How to Choose the Perfect Background Color for Your Dog’s Studio Portrait
Wallace, a Samoyed, smiles on a teal background during his studio photo shoot with The Dog Photog.
The background color of your Dog Photog portrait session plays as big of a role in the final image as the star of the photo. The right color can compliment your dog’s coat and really make them shine, while conversely, a color that contrasts from their coloring can change the entire image— and not in a great way. Choosing the right background color is essential to complement your dog and enhance their appearance in the final photograph. Here’s a guide to help you select the perfect color for your dog’s studio portrait.
Choosing the best background color for your dog’s studio portraits is more important than you might think. The right color will compliment you dog’s coat and practically make them pop right out of the photo. Conversely, choosing the wrong background color can have the same effect as if you choose a shirt color that doesn’t compliment your skin tone. Sure, it’ll still look ok, but why settle for just ok — like, ever?!
If you’ve been wondering which color to choose for your dog’s studio portrait background, you’re in the right place. This blog will cover the different categories of background colors, which coats look best of which colors, and even share some examples of backgrounds that didn’t do the dog justice.
Classic Neutral Color Backgrounds
Neutral backgrounds, such as white, black, tan or gray, provide a clean and timeless look. They allow your dog to be the focal point of the photo without any distractions— and look handsome, regal, and majestic all at the same. Neutral colors are versatile and work well with any dog’s coat color and texture.
Medium to dark coats photograph beautifully on white.
White is a great choice when including your dog's favorite outfit.
Medium to light warm dogs photograph nicely on white.
Warm and cool coats (or a mix of both) look great on the black background.
Neutral mixed coats (black and white) contrast beautifully on the tan background.
White compliments a senior pup's white whiskers.
Dark features, like Meg's lips, nose, and eyes, contrast her light coat enough to help her pop on white.
Dublin's warm really pops again a white background.
Looking for something that’s extra striking for your black dog? Choose a black background! While it might sound counter-intuitive, a black dog on a black backdrop highlights your dog’s features beautifully, while really letting their coat shine. Take a look at Cash, a black Labrador Retriever — how stunning does he look on a black backdrop?!
Warm Color Backgrounds
Warm colors symbolize heat, sunshine, and (of course) warmth.These colors work great with cool or neutral coated dogs. What dogs that mean? Dogs with a black or white coat, or coats with a mix of the two, look amazing on warm backgrounds. The contrast between the warmth of the background compliments a neutral toned coat to create the perfect amount of contrast that makes the dog practically pop out of the photo.
Our warm color backgrounds include lemonade, marmalade, pale pink, and red.
Pugs, like Dublin and Gatsby, have neutral toned coats and their dark faces really pop with the lemonade backdrop color.
See the difference between the contrast of the dark dogs laying down versus the warm coated spaniel in the middle? Dark coats pop on the pale pink background.
Mixed-breed pooch, Lucy, sports a dark coat that is perfectly complimented by the marmalade backdrop color.
Finlay, a West Highland White Terrier, pops on the red background color because his white coat is the perfect amount of contrast to the saturated red.
Dolly, a Labradoodle, has dark features (her nose, lips, and eyes) offer enough contrast to compliment her warmer coat on the pale pink backdrop color.
This Shih Tzu puppy photographs beautifully on pink because of her neutral, contrasted coat and her pink sweater showcases her face as a focal point on the photo on the pale pink background color.
Harvey, an American Eskimo Dog, pops on the marmalade backdrop color because his neutral white coat offers the perfect amount of contrast to the saturated yellow backdrop.
Cool Color Backgrounds
Cool colors involve everything that is colder, cooler, and even icy. Warm coats look beautiful on cool color backgrounds because the combination creates a beautiful contrast that compliment one another. Dogs with light or dark coats look great on cool colors.
Our cool color backgrounds include blue mist, mint green, olive, purple, and teal.
Indie, a Lhasa Apso, photographs beautifully on purple because her neutral light and dark coat shows off her features.
Belle, a mixed hound puppy, looks great on teal because the warmth of her brown features contrast nicely with the cool color.
Winston's dark coat is warm. You can tell by looking at the light on his ear-- his coat almost appears red. Blue Mist is a perfect color for Winston.
Thor's black coat is more prominent than his warm brown accents, making Mint Green a perfect choice.
Linda's warm coat (you can tell her coat is warm by the way the light touches her ears) looks great on purple. It's the perfect amount of warmth to balance her warm coat and cool tummy.
Finlay's white (neutral) coat is complemented perfectly by the Olive Green color. His dark features and white coat offer a perfect amount of contrast.
Gal is a Red Heeler mix. Her warm coat is complemented perfectly by the cool Blue Mist backdrop and offers an ideal amount of contrast.
Oliver's dark grey coat is a great example of a neutral coat that is complemented by the Mint Green background.
Light vs Dark Backgrounds
Knowing which color is the best color for your dog’s coat is only half of the color selection puzzle. It’s also important to consider the tone of the color — light or dark — and how it contrasts with your dog’s coat. I typically suggest light coat dogs be photographed on darker backgrounds and dark coat dogs be photographed on light backgrounds. Of course there are exceptions (like a black dog on a black backdrop), but as a general rule of thumb, select a color that is the opposite of your dog’s coat.
Selecting a color that is too close to the tone of your dog’s coat can make them appear washed out and they do not pop as nicely in the final image.
#TLDR
Selecting the right background for your dog’s portrait is key to achieving portraits that highlight your dog’s best features. Here’s your cheat sheet:
Dark Dog Coats: Warm colors or Cool colors. Light backgrounds, or dark backgrounds
Light Dog Coats: Warm colors or Cool colors. Dark backgrounds.
Warm Dog Coats (browns, red undertones): Cool colors. Light backgrounds, or dark backgrounds.
Cool Dog Coats (neutral, grey, white, black, or a mix of these colors): Warm colors. Light backgrounds, or dark backgrounds.
You’ll select your backdrop colors when booking your session, but if your selection are keeping you up at night, we can always swap color choices when you arrive for your dog’s portraits. The Dog Photog is always available to share insights and a professional opinion regarding the perfect background color for your dog’s coat.
Need some professional insight? Contact The Dog Photog here.