Dogs, cats, birds, goldfish—pet photography is not as easy as you think. We’ve got 5 simple tips to keep in mind.
1. What’s Their Personality?
Your pet has a personality. Capture that, and you’ll have a winning photo that will strike a chord every time you look at it. Do a little thinking about what makes your pet special, then stage your photo accordingly. It may take patience, plenty of shots and perhaps more than one session before you get that perfect image.
2. Trickery With Treats
Be you can get your pet’s attention if there’s food involved. Photograph aside someone who is holding a treat or toy up high. Act quickly and focus in on their attentiveness.
3. No Flash, Turn Shutter Off
It’s best to avoid using the flash on your camera when photographing a pet. Not only will it likely cause a startle, but you risk getting the equivalent of ‘red eye’—which is actually white or yellow in animals—as well as unwanted reflections. Try to shoot outdoors. If you cannot shoot outdoors, bounce a source of light off of a wall or ceiling. If your camera permits it, turn OFF the shutter sound too. It’s a distraction that causes some cats to scram, some pups to twitch, birds to back away and fish may flee.
4. Eyes As Focus Point
9 times out of 10, if your pet is majorly in the frame you should position the focus point over one of their eyes.
5.Keep It Short
Candid pet photography can be done whenever the mood strikes. Sneak up on the bird when it’s asleep or the dog is resting in the shade after a run. Posed pet photography is best done in short sessions; animals get bored, easily distracted or become wise to the situation and may not give you that desired personality shot .
Got some gem pet photos? Share a few of your best pet photos with us on the MailPix Facebook page.