➽ Taking Great Pet/Cat/Dog Photos --- some suggestion tips!
Taking Great Pet/Cat/Dog Photos --- some suggestion tips!
. . . An active and playful puppy or kitten can pose a challenge to getting a great photo. Here are some tips I hope to help you get the best picture possible . . .
1) Turn off your flash, or maybe set it for "fill-in" flash. Get in front of a window or go outside under the soft shade for your session . A single flash can upset the pet subject.
2) Get down on their level and focus on the eyes, yet not perfectly straight on, best have them turn their head a little to see you and the camera. Get down on the ground where they are. This will also help you to look less intimidating to the pet.
3) Put them in something; sometimes this really works good. If you have a puppy or a kitten that just won’t stay still, put them in something. Yes, most likely they will climb out, but you have a good chance of catching them right before they do.
4) Ask for a helping hand. If they are small enough, you can use a friend to hold them in their hands while you take several pictures. Even if they aren’t small, you can have someone to hold them. Often a pet looks more friendly and social if a person is cuddling them anyways!
5) Take several to many phots; never just 1 or 2. Professional photographers always do; so they can pick and choose the best ones.
6) Use squeakers to catch their attention. It helps to get them to look at you and perk their ears up. Sometimes you can even catch an adorable head tilt! Treats could work; yet, I find the pet then wants to eat them.
7) Let them run! If all else fails and their energy is too high to contain, let them run free and catch them in action! Make sure to set a high shutter speed so you can stop motion.
8) Before you "squeeze" the take photo button "hold your breath" to be steady so the photo will be "sharp" and "clear" --- learn well the professiona photographer's art of squeezing rather that pushing the take photo button; you'll be glad you did.
9) Keep it simple! Move in close and eliminate background distractions.
10) Take many photos; then take many more photos and then choose the best ones. I learned last century from a Nationa Geographic Magazine photographer they real key to great photos. He said he would submit around 1,000 of his really good photos and his editor would choose only 1 of them for the magazine. Great photos to take time and work and are usually best when the photographer has fun taking them all.
Thank you,
Mike
