Parksville Pet Photography: Honoring 12 Years of Love and Companionship
This beautiful evening was spent capturing the special bond between my dear friend Jen and her 12-year-old Pitbull, Dyna. As Dyna approached her 12th birthday, Jen wanted to document this meaningful milestone with a heartfelt birthday photo session. It was important to her to have professional Parksville pet photography with her beloved dog—because selfies just aren’t the same. Photographing dogs can be surprisingly tricky, especially when you’re both the photographer and the subject. Hiring a professional allows you to stay present with your dog, interact naturally, and create beautiful, authentic images with ease.
Our pets are like family to us, I know! I have five cats myself, and treasure the photos I have with the pets who have passed on. I always admire when people see the value in documenting their memories with their pets too!
Why Oak Leaf Community Park (Es-hw Sme~nts) Is Perfect for Pet Photography
I suggested Oak Leaf Community Park as the photoshoot setting because this location truly has it all. From rugged cliffs overlooking the ocean to pebbly beaches, oak forests, and distant mountain views, it offers an incredible variety of natural backdrops in one place. And if you’re really lucky, there’s even a wildflower field in bloom just down the road.
This field isn’t part of the established park and won’t be here forever—the cleared land is already slated for a future home in this prime neighborhood. Until then, during wildflower season, I’m soaking up every opportunity to photograph in this unreal location. It’s bursting with hundreds of thousands of foxgloves and daisies, creating a scene that feels almost too magical to be real.
Learn about Oak Leaf Community Park here: https://www.scubabc.ca/oak-leaf-park/
Parksville Pet Photography Tips: Working With Your Pet To Get The Best Shots
At 12 years old, Dyna is an aging doggo. Her mobility is somewhat restricted, so we kept the poses low key and comfortable for her. Sitting, laying, walking. No dancing, no running, and we did our best to keep the sun out of her sensitive eyes as well. Although Jen was hoping for some shots where Dyna was looking directly into the camera, her eyes were just too sensitive to the light to look fully into my lens. In the end, we captured mostly photos of the two of them together enjoying a beautiful sunset. I know that these photos and this memory will only get sweeter with age!
- Work with the dogs abilities, do not try to push the animal out of their comfort zone.
- Use treats and toys to get the dogs attention over my camera.
- Use every day prompts that feel normal to the dog like walking.
- Don’t feel too pressured to take a perfect portrait of the animal. Candid captures are often the easiest, and best!
“So grateful for these photos, and Dyna is still living her best life out hiking in the forest and snuggling under blankets by the heater ❤️” -Jen