Frame Your Pet | Toronto Dog Portraits

/ Terri J Photography/

When I talk about framing your pet, am I talking about your pet photo displayed in a beautiful frame, or the frame that surrounds your pet in the actual photograph itself?

To be honest,  as a professional pet photographer, I’m talking about both!

  1. Framing as a technique in the composition of a dog portrait

So let’s start with the process of taking the photo of your pet.  Framing is a compositional technique that photographers use to draw the eye towards the subject, in this case your dog. The dog is situated in such a way that elements of the scene are used to create a frame within your frame. 

Framing also provides context about the scene. Think about a dog portrait taken in a studio. It’s often a portrait of the dog against a plain backdrop.  That photo becomes simply a portrait.  But with photos of a dog in a natural, home or city environment, elements that are used to create the frame to showcase the dog, also tell the viewer where or in what type of environment the photo was taken, for example a garden, or forest or city. The photo tells a story.

During my photo sessions, I am always on the look out for scenes in which I can place your dog that provide a natural frame around him or her, framing that draws attention to your dog and makes him or her pop out from the rest of the scene.

So what are these frames?  In a natural environment it could be grasses, tree branches or flowers.  It could be vines or rocks or fences. In the city it could be columns or walls or doorways.

Let’s take a look at a few examples where I placed the dog in a situation where the environment provided a frame for the portrait.

Take a look at my portfolio and see if you can spot more images where I’ve used framing as a technique!

2. Framing portraits to display your best dog and family moments

Now what about framing as it refers to the ways in which you can display your images. 

I say time and time again that digital photos are usually left languishing on a USB or your hard drive, often lost or difficult to find. Certainly you are not getting the enjoyment of these photos that made you book a session in the first place!

That is where I believe in the importance of framing your photos as real life to be displayed in your homes.  Now they become amazing portraits rather then simply digital dust!

By choosing one large or a few small framed prints and showcasing them in your homes, you will be able to surround yourself with life’s special moments!  

Consider larger framed prints for wall art or wall galleries. Small prints can make a big statement when arranged in groupings on walls or as desk, shelf and table displays. 

Here are some ideas for displaying framed portraits of your dogs.