Roly's Dog Photoshoot - Meadow Walks & River Adventures

Some photoshoots are great fun from the very beginning — and Roly’s was definitely one of them. 

This session was for my friend Hannah, who wanted some memorable photos of their spaniel Roly. As she told me: 

“I’ve always got photos of the horses around the house, but I haven’t got any nice ones of Roly. And because he’s such a big part of the family — and my daughter’s Molly best mate — it only felt right to get some fab photos of him so we can have one in her room.” 

And honestly… I couldn’t agree more. 

A Location the dog loves! 

We headed out to the meadow field, with a river running next to it; Roly’s absolute favourite place to be. I’m more than happy to travel, and it’s great to see new places but it’s also nice being close to home, on the edge of Staffordshire. 

Choosing a meaningful location always makes such a difference to a shoot. It allows dogs to relax, explore, and just be themselves, which is exactly what we want to capture. 

From the moment we arrived, Roly was in his element — nose down, tail wagging, completely in spaniel heaven. 

A Very Typical Spaniel… 

Now, if you know cocker spaniels… you’ll know they don’t tend to sit still for very long. 

Roly was no exception. 

There were plenty of moments where he had other ideas, a lot of excitement, and not much interest in staying in one place for more than a few seconds — but that’s all part of the fun. These shoots are never about forcing perfection, they’re about working with your dog and capturing who they really are. 

With a bit of patience (and a few well-timed pauses), we managed to get some gorgeous shots — full of personality and life. 

The River Moments (and Wet Socks!) 

One of the highlights of the session had to be the river. 

To really make the most of the setting (and because Roly loves the water), I may have gone a little further than planned… shoes off, straight into the river to get those lower-angle shots. 

Completely worth it — even if my socks didn’t survive the experience 😅 

And it definitely paid off. Those water images are some of my favourites from the whole shoot. 

Why This Shoot Meant So Much 

What I loved most about this session was the reason behind it. 

Roly isn’t just a pet — he’s a huge part of the family, and especially Molly’s best friend. Having photos of him to display at home (and in her room) makes those memories even more special. 

It’s so easy to put off getting photos of our dogs, but they’re such an important part of our lives — and they deserve to be celebrated just as much. 

Kind Words 

Hannah later left me the loveliest review: 

“Steph came to get some pics of my cocker spaniel for me. He’s a typical spaniel and can’t keep still for more than 5 minutes, but Steph was great and really helpful in where to take him and get him to sit to get the best pictures. She even took her shoes off and went into the river to get some water pictures… so sorry Steph, I owe you a new pair of socks. Will be having Steph again to get some pictures of my horse 😊🐕🐴” 

Roly was an absolute joy (even with the chaos!) and it was a pleasure to work with one of my friends Hannah. This session was such a great reminder of why I love what I do. 

Real moments, real personalities, and a few wet socks along the way. 

Thinking About a Shoot for Your Dog? 

If your dog is just as much a part of the family as Roly is, and you’d love to have beautiful, natural photos of them in their favourite place — I’d love to help. 

Get in touch