Your new puppy is many things: he’s playful, he’s precious, and most noticeably, he’s growing. Fast. Before you know it, that tiny eight-week-old will be a full-grown adult, and you won’t want to forget all the special moments that you shared along the way. Those snapshots are in your mind forever; now you can put them on film too.

From imagination to image

You and your puppy will experience many firsts early on—his first bath, first hair cut, first birthday, and many more. It’s hard to beat the fun of experiencing those moments firsthand, but capturing those moments on film helps you enjoy them forever, as Lori A. Cheung can attest. “My favorite portrait is of my puppy Flash, my ‘chiweenie’ (Chihuahua-Dachshund), on his first trip to the beach,” says Cheung, owner of ThePetPhotographer.com in the San Francisco Bay Area. “Flash sprinted across the beach near the Golden Gate Bridge. It is an action portrait with Flash's ears flying in the wind, his body launching across the sand, tongue wagging—his expression is pure joy and exuberance. It was a magical moment.”

Candid on camera

Cheung notes that a digital camera is best because it allows you to immediately view your portraits and shoot freely without wasting film. “I love digital cameras because they give me the freedom to create,” she says.

Alternatively, look for cameras that allow you to adjust shutter speeds so you can show the active times you enjoy one-on-one—an important tool when it comes to fast-moving puppies. Kyle Thibodeaux, a dog owner in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, knows all too well the importance of a good camera. “When I tried to take a picture of my dog, Gauge, with a disposable camera, he would move so fast that most of the time, all I would get was a blur,” he says. “When I changed the speed of my shutter, my pictures came out a thousand times better.”

Photo Fun

The very thing that makes puppies so lovable is their unpredictability. “Usually the most fun and amazing things happen [when photographing your pup],” says Margaret Bryant, owner of Dallas, Texas-based Bryant Dog Photography. She also recommends photographing your puppy with props and toys because they can give a sense of scale. “Your puppy will grow very fast, and you will soon forget how small [he was],” she says.

Let there be light

Lighting can truly make or break a photo. But the best light, Bryant says, is easy to come by. “I have a black dog and [the pictures] always come out like black blobs,” Bryant says. “It’s much easier to capture black dogs on film if you go outdoors.”

Cheung agrees that sunlight is the best option for people without professional lighting equipment. “Natural outdoor lighting is gorgeous, especially during sunrise and sunset,” she says.

Up, Down, All Around

The number one thing that separates good photography from great photography is proper angle and distancing. “When you’re down on their level, not only are you more engaged and you capture more of the personality, but you can get a better idea of the color and shape of the dog,” Bryant says. Most importantly, don’t be afraid to zoom in on the details of your dog’s face, so you can remember every one of your favorite features.