How to take photos of your dog
If you have ever tried taking a photo of your dog, you probably already know that it is not always as easy to get the perfect shot. Whether you are taking photos to add to your family album, or a trying to get some great shots for use as reference material for a fine art pet portrait, hopefully the following tips will help!
Firstly, be patient! Dogs are very responsive to our moods and they show their emotions very clearly, so it really won’t help if you get tense, frustrated or annoyed while trying to do a photo shoot. So make sure that you and Fido are both happy – that will probably mean some toys and treats for your pup, and if you can arrange for someone else to help you get the dogs attention while you take the photos, you’ll probably find things go a lot smoother:)
The number one tip for great looking photos is take them from the subjects level – for pet photo’s, that may mean laying on the floor! By taking the photo from the pet’s level, you will avoid the camera distortion that makes some photos look like caricatures (you know the ‘big nose – tiny body’ type photo’s) unless that is the effect that you are trying to achieve.
Use natural light whenever possible, no flash or artificial lighting. The best outside photographs are taken on overcast days with light cloud so that there is still plenty of light. If it is sunny, position your pet in the shade and take the photos with the sun behind you. Mid-morning or mid to late afternoon light is best for sunny day photos. Don’t take the photo in direct sunlight as this will make your pet squint (not to mention get impatient).
If you do need to take the photo inside, take it near a window that allows plenty of natural lighting, and try to avoid using the flash. Take the photo with your back to the window with the dog facing the window so that it is in good light.
Take photo’s from a distance of 6ft or so to avoid distortion. You want your dog (or other pet) to be the main object in the photo, not the surroundings, so zoom in and fill most of the viewfinder with your pet’s image. This is really important if you are taking a head shot, as you really want to see the eyes and facial expression clearly.
Make sure you allow some space around your pet in the viewfinder so you don’t accidentally chop off an ear or a nose!
Take as many photos as you can, a digital camera is excellent as you can keep taking multiple shots in the same pose to give you a good range to choose from. Seriously, take dozens (plural) of photos and you are bound to get some really good ones.
If you have another person helping you, have them stand beside you and get the dog’s attention with a toy or treat. A shot of the head looking forward and slightly to the one side usually makes a more interesting photo enlargement or pet portrait than a full side-on profile pose. Also try to take the photo from an angle that shows both eyes (for dogs and cats).
Photos that capture the subjects personality and character are important. Be patient and be prepared to spend a fair bit of time, possibly over more than one photo session. Dog’s in particular will sense if you are getting frustrated or grumpy, and this will reflect in their demeanor. Try to make it fun – toys and treats usually work, but if not try to incorporate whatever it is that interests your dog – some dogs I have photographed respond really well to me making weird and unexpected noises so be prepared to to bark, meow, baaaa or moooo!
Always keep a camera handy and know how to use it in a hurry – candid shots can often truly capture the personality of your pet, but you usually don’t have a lot of time to get your camera organized before the pet moves!
These two photos of Jess are examples of good close-up and detailed reference photos. I took these photos following all the advice I have have listed above – so you can see these tips will help:)
If you have any other tips on taking photos of dogs and other pets, please leave a comment and let me know.
Happy snapping!
Michelle
Tags: dog photo, how to photograph dogs, pets, photo shoot, photo tips, photography
