Dog Portrait Photography in Somerset – Studio Pet Photos of Archer & Buddy

Archer and Buddy recently visited me in my Somerset studio, just outside Bridgwater, for their dog portrait session. These two handsome boys were full of charm, character, and a lot of bounce!

Archer is a dachshund (a classic little sausage dog!), and Buddy is a veteran lurcher with a wonderfully calm but playful nature. Both boys adore their mum and stayed close to her throughout the session. However, a few pieces of sausage were just enough to convince them to strike a pose or two.

One of Mum’s biggest worries was whether we could get them together in a single image. She wasn’t sure it was possible, but we worked patiently, and after a bit of teamwork and perfect timing… we got the shot! Of course, we also collected a few hilarious out-takes along the way, which still make me smile.

Buddy quickly claimed the soft blanket — it reminded him of the comfy sofa at home, and he was more than happy to sink into it. Meanwhile, Archer preferred the vintage suitcase and kept hopping back in to settle down for a little rest.

Because it happened to be Valentine’s Day, we tried a fun idea: getting both boys to hold a rose in their mouths. The roses were made completely safe and thorn-free. Although the boys had their own opinions about this prop and refused to play along, we moved cheerfully on to plan B and captured some gorgeous portraits instead.

Here are a few of my favourite images from their session.

Some interesting facts about dachshunds & lurchers.

Dachshunds come in 15 Colors & 3 coat types.

“While you are probably used to seeing red, black & tan and dappled sausage dogs, did you know they come in 15 colors and 6 marking combinations? Colours include: black & cream, black & tan, blue & cream, blue & tan, chocolate & cream, chocolate & tan, cream, fawn (also called Isabella) & cream, fawn & tan, red, wheaten, wild board, black, chocolate and fawn. Marking combinations include: brindle, dapple, sable, brindle piebald, double piebald and piebald. Also another trait people are not always aware of is that the sausage dog comes in the popular smooth coat as well as a long haired and wire-haired.” ( iheartdogs.com)

Lurcher’s are tall dogs with agile bodies

~Lurchers are tall and thin., a crossbreed between sighthound and usually a collie or terrier. Originally used as hunting dogs – they were bred for their high-level hunting skills. Lurchers can have short and long coat and coat colour can vary a lot.

Dachshunds come in Three Sizes

“Many people are so used to seeing a miniature Dachshund, they forget that the standard size exists, and it can be almost triple the size of the mini. The mini is usually around 11 pounds and hunted small vermin while the larger, 32-pound dog hunted badger. In Germany, they come in a third size, in between the miniature and the standard.

The name Dachshund comes from the German “Dachs” meaning “badger” and “hund” meaning dog.” ( iheartdogs.com)

The name Lurcher’s comes from

~Lurchers were originally associated with English poachers and gypsies in the early 18th century. The crossbreed’s name comes from the word lur meaning “bandit” or “thief.”