1. Use Natural Light - Have you ever seen a photo of your friend's pet Fluffy who has been turned into a devil dog by the camera flash? This is commonly known as red eye. Your camera's red eye reduction setting is unlikely to reduce red eye in photos of animals. Their eyes are structured differently & they are likely to turn away from the camera during the pre-flash. The best solution is to use natural light. Head outside or take your photos near a large window. Early morning or late afternoon light will give your pet lovely, warm colours while avoiding the harsh shadows that are created in direct sunlight during the middle of the day. Black dogs particularly have a tendency to turn into black blobs in photos. The only way around this is to ensure that there is a lot of light available so you get a lovely reflection off their coat.
2. Get Down to your Pet's Level - Have you ever seen a flattering photo of a person who is straining their neck while trying to look up at the photographer? Probably not - so why make your pet do it? Try to get down to your pet's eye level. Don't make them come to you. Go to where they are sitting or lying comfortably & see the world from their point of view. Sit on the floor, or better still lie on your belly. Not only will you get great pictures but you'll provide entertainment for anyone else who is around at the time.
3. Get Close - Try to fill the whole picture with your pet. We don't really need to see the whole yard including the strip you forgot to mow. Make it close up so there are no doubts as to what it is you are photographing. The photo should direct all the attention to your pet & whatever it ... cont' |
is they are doing at the time. If you are zoomed in on the face, you can even have someone hold your pet still if they have a particularly short attention span.
4. Keep it Simple - A real portrait killer is a distracting background. Make sure you have a good look through your viewfinder to see what else is in the frame of your subject. We want to ensure that the focus is on the face, especially the eyes & the overall facial expression. Keep the composition simple - a solid background & colours that contrast nicely will let the character of your pet stand out.
5. Practice Patience - The most important aspect of pet photography is patience. Sometimes our pets don't do exactly as they are told, but getting frustrated will make it an unpleasant experience for both of you & you are guaranteed to have an uncooperative pet. A patient sit-stay with lots of treats works well, combined with a very quick trigger finger. Having an assistant will help enormously. Make it a game & they'll enjoy it so much that by the end of the session they are actually improving as a model.
6. Have Fun - I know I said there were only five tips, but here's one for free. Trust me, the more fun you have during your pets photography session, the better the outcome. Not only will you have a wonderful memory, you'll also find the pet looks more relaxed & happy in their photos.
Mia is a professional pet photographer at Thousand Hound Photography. For more information please visit Mia's web site. |
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