Check Out These Very Cute Portraits Of Canines Captured In A 'Dog Photo Booth'

© Alma Haser

With new research revealing that the demand for dog portraiture has reached an all-time high, with 44% of dog owners taking more pictures of their dog than any other family member and one in ten UK dogs having their own Instagram account, fine art photographer Alma Haser has teamed up with the Affordable Art Fair for a rather unique, and cute, project. 

The project involves Alma setting up a pop-up photo booth at the Hampstead edition of the Affordable Art Fair in May (11-14) where the fair’s four-legged guests will be able to pose for portraits, captured in Alma's distinctive style. 

© Alma Haser

Commenting on the booth, Alma said: "I specialise in carefully constructed portraiture, expanding the dimensions of traditional portrait photography. I’ve always had a love for dogs, so when I started receiving requests from friends to capture their dogs, I knew it was something I’d love to expand but as a fun side project so I set up The Dog Photo Booth. I always treat my canine subjects as seriously as my human ones, I spend time getting to know them to make sure their unique character shines through."

© Alma Haser

As the next instalment of the fair will be taking place in Hampstead, Alma gave the local community a sneak preview of the booth at the fair’s famous location, Hampstead Heath, and the dogs posing for portraits included insta-famous pups Professor Wrinkles (@professorwrinkles) and Arne Doodle (@arnedoodle). 

© Alma Haser

Discussing the dog photo booth idea, Fair Director Luci Noel said: "Dogs have long been a subject of art, depicting status, companionship and loyalty. Even the greats such as Picasso and Warhol haven’t been able to resist paying tribute to their canine friends in their artworks.

With 56% of us showcasing images of our pets in our home, capturing the true essence of their personality has never been so important. Our pop-up photo booth will give fairgoers the opportunity to do just this, and leave with a piece of art they can treasure for life."

© Alma Haser

In addition to The Dog Photo Booth, the fair will be showcasing the very best in emerging and established talent from galleries across the globe and all works are available from £100 - £6,000.

Visitors looking to get in touch with their creative side will be able to take part in a number of interactive workshops and informative talks.

The Affordable Art Fair Hampstead opens its doors to the public on Thursday 11 May and runs until Sunday 14 May. For tickets to all dates and further information, visit the Affordable Art Fair website. 

© Alma Haser

Alma's Four Tips To Perfect Dog Portraits

For those wanting to capture their own pet portraits at home, here are four essential tips from Alma on how you can do this. 

1. Getting used to the camera

First and foremost, it’s important that your dog gets used to the camera, especially if it’s a professional one with click sounds and a flash. Do this by letting your dog take a good look (and sniff!) of the camera, and take a few snaps in and around your house to get them used to the process.

Alma at work, photo taken by the AAF.

2. Work with the background

Dogs come in all shapes and colours, so picking the right backdrop is the key to getting a beautiful end result. Pale backgrounds will drown out light-coloured dogs and vice versa for black dogs against dark backgrounds. Similarly, if you’re too far away from your dog when shooting, chances are they’ll get distracted by something that’s closer to them and run out of shot.

Alma at work, photo taken by the AAF.

3. Added interest

Incorporating some of you dogs favourite tennis balls or chew toys can be a great way to bring their personality to life and make your final picture look even more visual. I also use a lot of flowers in my work which look stunning against the natural colour of a dog’s fur.

4. Recruit some extras

A dog-loving friend on hand with a toy or treat always works well, especially if you’re trying to shoot very still, precise shots that require the dog to stay in one place for a long amount of time.

Finally… have fun! Some of the best shots I’ve taken come from really natural, spontaneous moments. 

Alma at work, photo taken by the AAF.