A Day In The Studio - Photographing My Mum and Dolly
Most of the portraits I make are of other people’s dogs, and of the people who love them. Recently, though, I had the privilege of photographing two of my own: my mum, Prue, and Dolly, our Welsh Terrier, who is nine years old. As a photographer, I feel very fortunate to have been able to do that, and I wanted to share why it meant so much.
I'm Luke, the photographer behind Legacy Hound Studio. South Devon pet photography is my work every day, and a growing part of it is something I care about deeply: photographing senior dogs as fine art wall art, so that their owners can embrace, celebrate and honour them while they are here together. This is the heart of what I do, and this session at my Plymouth studio is my own small proof of it.
Watch the Session
If you want to know what a session with me is really like, it’s easiest to just show you. This is my studio and my own family, so have a look at this video and see behind the scenes of what I do.
Mum and our nine year old Welsh Terrier, Dolly, during their unhurried session at my Plymouth studio.
A Calm Space at My Plymouth Studio
My Plymouth studio is calm, spacious and pet friendly. There is no rush to begin when you arrive, and that applies to my own family just as it applies to everyone.
Even a dog who knows the photographer well still needs time to take in a new room. I let every dog explore the space and settle at their own pace before any photographs are taken. Some investigate every corner; others stay close to their person and watch for a while. Both are completely fine.
“Some investigate every corner; others stay close to their person and watch for a while”
That settling time matters for dogs of any age, and older dogs in particular deserve to set the pace. A dog who has decided the room is safe looks entirely different on camera: softer eyes, relaxed ears, a natural posture. And when the dog relaxes, their person usually does too.
No Clock, and No Pressure on the Humans Either
My sessions have no time limit. There is time for breaks, for a fuss, for a chat, and for simply letting a dog be themselves. Dogs notice when the people around them are tense or watching the clock. Remove that pressure and everyone softens. Some of the moments I love most from any session happen once everyone has stopped thinking about the photographs at all.
“The best portraits of a person with their dog come when attention shifts away from the camera and onto each other.”
Plenty of people tell me they would love photographs of their dog but are not sure about being in them themselves. I understand that completely. Helping the humans feel relaxed and look wonderful is part of the work, just as much as it is with the dogs. Nobody needs to perform. The best portraits of a person with their dog come when attention shifts away from the camera and onto each other.
That matters all the more with a senior dog. These portraits are about the relationship: the years you have shared, the way they lean into you, the look that passes between you. Being in the picture yourself is often what makes it whole.
Why South Devon Pet Photography Belongs to the Senior Years
There is a particular quality to an older dog. The puppy energy has given way to something steadier. They know your routines, your moods and your voice. They have settled into exactly who they are, and anyone who shares their home with a senior dog will know how much character lives in a greying muzzle and a knowing look.
That is a stage of life worth celebrating, not simply getting through. Yet so often it is the stage we photograph least. We take hundreds of pictures of a new puppy, and then the years go by in phone snaps, with one or the other always looking the wrong way. What is usually missing is a proper portrait: something considered, made with care, to hang on the wall and live with every day.
That is why I encourage people not to wait for "someday". A senior dog portrait is not about looking ahead. It is about looking closely at the dog you have now, and giving that moment the attention it deserves.
A Family Story
I have had dogs for over 44 years, particularly Airedale and Welsh Terriers. Dogs have always been part of our family, and terriers in particular have shaped much of my life. If you grew up with dogs, you will know how they become woven into the everyday: the walks, the routines, the quiet company in the evenings.
Dolly is the latest chapter in that story, and at nine, she’s a Welsh Terrier with plenty of years of family life already behind her. I have photographed a great many people with their dogs, and I always feel privileged to see that bond up close. This time, the bond in front of the camera was one I have been part of myself. It is easy to take the familiar for granted. A portrait asks you to stop and really look, and I am grateful I had the chance to do that for my own family.
The Frame That Stays With Me
The frame that stays with me is the one of Prue holding Dolly in the studio while I photograph them, a quiet moment that I feel very fortunate to have been part of.
That kind of moment, more than anything, is what I hope every client takes away: not just a beautiful photograph of their dog, but a record of a relationship, made with care, that they can enjoy every day.
Honouring Your Dog on the Wall
For me, the finished piece on the wall is the real heart of the process. A portrait of a senior dog deserves to be seen, in the rooms where they spend their days, rather than living only on a phone. After a session, I look through the images together and talk about what you would like to live with.
I offer a range of wall art options:
Individually framed prints: a classic, elegant way to display a single favourite portrait.
Canvas collections: a group of images displayed together, telling a fuller story.
Folio box: multiple images presented together in a box, to hold and look through at your leisure.
Sizes range from 14" x 11" up to 48" x 32", so there is a format for a hallway, the space above a fireplace or a statement piece in a larger room.
What My Own Family Taught Me
Photographing my own family was a gentle reminder of what my clients experience. It is one thing to know, as a photographer, that a calm room and an unhurried pace make all the difference. It is another to stand behind the camera and see your own family, on two legs and four, in the frame.
It also reminded me that the right time for a portrait is rarely “someday”. My dogs share a precious stretch of life with me, and the senior years are some of the richest of all. A portrait of Prue and Dolly together is something I am very glad, and very fortunate, to have made.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you photograph older dogs?
Yes, and it is some of the work I value most. Senior dogs set the pace, there is no time limit, and the studio is calm and pet friendly.
Can I book a session for a family member and their dog?
Yes. I create family portraits on two legs and four, whether that is you, a parent, a partner or the whole household with your dog.
I don't like being photographed. Will I feel awkward?
Many people feel that way at first. Helping the humans feel relaxed and look wonderful is part of what I do, and the unhurried pace helps enormously.
How long does a session last?
There is no time limit. Your dog can explore and settle at their own pace before any photographs are taken.
Where is your studio?
My studio is Legacy Hound Studio, Unit 5, Grosvenor House, Belgrave Lane, Mutley, Plymouth, PL4 7DA.
An Invitation
If you share your life with an older dog, I would love to help you celebrate them. As a South Devon pet photographer working from my Plymouth studio, I offer calm, pet friendly spaces, no time limits and a genuine love of dogs. Whether you are looking for a Plymouth pet photographer close to home or travelling from further afield, South Devon pet photography, for me, has always been about family, and photographing my own family made that clearer than ever.
If you would like to talk it through, ask a question or arrange a session, you are very welcome to get in touch through my website at legacyhound.studio. There is no pressure, just a conversation, whenever the time feels right for you and your dog.
