6 Tips for Pet Photography

Pets are one of the most frequently photographed things because they are near and dear to us, and to most, part of the family. While we all enjoy filling our space with photos of our pets, taking those photos can sometimes be difficult because our pets don’t understand what’s going on and they often get excited or overwhelmed. Here are a few tips that can help you take better, more natural photos of your pets.

1. Relax-

You’re pets can recognize when you’re tense, and they get anxious too. This means that it’s going to be harder to photograph them. Anxious animals don’t photograph well because you can see the stress in their features and stance. Being relaxed will get you photos of the bet you know and love.

2. Use Natural Light-

Lighting is important. Turning on all the lights so that you can see their coloring or markings can cause stress, energize your pets so that they start zooming around, acting crazy, and making it difficult to get a picture that isn’t blurry. Take them outside, or position them so they are sitting in front of a window or door for the best lighting possible. Avoid using flash whenever possible because it can spook your pet, and cause red eye making your pets look scary.

3. Go to Them-

If you want your pet to take a good picture, don’t call them to you, go to them. Find them in their natural habitat doing what they want to be doing for the best photos. Taking them by surprise and showing up in their space are often the best pictures that you’ll get.

4. Remove all the Extras-

Remove everything extra that you don’t need in your picture. This will help keep your pet focused on you and having a camera in their space instead of being excited about the things they see around them. Keeping a favorite toy or item close by to get their attention is a good idea, but don’t keep too much around.

5. Always Pay Your Model-

While your cat may not want a wad of cash, they will sometimes work for a cat treat. if you want your pets to be complacent, paying them for their time. Treats, pets, play time are all rewards that they love for a job well done.

6. Be Patient but Quick-

Sometimes your subject isn’t is not so willing to do what you want. They will often take a long time to do what you want because they don’t understand why you’re there, or what your’re waiting for. If you want the best quality photos, you must be patient, but quick. You may only get one chance to get a good shot. If possible, set your camera up so that it takes multiple shots in rapid fire so that you can hopefully get a good photo out of one of them.

Overall, if you can remember these simple tips, you should get great photos of your pets every time.