience is key. Rushing a photographer through a session or becoming frustrated with the process usually results in missed opportunities. That’s why I suggest staying flexible and open to adjusting your plans so your photographer can capture moments you wouldn’t have anticipated. When you invest time and care with the photography process like you would when training a dog, the results are worth it.
Understand what your client and audiences need
When I take a dog outside and play with them during my volunteer shift, one thing is clear: I’m limited when I only think from my point of view. Dogs can’t speak, so you learn to read their body language, understand their cues, and anticipate their needs. When I take dogs outside and let them off leash to play in a separate yard, I learn a lot about their personality and what they want. If dogs playing in another yard distracts them and they attempt to paw at a gate, I take a moment to think about how I can meet their need for companionship.
Each dog I walk or play with is looking for something different. Some want belly rubs, others immediately search for treats in my apron pockets, and others dart across the yard looking for a ball to play fetch. One of the best photography lessons from spending time with dogs is the understanding that whether I’m interacting with a person or a furry friend, everyone has different needs and wants. Realizing what a dog needs helps me understand what I can do to help them feel more at ease and stop staring at the gate.
Photography works in the same way. In photography, it’s equally important to understand your clients and audiences’ needs. Every client has a different vision for their photos and every audience member is looking to your visual references for a different reason whether it’s to learn more about a product or what to expect from your upcoming event. As a content producer, it’s my job to provide insights on what will connect with audiences and bring a client’s vision to life. This means taking the time to listen carefully to what they want, asking questions to clarify their expectations, and considering how the images will ultimately be used—whether for personal keepsakes, marketing materials, or something else entirely.
While making arrangements to book a photographer for MU-CONNECTOR/When the land stands alone, a contemporary performance piece, I took the time to consider everything from style to what we might use these photos for in the short and long-term. Providing the photographer with direction including what kinds of moments and movements we need to capture as well as how we might use the photos for everything from social media recaps to fundraising to membership brochures helps give the photographer ideas of what we need to create a sense of nostalgia or excitement for furthering my organization's work.
Think about how your shots will be used
When looking at toys in a yard at the shelter or going through treats in my pocket, I think about their purpose and how I’ll use them. Will this toy keep the dog entertained? Do I have enough treats to distract them in case they see a squirrel dart up a tree? I’m always thinking about how these things fit into my time with dogs.
The same thought process can be applied to photography. When hiring a photographer, I always consider how the photos will be used. Are they for a website hero image? Will they be used in social media ads? Are they going to be printed and used for onsite advertising? Communicating the final use of the images helps photographers tailor shots to meet those needs, ensuring that what they capture serves its intended purpose.
When requesting photography for an exhibition, I often think about the different ways we’ll use their work. It’s not always for promotional purposes. We also have photography for archives to document the different art that has been on display in our galleries and performed on our stages. In some cases we might want a portrait of the artist with their work for an interview with the press or we might want an image of the artist talking with visitors to generate interest with the art on view. Social media platforms also require many different photo orientations, in most cases, LinkedIn and X images are better in landscape format while vertical formats are better for Instagram. Understanding the different ways an image might be used helps a photographer understand what to capture and how to get the best shot to meet their needs.
Stay in the moment
Dogs live entirely in the present. They don’t pose for pictures. They don’t worry about the past or stress about the future—they simply enjoy the moment they’re in, whether that’s chasing a ball or lounging in the sun. As a volunteer at an animal shelter, I can confirm that the best moments with them are when they’re simply being themselves—whether it’s them playing, sleeping, or curiously exploring their environment.
My time volunteering involves both taking dogs out for a break from their kennels and capturing them enjoying their time for promotional videos and pictures. In order to capture just the right moment, I have to experiment and be ready to go. Sometimes I’ll take multiple photos at once or record a longer video that can be broken up into shorter clips. Staying in the present helps me get what I am looking for.
This is one of the most valuable photography lessons dogs have taught me. When you’re in the middle of a shoot, it’s easy to get caught up in technical details or worry about what’s next on the agenda. Staying present allows you to see things you might otherwise overlook like subtle expressions, fleeting interactions, and beautiful compositions that unfold naturally. It’s often the candid moments that carry the most emotion and authenticity.
When working with photographers, I think it’s important for producers to remember to find a balance of alerting photographers when they need to be somewhere specific and letting them capture moments on their own. It’s important for them to know when a group is available to gather for a photo, but it’s also crucial to provide them flexibility. Capturing people in their natural state, engaging with their surroundings or with others, often results in the most memorable and meaningful images. So next time you’re on a shoot, channel a little of that dog-like enthusiasm and adaptability—you might just capture something extraordinary.
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Cover image by rafibh on Pixabay