Shoot your dog or cat

We all love to photograph our dogs, cats and toddlers. Perhaps in that order perhaps all combined. If you are the average photographer, your pictures always seem to fall short of those gorgeous pictures you see in magazines.


There are some easy to do tricks that will help anyone get better pictures.


First and foremost, let your pet get accustomed to your camera.


Let your dog sniff your camera and then start shooting the TV, ceiling, anything but the dog. If you are going to use flash photographing your pet, then use the flash to photograph everything in the area to allow Rover or Kitty to get used to the flashes.


Don't grab a few treats, shove the camera in your pet's face and squeal "Mommy/Daddy is going to take your picture, so smile!


We all do that, but it's not the best approach to use.


Let your pet warm up to the camera, to know it's harmless. Then start shooting lots of pictures. Don't take three shots and call it a day. You will need to take lots and lots of pictures. Aren't you glad you shoot digital?


Shoot lots and lots of pictures does not mean to hold down the shutter release and spray away. Vary your angle to the pet, have a partner interact with Rover or Kitty by playing with your pet. Keep on the move, vary the angle, the distance between you and your pet.


The world has enough pictures of dogs taken 10ft away from 4 or 6 feet high. Everybody does that, so get on the floor, get close and fire away. Be sure to get a good focus on the eyes.


About your flash: If you are using one of those dinky built in flash units that come on your camera, you will always be disappointed in the results. Basically, those units suck.


Get yourself a second flash unit, one that can be triggered by a RF transmitter or better yet, one that is triggered by your dinky flash. Try bouncing the large flash unit off the ceiling, walls or use a white sheet of pasteboard. I use foam boards I get dirt cheap from places like Michaels. They bounce tons of light and can be moved around with ease.
Make sure you bounce the light off a white surface else you will get a color cast.

Pay attention to backgrounds. Simple is best. The idea is to make your pet stand out, not to photograph your petunias. Do those separately.


Shoot in aperture priority mode so you can isolate your pet from the background by using low f stops (large lens opening). You can get really creative with this method, but be sure to bracket the shots.
It's extremely difficult to anticipate the amount of blurring you will get on the background but certainly don't miss the chance to shoot wide open.


If you can, use window light or shoot outdoors to avoid the flash problems.


You will need to adjust your shooting to your circumstances. If you live in a small apartment move outdoors and photograph with natural light. Early in the morning and late in the afternoon shooting applies to pets just as much as it does to landscapes.

Don't forget to analyse your images with a critical eye, to toss the junk and keept the great ones. This step is critical because it teaches you to do better next time.


Have fun and allow your pet to have fun.
Thanks for looking and clicking!



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