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Today, I did a photo shoot of my girls (Molly and Dolly) and it made me think about pet photography… photographing dogs particularly. My girls have complete different personalities. I started photographing Molly when she was tiny and have always photographed her so she got used to it at a real young age. Also, Molly has learned to sit still because she is the star in a children’s book series that I am writing. We have photographed at parks, in yards, at playgrounds, etc… and she has learned what “stay” means. Dolly, on the other hand, has lots of energy. She has been photographed a lot but when I try to get her to look at me, she tries real hard to ignore me. I’ve had to be creative to get her to look right at the camera. Dolly did do better today than in previous photo shoots though- she took some great photos.
Here are some things to think about when photographing your pet:
Think about your dog’s personality!!
Does your dog love to run, jump, play, etc… or would he/she rather take a nap? I usually pick a place to photograph that demonstrates a dog’s personality. Do you and your dog have a special place where you walk or maybe visit often? This could be a great place to take photos of your dog because it means something special to you.
Watch for cluttered backgrounds!!
When photographing outside especially, it’s easy to have distracting backgrounds in your photos. Think about the scene and the background before you start photographing- You’ll be a lot happier with the end result if the focus of the photo is on your dog instead of the background. Backgrounds should not be the first thing a person sees when they look at your photo. The focus is definitely your dog and the background should enhance his/her photo.
Include the dog’s people in the photos!!
Make sure you include the dog’s people in the photos. Photos with your loved pet will always be a treasured memory. I love taking photos with my pugs- My phone and my camera are both full of them. When I look at them, they always make me smile.
Let me be themselves!!
If a dog is hard to photograph or doesn’t particularly like to be photographed, just follow him/her around and blend in with the background. Sit near them, especially if they are outside and start clicking. Most of the time, they will not even pay attention… and you are photographing them in their own setting doing whatever it is that dogs do.
Play with them to get that shot!!
Sometimes, when I photograph Dolly, I have to make goofy sounds with my mouth, or get her squeaky toys out to get her to look at me. It usually works but I have lots of different sounds ready because after she’s heard the sound once or twice, she will ignore it. Also, to get my girls to look at me, I talk to them… all the way through the photo shoot. I mention words that they know and talk to them in a way that they understand. When I talk to my girls, they tilt their heads (a pug thing) so it’s doubly cute for the photos.
Get some action photos!!
If photographing outside, try to get some action photos of your dogs. These make great photos. If your camera is able to freeze action, use that option and watch for opportunities to catch some great action shots.
Think about the lighting!!
When doing outdoor shots, you don’t need flash and flash is not great when doing pet shots anyway because the dogs tend to get red eyes. Some dogs don’t like the flash. The sun is all you need for great photos, but just like people, don’t photograph in mid-day sun because you will have harsh shadows. Early morning and late afternoons make the best times to photograph your pet. If you are doing studio shots, then a soft box works great. This is what I use for my girls- the light is diffused and it makes great photos.
When photographing, take different types of shots!!
When photographing your pet, don’t just take front shots of him/her. Take shots above them, get on the ground and take shots on their level, take profile shots, take close-ups and take full bodied shots. When you do this, you get some unique angles of your pet.
Get in close and get on their level.
I talked a little about this in the last paragraph, but get down on your pet’s level. Look at the world from his/her perspective. You might be amazed!! Getting down on your pet’s level makes for great photographs. And… take some photos of just your pet’s face… or maybe their paw… or maybe their ear. Up close and personal photos are always interesting!!
Make your dog look their best!!
Groom your dog before taking photos of him/her. Give them a bath or at least, brush their fur. Brushing them makes them look fluffy and your dog will feel good after getting groomed too. You want their fur to look shiny. If you are taking photos for someone else’s dog, be sure and tell the people who own the dog to groom it before you photograph.
Think about the color of the dog!!
When I photograph Molly and Dolly together, I really have to watch that I don’t have the photo too dark OR too light. Molly’s color tends to blow out and Dolly tends to blend into the background because she is black. So… I really have to play with my shutter speed and aperture to find exactly the right setting for both dogs. If your dog is a dark color, choose a lighter background. If he/she is a light color, a dark background works great.
Capture the uniqueness of your dog!!
What makes YOUR dog unique? Try to capture whatever that is. If your dog is a pro at doing tricks, try to capture them doing their favorite tricks. If chewing on a bone is their favorite thing to do, capture that moment. Capturing moments like these will help your remember what was unique about your furry friend.
Give them breaks!!
This is sooo important!! Photograph for a bit, then give your dog a break. Let me sleep for a bit, give them a water or food break or just sit and play with them for a bit. Dogs, just like people, get tired too and posing for a camera is exhausting work… LOL!! (Just ask your dog).
I hope these tips are helpful when you photograph your pet. The main thing is… to take photos. If they aren’t perfect, try again… and keep trying. Your pet will eventually love to be photographed… at least we hope!!
Until next time!!
Love and Pug Kisses,
Candy
