A Petco Santa photo. Three English bulldogs. None of them looking at the same time. David and Allen walked away with…a memory, let’s say, to put it nicely. So David reached out to me, a little nervous, a little hopeful, and very upfront: “They are sweet, but difficult to photograph as a trio.” I appreciated Read More
Posts by Bark & Gold Photography
How to Actually Compare Pet Photographers (Beyond the Pretty Pictures)
You’ve got a few tabs open right now. Maybe three photographers, maybe five. They all have beautiful galleries. They all say they love dogs. They all promise a stress-free experience and images you’ll “treasure forever.” And you’re sitting there thinking: OK, but how do I actually choose? It’s a fair question—and a harder one than Read More
Your Dog Doesn’t Care About Instagram, You Do
Let me paint you a picture: You’re at the park. Your dog is doing that thing…you know the one. Maybe it’s the way she tilts her head when she hears a weird noise, or the full-body wag that starts at her nose and ends somewhere around her back legs. It’s perfect. You grab your phone, Read More
Before You Book: Signs the Timing Might Not Be Right
Most pet photographers will tell you there’s never a wrong time to book a session, and while that sentiment comes from a good place, it’s not entirely true. Timing matters — for the experience, for the outcome, and for the investment. Sometimes the most helpful thing anyone can tell you is to wait. This is Read More
5 Summer Activities for Pittsburgh Dogs Sure to Get Tails Wagging
This post was originally published in 2022 and updated for accuracy and expanded in 2026. Summer in Pittsburgh hits different when you’ve got a dog. Suddenly, every weekend is a potential adventure, and “just a walk around the block” starts to feel like a waste of a perfectly good Saturday. If you’re looking to shake Read More
What Happens When a Photography Session Becomes the Last One You Ever Could Have
The story in this post is real. Names and identifying details have been removed to respect the client’s privacy, but the experience and the sentiment are entirely his own. He booked the session without fully understanding why it mattered. It just felt like the right thing to do, so he did it. No grand reason. Read More
How to Know If You’re Ready to Invest in Professional Pet Portraits
Most people don’t wake up one morning with sudden clarity and think, Today is the day I book professional pet portraits. It’s usually a slower burn. You see a stunning image on Instagram. You think about it for a second. You close the app and go back to your life. Then you think about it Read More
Worried Your Dog Won’t Cooperate? Read This Before Your Portrait Session
This post was originally published in 2016 and updated for accuracy and expanded in 2026. Let’s address the question almost every pet guardian asks me before their session: “But…what if my dog doesn’t cooperate?” If that thought has crossed your mind, you’re in very good company. After years of photographing dogs throughout the Pittsburgh area—from Read More
How to Prepare Your Dog for a Professional Photography Session (From a Pet Photographer Who’s Seen It All)
This post was originally published in 2016 and updated for accuracy and expanded in 2026. Before we get into the practical advice, let me tell you a quick story about my first dog, Hunter. Hunter was many wonderful things: a big personality, affectionate, deeply devoted…and occasionally convinced that every new environment exists purely for his Read More
When the House Feels Too Quiet
It feels like lately I’ve been receiving a certain kind of message more often. It usually starts the same way: “I had to say goodbye.” And then, almost without fail: “The house feels so quiet.” If you’ve ever loved a dog deeply, you know exactly what that quiet feels like. It’s the absence of nails Read More