A Beach, a Ball & Beso: Pet Photography in Midcoast Maine

Sometimes a photography session starts simply because a dog catches my attention.

That was the case with Beso.

Beso was eight months old when I met him, and one of the first things I noticed about him was his two different-colored eyes. I immediately thought he would be such an interesting dog to photograph, so I offered his humans, Emilie and Greg, a photo session while they were visiting Maine.

What started as a spontaneous idea turned into a fun evening at Crescent Beach in Owls Head, filled with running, playing, goofy expressions, and photographs of Beso together with the two people who clearly mean so much to him.

A Texas Rescue on His First Maine Vacation

Beso's story started far away from the Maine coast. He was rescued from Texas and adopted through Save One Soul Animal Rescue League in Rhode Island.

His humans describe him as a "country boy at heart." He loves running through open fields, playing fetch, and morning snuggles. He is less enthusiastic about skateboards, anything with a motor, and apparently wheels in general.

For his first vacation to Maine with Emilie and Greg, though, he seemed quite happy to add running on a beach to his list of favorite things.

Crescent Beach was an easy location for me to suggest. Emilie and Greg were visiting from New York City and were open to going wherever I recommended. I know this beach from visits with my own dog, Bear, and I love the Maine coastal feeling there. When the tide goes out, the beach becomes accessible and gives dogs room to move around and explore.

And room to move was exactly what Beso needed.

Letting Beso Get Comfortable First

I had been told that Beso could be shy around strangers, so I didn't want to begin the session by immediately pointing a camera at him and expecting him to pose.

Instead, I let him check me out first.

I gave him a chance to look at and sniff my camera. I also pressed the shutter so he could hear the sound and get used to it. It didn't take very long before he started warming up to me.

That's when the fun really started.

A Ball, a Beach and a Lot of Puppy Energy

Beso loves playing fetch, so his ball gave him something familiar to focus on while I photographed him doing what came naturally.

He ran after it across the beach, giving me the opportunity to capture some wonderful action photographs. There were also plenty of goofy moments with the ball in his mouth and some very silly expressions.

Those are often the photographs I love because they show so much personality.

Interestingly, although Beso seemed to love running around the beach, he wasn't nearly as excited about getting close to the water. Apparently you can be a beach dog without wanting anything to do with the ocean.

Between all that running and playing, we also worked in some more posed photographs and, most importantly, photographs of Beso together with Emilie and Greg.

For those moments Beso was on his leash. Like you might expect from an eight-month-old puppy, after a while he would get a little antsy.

So we didn't push it.

We let him run and play again.

Then we could come back and try some more.

Your Dog Doesn't Have to Sit Perfectly for Photographs

One of the things I enjoyed most about this session was how relaxed everyone was.

Emilie and Greg were happy to let Beso be Beso, and I was especially happy that they were willing to step in front of my camera themselves.

For me, pet photography isn't only about creating a beautiful portrait of your dog. It's also about the relationship you have with them.

Your dog doesn't need to sit perfectly still for that to happen.

They can run.

They can play.

They can get distracted.

They can decide they've had enough posing and need another break.

They can even refuse to go near the water during their beach photo session.

All of those little things are part of who they are.

Beso was only eight months old when I photographed him. He was full of puppy energy, loved his ball, was still a little cautious about certain things, and had already found his place with Emilie and Greg.

That is a chapter worth remembering.

Maine Pet Photography for Dogs and Their Humans

Whether you've just welcomed your first dog into your life or you've shared many years together, our pets become part of our families and our stories.

And you don't have to live in Maine to have that story photographed here.

Beso's session happened during his first Maine vacation with Emilie and Greg. If your dog comes along on your Maine adventures too, a photography session can be a way to remember not only what your dog looked like at this point in their life, but what it felt like to explore this place together.

And yes, I hope you'll get into a few of the photographs too.

If you're looking for a pet photographer in Midcoast Maine and want photographs that feel like your dog, whether that means running after a ball on the beach, exploring a favorite trail, or simply being close to their favorite humans, I'd love to hear your story.