A Tail of Two Styles

Studio vs. Outdoor Dog Photography: A Tail of Two Styles

I’m a control freak. Yup, I own that descriptor with pride. 😝

I don’t do much studio photography, primarily because my studio space is downright TEENSY - every time I want to explore a new concept, I have to completely rearrange the space! But despite the logistical challenges, there’s one huge advantage: c o n t r o l. Which, as you may have gathered, I love. (Go ahead, reread that first line just to be sure! 🙃)

In a studio setting, I can fully prepare before a dog ever steps a paw “on set.” I test the best angles and focal lengths, dial in my f-stop and shutter speed, and carefully position my strobes at just the right power. This means that when my four-legged model arrives, I can focus on getting them comfortable rather than scrambling to adjust my ISO or battling shifting light conditions.

Because of this level of control, I love studio photography - especially for personal projects. That said, in 2024, I made a conscious decision to shoot exclusively outdoors going forward. So, I had to dig into my archives to share some favorite studio images with you. Hope you don’t mind! 😉

Studio Photography Highlights

📸 “Menagerie Managed” (2020) – A true labor of love from my Boxed In heyday that still makes me smile every time I see it. Because the scene was set before any paws (or feathers) arrived, all I had to do was convince the dogs, cats, and chickens to “perform” their roles. 😅 (If I were to recreate this now, those collars would be gone! 😖)

📸 “Red Rue” (2021) – Since I rarely see bold reds in nature, I turned to the studio to drench this image in color. Fun fact: I used a Pringles can with my strobe to create the spotlight effect.

📸 “Simply Sophisticated” (2022) – While I have incorporated furniture into outdoor sessions, I’ve (finally! 😂) come to the conclusion that plush fabrics (especially velvet-ish) work best in the studio, adding a touch of elegance that’s harder to achieve outside. Keeva & Louie.

📸 “Wrango in White” (2022) – I find high-key imagery (mostly light and bright) is much easier to execute in a controlled studio environment.

📸 “Back in Black” (2022) – This portrait of Gemini could have been taken outdoors, but capturing a black dog on a black background is tricky, and the studio gave me the control I needed.

📸 “Puppy Chaos” (2022) – Imagine a pile of tiny puppies, wiggling and squirming in every direction. Now imagine trying to capture that outside. 😵 The studio was not only a safer environment for these unvaccinated little ones but also allowed me to pre-set the scene and then focus on wrangling the adorable chaos.

📸 “Vizsla in Velvet” (2023) – I wanted a rich blue backdrop to complement Gus’s gorgeous coat, but I didn’t have a blue background. Solution? Blue gels!

📸 “Orange You Going to Give Me That Treat?” (2023) – I used the same technique for Franklin with orange. 🧡

📸 “Queso & Churro” (2025) – My boys. 🥰 Since this was a studio setup, I used a tripod to photograph them separately and then seamlessly stitched the images together.

Outdoor Photography: A Beautiful, Unpredictable Puzzle

Now, let’s talk about outdoor photography - where control goes out the window and problem-solving takes center stage. 🤓

Unlike in a studio, where I can dictate every element of light and background, outdoor sessions are a whirlwind of variables:

☀️ Weather – Sure, rain or snow might come to mind first, but I’m primarily talking about light. The sun’s strength, angle, and quality can shift quickly, requiring constant adjustments. While I’m working with natural light, I also see the advantages of using artificial light to enhance what’s available. It’s always a delicate dance, balancing ambient light with the with my off-camera flash (OCF) to get the perfect look.

💨 Wind – A gentle breeze can turn a perfect composition into a mess, whether it’s moving a dog’s fur, shifting leaves in the foreground, or making a prop unstable.

🦆 Distractions – People strolling by, other dogs at the park, honking geese - outdoor sessions can feel like a revolving door of interruptions.

I love the challenge, though. Figuring out solutions on the fly keeps things interesting. That said, I do have a tendency to forget how to speak while my brain is running through a hundred simultaneous calculations – so please forgive me if I become mute. 🙊😆

Since most of my posted work features outdoor images, I won’t flood you with more here – I’ll just leave you with one last legacy studio shot:

📸 “Berner Puppies on Velvet” (2023) – Bernese Mountain Dog puppies, a deep red velvet chaise, and one very controlled setup. ❤️

So, Studio or Outdoor?

Both styles have their strengths. Studio sessions give me precision and creative freedom, while outdoor shoots challenge me to embrace the unpredictable beauty of nature.

Would I ever return to studio work? Maybe, if the right project came along. But for now, I’ll take the great outdoors, with all its wild, wonderful chaos.

Which style do you love more? Drop a comment and let me know! 🐾✨ And if you're ready to book, click the button!

REACH OUT!

Ginger Wick Photography is an award winning dog photographer specializing in creating beautiful custom artwork of dogs & their people. Based in Parker, CO serving the Denver area.