My buddy Matt Worthey and his Chocolate Lab, Gus, stopped by during a studio day I was hosting in Downtown Tacoma for a quick portrait session. These studio days are some of my favorites because I get to photograph a wide variety of people—and sometimes dogs—throughout the day, each with a completely different vibe and intention.
This session fell into my work with Tacoma dog photography studio sessions, where the goal is to capture personality in a short, focused window of time. Dog portraits can be just as challenging as human portraits. Every dog has its own temperament, energy level, and comfort with new environments.
These sessions are intentionally brief, usually around 20 minutes. That means a dog has to adjust quickly—new space, new person, new expectations—all while being asked to sit still and take direction. Because of that, both the dog and the human end up playing an active role in the process.
Luckily, Gus was incredibly relaxed. As a Chocolate Lab, he had a calm, easygoing presence and settled into the studio quickly. Matt was just as easy to work with, following direction smoothly and helping keep Gus comfortable throughout the session.
In the end, this Tacoma dog photography studio session was simple, fun, and full of personality. Gus made it easy, and the studio environment allowed for clean, minimal portraits that highlight who he is without distraction.
Matt has worked as a graphic designer for many years and cut his teeth doing flyers and merch for punk bands. He later worked with Sports Illustrated and now he works for the San Diego Padres. Check out his work at www.wortheydesign.com (@wortheydesign on Instagram) and see his collaboration with Tacoma Designer/Illustrator Stein Hansen at www.grimbrand.com
