Monday, October 18, 2010

How To Photograph Your Pet


If only you could tell your pet to "freeze and smile" anytime you wanted to capture him/her in that perfect shot. But, more often than not, by the time you have your camera ready, he or she has moved on. Don't be discouraged. By applying a few simple methods - the same ones used by professional photographers - you should be able to capture the essence of your pet on film. 
Patience is probably the number one requirement in pet photography. Pure luck plays a part too. But with practice, you should be able to create those shots worth framing.

1) Start with your Pet’s Personality Spend some time observing your pet's everyday habits. If he or she loves to lie down in the sun, set up your photo shoot around that area. If you make a strange or puzzling noise, you may catch that cocked-head, quizzical look. If your pet loves to play, have your camera ready to catch him/her retrieving a thrown stick, leaping for a tossed ball or cat toy, or playing in the park.

2) Think About Content Choose a place where your pet will be comfortable and at ease. Also, consider familiarity of the location and the emotions that will evoke in you as the pet’s owner. For example, you might have a place that you and your pet have had some special moments together that will mean a lot in the future as you look back over your shots. When choosing, consider the background of your shots. Keep in mind, you don’t want your backgrounds to be distracting from your photo. Sometimes the best locations are the plainest ones such as green grass or on a carpet.

3) Get in Close
Of course, this is not always easy, especially if you have a pet that likes to move around. But it's worth making the effort as the detail that can be gained and the personality that can be captured up close can really lift a photo to a new level.

4) Lighting
Light makes any photograph what it is, and when it comes to pets it is especially important. In general, using a flash is not ideal. It distracts the pet and may cause 'blue eye', similar to 'red eye' in humans. Natural light is a much better option. However, very light pets may need to be positioned outside of direct sunlight and very dark pets may need a flash to enhance detail. Trial and error will let you know which works best.

5) Include People
For a variety, include the special people in the life of the pet in the image. Shots with the owner or other family members interacting with your pet can make the images incredibly special for years to come. Both posed shots and candid shots work here.

6) Freeze the Action Many pets present a challenge to photographers because they are active and always on the move. The key with any subject that is on the move is to freeze the action by using a fast shutter speed. If your camera does not have this feature, using the 'sports' mode will mean your camera will select the fastest shutter possible for your situation. If they are a  fast mover, you might also want to consider shooting in continuous mode (burst mode) to take a quick series in a row. This can also lead to a wonderful sequence of shots that work well together.

7) Have Fun By making your photo shoot a fun experience for both you and your pet, your shots are likely to reflect it.