J.B. Shepard

17 Feb 2019

Collection of contemporary dog portrait art from the Paper Hat sessions

Dog Portrait Styles We Love to Photograph

Creative Pet Portrait Styles At the Puptrait Studio we tend to lean towards creating more ridiculous and whimsical imagery. When photographing more creative and surreal work, it’s just easier to work in studio. Unsurprisingly, the vast majority of our dog portrait commissions are for studio pet portraits. But that is not to say we can’t produce more conservative or traditional work. Puptrait photographers are artists at heart While commercial assignments aren’t uncommon for our studio, they’re not what we’re best known […]

15 Feb 2019

Popular Styles of Dog Portraits

Written by J.B. Shepard, a professional pet photographer and founder of the Puptrait Studio in Baltimore, Maryland. What is the best kind of pet portrait? Ask a dozen dog owners their favorite style of dog portrait and you’re likely to get a dozen different answers back. Pet portraits can be created in a variety of different formats and mediums. Dog portraits can be painted, drawn, photographed – even created as rendered computer graphics (CG). Just as the medium for pet portraits […]

14 Feb 2019

How do I get my dog to sit for photos?

Written by J.B. Shepard, a professional pet photographer and founder of the Puptrait Studio. A lot of dog owners struggle to take pictures of their own dog. A fact we’re thankful for, as no one would hire us to take professional dog photos if it was easy. But you don’t have to be a professional pet photographer to start taking better pictures of your dog. For today’s dog photo tip we’re not going to discuss the technical aspects of photography, […]

Authors / Beginner Dog Photo Tips / Dog Photography Tips & Tutorials / J.B. Shepard

13 Feb 2019

Does Flash Hurt Dogs Eyes?

Written by J.B. Shepard, a professional pet photographer and founder of the Puptrait Studio. One of the biggest misconceptions when photographing dogs is that you should avoid flash photography. We’re here to tell you that despite what you may read on the internet that this myth is simply not true. It is OK to use flash when photographing dogs. We’ve photographed hundreds of dogs and have cleared these topics with veterinary professionals on numerous occasions. How to safely photograph dogs […]

Authors / Beginner Dog Photo Tips / Camera & Photography Gear Buying Guides / Dog Photography Tips & Tutorials / J.B. Shepard

11 Feb 2019

Photo of the Puptrait Studio client Pepper the Chihuahua getting Instagram Famous.

How to make your dog famous on Instagram

Written by J.B. Shepard, a professional pet photographer and founder of the Puptrait Studio. Photo credit: actual screen capture of Pepper the Chihuahua going viral on Instagram with one of the photos from her Puptrait Studio session. You already know your dog is amazing, but now it’s time to show the rest of the world! Starting an Instagram account for your best dog friend can be a lot of fun. But if you don’t know what you’re doing posting on […]

Authors / Beginner Dog Photo Tips / Dog Photography Tips & Tutorials / J.B. Shepard

06 Feb 2019

Fine art portrait of a pitbull pupper wearing an Elizabethan style ruff collar made of old newspaper

Design Fees Waived for Custom Ruff Collars

We have officially finished the last of our gifted sessions from the holidays, closing out some of the busiest months on record. Now that we have had a chance to catch our breath, we thought it might be fun to spend some of our newly found free time doing what we do best – making absurdly detailed costumes for dogs. A Fresh Take On a Portrait Classic One of our favorite costumes we have worked with to date is the […]

Specials, Discounts & Promotions

06 Feb 2019

One of the Breath of the Wild's many friendly dogs.

How to Tame Dogs in Breath of the Wild

If you’re anything like me (a huge video game nerd and a professional pet photographer), you were probably pretty excited to discover interactive dogs in the latest Zelda installment, Breath of the Wild (BOTW). This isn’t the first time that dogs appeared in the Zelda franchise, but the level of interactivity and shear whimsicalness of the canine edition to the game is arguably unprecedented. Unlike in a lot of other video games, the dogs in BOTW aren’t forced into the […]

Dog Life & Training Tips / Pet Advice

28 Jan 2019

Creative dog portrait costs and sitting fees are now more affordable than ever for Washington D.C. and Baltimore dog owners. The Puptrait Studio is a dog friendly pet portrait studio located in the heart of Hampden.

What does the abbreviation IPTC stand for in photography?

Written by J.B. Shepard, a professional pet photographer and founder of the Puptrait Studio. IPTC is an acronym that stands for “International Press Telecommunications Council”. Established in 1965, the IPTC serves primarily as a global standards body of the news media. Over 50 news organizations and companies are members of the IPTC — including the BBC, Getty Images, Press Association (PA), Reuters, The New York Times, and Associated Press (AP). What does the abbreviation IIM stand for in photography? The […]

Authors / Intermediate Dog Photo Tips / J.B. Shepard

28 Jan 2019

Washington D.C. and Maryland's most creative dog friendly portrait photography studio.

What internal part of the camera allows images to be viewed prior to capture?

Written by J.B. Shepard, a professional pet photographer and founder of the Puptrait Studio. Jake is photographing his pet puppy. He wants to preview the image the camera will capture. What part of the camera that is inside the camera will allow him to do this? Aperture Sensor Eyepiece Internal Prism The correct answer is: Internal Prism. The only reason I’m answering this here is because we noticed that people were hitting our website looking for it and the answers […]

Authors / Beginner Dog Photo Tips / Dog Photography Tips & Tutorials / J.B. Shepard

25 Jan 2019

dog agility course portrait with a fox hound on a farm

How to Safely Exercise Your Dog or Puppy

Did you know that exercise is a critical factor that influences your pet’s health? Puppies, seniors, and adult dogs of all ages require safe daily exercise. But the exercise needs of each animal vary based on numerous factors, including age, size, breed, and weight. So, exactly how much exercise does a puppy need? What about a full-grown dog? When exercising your dog, you need to make sure that you are doing so in a safe manner. Some activities that are […]

Dog Life & Training Tips / Guest Posts / Pet Advice

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