9 Pet Photography Tips
This guest post on Pet Photography was submitted by Antoine Khater at All Day I Dream About Photography.
Pets fill very quickly their place in our hearts and families and we enjoy having their pictures framed on our desk or wall! However taking pictures of your best friend is not always easy. Pets, unlike humans, do not understand what we are trying to do and won’t just pose for the camera! Here are 9 tips that will help you help you get the most of your photo session
1. Use Natural Light
If possible always use natural light when taking your pet in picture. Avoid flash, as flash burst can, not only cause red-eye, but also frighten the animal. Instead try to go outside or, if it is not possible, in a room well lit by a large window.
2. Keep the Eyes Sharp
Having sharp eyes is important in any kind of portraits photography. As they say, “Eyes are the Window to the Soul” and pets eye can be very expressive. So make sure to focus on your pet’s eyes and keep the tack sharp
3. Go to Them
It is very important that you pet feels comfortable and at ease, so instead of forcing him to come to you go to him. Most important is to get down to his level; We all know how a dog looks when viewed from above, this is the way we always see them. Show us the way they see world! Sit on the floor or lie on your belly and remember to shoot from HIS eye level or below.
4. Give Value to their Character
You know your pet better than anyone else, and a successful picture is one that conveys the character of its subject. If you have a lazy cat show him yawning, if your animal is of a playful type show him in action performing his favorite trick.
5. Go Macro
Put on that long lens and fill the frame with your pet’s face and fur, close up shots often make beautiful animal portrait.
6. Surprise Them
One of the most difficult things is to let your pet hold still. An easy trick is to let him play quietly and, once you have everything ready, let someone call for him or whistle. This will surprise him and caught his attention and you will have a few seconds to capture him in a nice and alert posture
7. Schedule your Session
If you are longing for a formal pet portrait shot, try to schedule the photo session when you’re animal is somewhat sleepy or has just woke up it will be much easier to keep him still then. If you want a more dynamic shot then pick up a time when your pet is energetic. If he is sick it is better to just postpone it for another day.
8. Be Patient
Pet photography requires a lot of patience. No matter how excited your furry friend is, if you are patient enough, he will end up by relaxing and you will have the opportunity to get a decent shot.
9. Experiment
Take your time and enjoy the session, try different approaches, angles and compositions. Shoot a lot you will have time to worry about the results later.
You have a tip that I forgot to mention here ? Make sure to share it with us
Read more unique photography and retouching tips written by Antoine Khater at All Day I Dream About Photography or subscribe to his RSS feed
144 Responses to “9 Pet Photography Tips” - Add Yours
February 5th, 2008 at 2:27 am
Some of the images above are very suitable for the “icanhascheezburger” site.
February 5th, 2008 at 2:32 am
Play with your pet. Let them play with the camera…sniff it, put there nose in it…let them get comfortable. If you can have someone else play with them, you’ll also get great poses and natural shots.
February 5th, 2008 at 3:03 am
Great tips – and apply just as well to small children!
jp
February 5th, 2008 at 3:27 am
The tips presented here are all great but the shots don’t look like they came from any common ol’ digicam. In fact, i have several friends who looked at the ones here and said that there is no way that *I* can achieve that. I have many pets and most of them are rather twitchy, not that I frighten them, just that it’s their nature. And surprising them would cause them more fright and running away. What can you suggest that hasnt already been said here? I have guinea pigs, a parrot, a gerbil, a rabbit, and a dog (who loves the camera so i dont have much problems with him) and I use a 8.1mp sony dsc-w100.
February 5th, 2008 at 3:39 am
Great tips
February 5th, 2008 at 4:07 am
Some great tips here; thanks for sharing! I’ll definitely have to keep these in mind the next time I’m shooting my poochies.
February 5th, 2008 at 6:48 am
Great tips! Quite helpful especially for newbies, and the photos are good examples of what we can do! Makes you want to go grab the camera and start shooting those cute creatures
Thank u!
February 5th, 2008 at 7:41 pm
Another tip is to take pictures in RAW, if possible. The fur is often very hard to meter.
February 5th, 2008 at 9:53 pm
Very helpful! Nice topic… makes me want to take pet photography this time.
February 5th, 2008 at 10:11 pm
Man, i was trying to take pictures of cats just this weekend and they didn’t work out at all! I could seriously have done with this article then. Not fair!
best,
http://itsjustaphase.wordpress.com/
February 5th, 2008 at 10:38 pm
Pizza-Boy makes a good point about taking the pictures in RAW, particularly if you have a solid-colour animal. My all black dog is very difficult to get a good exposure of, but at least with a RAW photo I can usually recover the detail of his fur in the post production.
Lloyd
February 6th, 2008 at 2:51 am
Yes but what if you had a £150 digicam from Sony?
February 6th, 2008 at 2:58 am
To Mark:
I used to have guinea pigs too! Loud noises and my camera flash used to really tick them off. When it gets warm enough out, you might try taking them (or the rabbit) into the backyard (one at a time, to keep track of them). Natural light out there, and mine used to settle right down eating grass. Be really careful if you’re in an area where there are flying predators though.
For the little gerbil, try one of those clear running balls? I had some fun ones of my hamster in one of those. Any maybe when your bird is flying around? Does his cage sit in a window to light him nicely? You can also get really close to the cages for these animals, and a lot of times the bars might blur out or not be in the picture at all. Tricky stuff, good luck!
February 6th, 2008 at 3:07 am
Thanks Coco! That was a helpful reply. And it would also be helpful when I can afford a nicer camera. For now I’ll settle for nice pics only when my friend comes over with his four grands’ worth of kit for no apparent reason. And also having crappy pictures of my pets really give it a nice, home-y amateurish feel. (Self consolation is really no consolation at all, is it?)
February 6th, 2008 at 8:55 am
Shooting in RAW is a good idea as mentioned above. I have 2 white dogs so I usually shoot in manual mode and over expose by 2/3 of a stop. The meter always wants to make everything 80% gray so you need to over expose to get their fur white. You could also just properly expose (according to the meter) but just dial in a 2/3 stop exposure compensation.
February 6th, 2008 at 10:57 am
A good idea for pure black or that cocoa brown that looks black is to use the black and white setting. If they have super shiny fur the fur will shine in the lighter areas and give the dimension and at the same time your pet wont be a black blob with eyes and on occasion a mouth.
oh… and some pets DO pose… its just rare.
February 6th, 2008 at 11:16 am
Also, it is best to know your pet’s reaction to having their picture taken. I have two cats and one, Casey does not like having her picture taken and will run when I try. I have taken a lot of good pictures of her, but I have to use stealth and cunning. You will not see many pictures of her at eye level, as I kneel, she bolts. I use a lot of zoom to get the close ups I have gotten. Now, Whitey, is my model. I can do flip flops and hippity hop around her and get quite a lot of good photographs.
If you want to see what I mean please go to my flicr site:
http://www.flickr.com/kitkaphotogirl
You will see the traits I am talking about in those two cats in the photo stream.
February 6th, 2008 at 11:19 am
I forgot to mention, all I use is a point and shoot for all my digital shots.
February 6th, 2008 at 11:29 am
Great tips thanks.
February 6th, 2008 at 11:36 am
Mark, you don’t need 4 thousand dollar equipment for nice pictures. I have a 300$ camera that takes great pictures. You won’t be able to do everything a 4-grand setup does but you should be able to capture your pet’s personality if you’re patient and make sure you have enough lighting. (I plan on purchasing some tripod worklights for about 20$, I’ve been using 2 lamps with 100W bulbs)
February 6th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
How do you make your dog not lick the lens? LOL.
February 7th, 2008 at 12:39 am
Excellent tips – thanks very much
February 7th, 2008 at 2:37 am
I always let my pets sniff the camera so they are more comfortable when they see me with it. And, I try to keep them a bit hungry, so they respond better to a treat on top of the lense, or in my other hand. This works real well for food motivated dogs. What doesn’t work well is too many distractions and excessive name calling– that just makes the pet recoil.
February 7th, 2008 at 4:15 pm
I tried this last Christmas for our family Christmas card. See my results.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10906344@N05/
February 8th, 2008 at 9:46 am
Great pictures of the white cat I would love to sculpt that pic in clay it is so nice am all ways looking for shapes like it.
February 9th, 2008 at 2:46 am
For those who want to try taking picture’s of (young) cats, here’s one for you:
Play, play and play until they are tiered, feed them and wait for them to get sleepy. Tha’s the moment you want top photograph a you kitten. Especially for group photo’s (and I dit groups of 14 kittens) this is the way to go.
Also, before you start, make shure you have a number of different teasers. Some cats like furry things, others long ropy things and others like feathery things. Take the one the animal responds to.
Finally, when working with animals make shure you choose a worksplace where they can’t hurt themself when they jump off. Any cat, dog of whateven WILL try to escape. When place to high, they might break something or worse…..
Michiel
Oke, one more (the most important one): If the animal does not want to work with you, let it go. I’s no use trying to force them. This will ruine the picture and possibly hurt the animal.
February 9th, 2008 at 4:41 am
Or you could get them right after you let them into the house if their outsit pets, they show up greatfull and flirty. It will really show your pets true kind soul.
February 9th, 2008 at 9:07 am
for small animals such as gerbils etc. I put them in the bathtub so they can’t climb out and escape… food treats such as non-sugar cereal, dried corn on the cob, sunflower seeds, etc. help to keep them still. fun props such as boxes, shoes, logs etc. add to the fun. good luck.
February 10th, 2008 at 6:37 am
“Yes but what if you had a £150 digicam from Sony”
i would buy a different camera
February 10th, 2008 at 8:34 am
ISO100, good answer. I think I shall do that. Wanna contribute to the Mark-needs-a-new-camera fund? PayPal please.
February 11th, 2008 at 2:24 am
The fist picture of the kitten is too cute!
February 12th, 2008 at 2:43 pm
Thanks for the information, now I know how to photograph my pets.Thank you so much
February 14th, 2008 at 10:10 am
I’ve taken pictures of horses, llamas, and ducks (in addition to the usual cats and dogs). I have found that letting the animal get to know you before you even have a camera in your hand is very helpful. Then, when you’re walking around them with a camera, they won’t get as freaked. It also lets you get to know how they react to certain movements so you can plan those as you start shooting.
February 18th, 2008 at 10:22 am
I don’t have such an aversion to using flash for pet photography. Flash gets a bad rap because people don’t know how to use it properly.
If you have a DSLR, it’s relatively simple to move the flash off the camera and trigger it remotely. Position the flash so it bounces off the ceiling and fills the room. With the flash and camera set to manual, you can get a consistent exposure almost anywhere in a small or medium sized room.
March 4th, 2008 at 3:19 am
These are some great tips. I use many of them myself.
Talking about the “surprise them” mentioned above. Surprising them shouldn’t be done with a load bang or firecracker or anything. A simple psssst will often do the job
I also read mention of the lower end cameras above – you aren’t going to be able to capture the images that they got above with a low end point and click. You might get lucky from time to time, but the high end digital cameras do a great job.
I use the Nikon 300 personally and it’s awesome.
May 29th, 2008 at 4:13 am
I will for sure mention these tips and use them on my blog.
Good One!
August 18th, 2008 at 10:32 am
I have found that #6 works very well.
September 21st, 2008 at 10:55 am
I will be featuring this blog on mine tomorrow! These tips are great for pet owners to use yo get the best pics of their babies.
November 1st, 2008 at 7:25 am
I shoot pictures of dogs (and an occasional cat) for a local rescue group. One thing besides for everything else said that I tell others is to use continuous shooting. Between that right profile and the left profile you got is a great shot with the dog looking directly at you that you missed. So if you have continuous shooting use it.
Crop your pictures! And speaking of cropping….
Another tip is to have someone get under a blanket or sheet and hold the animal from underneath. (This might work good for all of you pocket animal photographers). http://www.flickr.com/photos/8800743@N02/813157243/
Crop the picture and you have a great portrait. http://www.flickr.com/photos/8800743@N02/813157225/
And yes I know that it isn’t a great picture, but my son took the pictures that day and insisted on using flash. He refused to get under the sheet.
November 2nd, 2008 at 12:45 pm
Thanks for the great tips and comments! I highly recommend setting your camera to continuous shooting. It makes it a lot easier to get the money shot with an active pet!
November 2nd, 2008 at 7:27 pm
i agree with most things here ..not every body knows how to use a flash …and you must go to the pet ..they dont come to you …usualy …i think the pets are camera shy …but i did get some pretty good ones myself ..after alot of trial and error…its come to a point that i even got a photo shoot coming up with santa clause at a pet supply store …he wants me to take pictures of him with peoples pets …should be fun …i will be using 2 flashes for sure …and i cant wait
November 4th, 2008 at 11:23 pm
I really struggled with the natural lighting in the first snow at Zermatt last week when taking some shots of a friends dog. This is one of the better ones that my wife took
http://www.flickr.com/photos/benreece/2984415285/in/set-72157608444155252/
I definitely found the benefits of shooting in RAW (although didn’t do too well post processing yet)
November 29th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Wow, great advice. i have been trying for ages to get a good shot of my puppy. The other day i took my guinea pig and pup out the back and got some amazing shots on the grass. Getting on eye level really works and looks amazing. My puppy Maxi is definantly not camera shy!
November 29th, 2008 at 10:10 pm
I often use a very long lens. My favorite lens is a Tamron 75-300 Tele-macro. That way I can stay away from them and catch them acting natural. I use it too when I am taking candid pictures of people with animals.
And you do not need a dSLR to get good pictures of pets. Many of my earlier pictures are with P&S’s. I still keep my Canon p&s with me all of the time just in case a picture opportunity comes along. Get down to the animal’s level. Be patient. Put it on continuous shooting if you have it. Take lots of pictures (sometimes I will fill a couple of 1 g cards only to get 2 keepers). Crop your photos. Remember the difference between a good photographer and a bad one is you don’t see the good photographer’s bad pictures.
March 22nd, 2009 at 10:16 am
I liked all the pictures here and I agree the dogs in my house hate the flash. I bought a discontinued Nikon D200 and a disco 80-200 lens 2.8 with no VR and I do not need flash anymore. Not that this makes me a pro to have a decent camera of course…LOL. I liked the continous shoot mode idea. I am more of a dog person as opposed to cat people. Dogs can be relaxed my playing ball with them as well. I love to see them run and forget the strange thing hanging from the neck…
April 9th, 2009 at 10:58 pm
My dogs love the camera. Maybe a little bit too much. As soon as I get down on the floor with it, they’re licking me, the camera, climbing on me and all over each other. So unless I’m sneaking up on them while they’re sleeping, I usually make sure they have something else to occupy them. I’ve gotten great photos of them playing together, chewing bones, etc. If someone’s around, I’ll have someone else play with them, and a lot of times I’ll take them outside to run. They’re so happy to be running around that they totally ignore me.
As far as guinea pigs and other small critters, a friend of mine has had great luck taking them outdoors. Getting down to their eye level, and getting the grass up close, really makes for a cool photo.
May 14th, 2009 at 9:15 am
Great tips! I think another valuable tip is to be persistent: shoot often and shoot LOTS. Okay, that may be two tips. I’ve been shooting our elderly dog daily for the past two months as a way to get to know my camera and lens (Nikon D80/50mm 1.8) and I post the best image each day on her blog: http://www.jaine365.blogspot.com. This forces me to do the PP, which I’m also trying to get better at. If she’s in a rambunctious mood, I practice my sports photography, if she’s sleepy, I practice portrait angles, if she’s roaming, I practice incorporating some environmental stuff. I can’t say I love every day’s result, but I certainly appreciate every day’s practice.
June 12th, 2009 at 7:03 am
Good tips for pet photography. Our biggest piece of advice is to be patient, and let the animal warm up to you enough that they relax and begin to be themselves. Then you get the good shots. We are Cincinnati Pet Photographers that are always looking for good tips and ideas. Thanks!
July 13th, 2009 at 9:31 am
Thanks for the tips
July 13th, 2009 at 12:45 pm
One thing that works for me when photographing our cats is to use their curiosity. If you are outside they tend to watch what you are up to through a window. You can get an interesting well lit shot through a (clean) window. They seem happy to pose and the window can act as a frame. You may need to put a chair by the window for them to sit on.
July 13th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
This a very useful post for me because I’ve hard time shooting my sis’s pet male dog. When I take my camera it will move away.
Cheers Peter
July 13th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
The first photo’s so cute!
July 13th, 2009 at 8:54 pm
Great tips, thanks for sharing them.
Two additional tips:
1 – Buy a cheap laser pointer. This can be used for two different purposes. First cats love to chase it around. This is a good way to tire them out. Second you can flash it on a distant wall and usually the cat will spot it and look in that direction.
2 – If the cat is laying down then set your camera on the ground and shoot from that height. A P&S camera works well or having one with liveview works as well.
July 13th, 2009 at 11:41 pm
I suggest you don’t use a camera mounted flash. Animals will learn quickly to avoid the camera.
Do hold a biscuit in your mouth while shooting if you want them to look right at you. http://www.flickr.com/photos/donnelly/3565286286/in/set-72157618798744644/
July 14th, 2009 at 1:14 am
Brilliant tips on Pet photography, I do Pet Portraits here in Scotland and follow most of these rules…………………………………………… No Studio work and only natural lighting and no flash.
Someone gave me this link to your page on RedBubble and I am glad to have visited. Have bookmarked the page so that I can come back again.
Hello to everyone in Melbourne and Australia from a sunny, wet Scotland on Monday 13th July 2009 at 1614hrs GMT.
Cheers Guys
July 14th, 2009 at 3:51 am
Fantastic tips! My wife and I have two Min Pins and they are my favorite subjects for taking pictures. See my photos at: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/543369
One suggestion I would make that I don’t think I saw in the tips given is to shoot in burst. I use the four burst option with my Fuji E900 and this gives me four shots to choose from and I guarantee you – you will get the perfect shot sooner than later but using this method. I always get down at their level even if I have to lie on my stomach or even just hold the camera down at their level without looking through the viewfinder because you’re bound to get a great shot if it is in focus. I’ve taken over 50 shots just sitting on the patio with our dogs while they move around or just lay on their blanket and yes their eyes are so expressive. So my tip is use the burst mode and you’ll get that shot that you would probably miss by taking one shot at a time.
CJAYJR
July 14th, 2009 at 4:10 am
I have done a lot of pet photography and it is difficult. You really need the owner’s help and it is better if they are in a confined area. I was at the park Saturday taking photos of a two year old boy (human) and he was harder to photograph than the dogs! I have photographed dogs at the park and at least if you lay on the ground they will come at you to see what you are doing!
July 14th, 2009 at 7:24 am
I disagree that you need to use a long lens for pet photography. I’ve had some great results with a wide-angle lens when I’ve used it.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eman_ian/2817494151/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eman_ian/2810338703/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/eman_ian/2810338703/
July 14th, 2009 at 8:28 am
I totally agree with being patient. I have a boston terrier who I think for the most part is completely annoyed that I’m always taking his picture, but I will just sit in one place and let him do his thing, he’s awfully good at posing, even though he’ll start to get a little curious once ive clicked quite a few shots. So I would also suggest making sure that your exposure is dead on because you might only get one attempt at a shot.
July 14th, 2009 at 8:24 pm
Would a goat be considered a pet?
http://laci.blog.hu/2008/05/05/nezzunk_bizakodva_a_jovobe_1
July 14th, 2009 at 8:44 pm
@ Nikonboy
Definatley! Goat’s are one of my favourite animals and I had plenty growing up. I love how playful they are and how intelligent they are. The make great photography subjects because of their nonchalant eyes.
July 14th, 2009 at 11:15 pm
Hi There Me again
check out my website on the tabs for pet portraits and let me know what you think.
All hand held, natural light, little bit of photoshop now and again, def no flashes, def no studio work. Up to 2 hours for a photoshoot, over 100 images taken at each shoot and always end up with around 50-70 useable images. Always shoot in raw format on manual mode and generally underexposed.
The tips here are excellent.
July 16th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
This was some really good insight and after reading, this is what I got out of it –> http://www.brianschen.com/index.php?showimage=237
Check it out and lemme know what you guys think!
July 16th, 2009 at 10:29 pm
Taking pet photographs is a fun and exciting experience.cats are one of my favorite pets i would like to have..
thanks for these excellent tips on pet photography…this information would help me to take photographs of my favorite pet.
digitalpicturezone
July 17th, 2009 at 1:34 am
There’s 2 cats in our family and I often try and use them as interesting subjects. The tip about the natural light I found extremely relevant, I always found using the flash was too much for them. The macro tip is also great for some interesting shots.
Here’s my 2 cents of pet photos, please feel free to critic
http://www.flickr.com/photos/drummp2/sets/72157607510037172/
Thanks as always Darren for some more excellent tips!
July 17th, 2009 at 2:27 am
Thanks for the article. I’m getting two kittens in a month or so, so I will be applying all of the above over and over again..:)
/Michael
July 17th, 2009 at 2:28 am
I’ve looked at many of the photos linked from this discussion. I must add one tip. Tell me if you disagree.
Do not cut the ears off of anyone you photograph.
I know that with people you can crop through the top of the head on occasion (although I personally never can do it well) you would not slice through a person’s ears. Since most pets’ ears are on the top of the head, you really can’t crop close to the eyes without unnerving the viewer.
July 17th, 2009 at 2:31 am
As far as ears go, notice the cats by the poster above, Paul Drumm.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/drummp2/2887578656/in/set-72157607510037172/
and
http://www.flickr.com/photos/drummp2/2887578650/in/set-72157607510037172/
Nice ears.
Beth again.
July 17th, 2009 at 2:34 am
Oh, now I see an exception: http://www.flickr.com/photos/drummp2/2260978115/in/set-72157607510037172/
Strictly a mouth shot so it doesn’t give the impression of cutting the ears off.
Please excuse my three posts in a row.
Beth
July 17th, 2009 at 3:45 am
I have always photographed my Labradors from the day I brought them home. Now, they are very comfortable and not curious when I have the camera pointed at them, in fact I think my Labrador, Jack poses when the camera is pointed his way. I have found that when I try and photograph pets that are not familar with a camera that they are always curious and need time to get use to the camera “looking” at them. Let them explore the camera and sometimes peeping out from behind the lens will surprise the pet and makes for a great photo.
July 17th, 2009 at 7:47 am
We have dogs, cats, chickens, parrots, love birds, a cockatiel, parakeets, horses, and degus. I really like all of these tips because I just can’t seem to get great photos. However, I’m just a beginner (got my Nikon D300 for Christmas) and have little experience using it so far. I’m really looking forward to trying all these suggestions with our “kids” and see if I can’t do better. We live in Ireland now, so a great big “hello” to all the good friends back home in the States and California.
July 17th, 2009 at 8:35 am
Actually, my cats (Oscar & Marmalade) are used to the flash as they were photographed as kittens. A Lot!
I do see where this could cause problems with animals less used to sudden light though. Bounce flash works best to avoid the alien kitty look (ie red or green eye depending on breed).
July 17th, 2009 at 8:16 pm
One important tip, have food ready
Either to make them move or as reward after the photo session, it works wonders! My cat loves the camera and will pose for photos as soon as I get it out – he knows he’ll get lots of praise, cuddles and treats during and afterwards! But the most important tip is indeed patience.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/beafab4/sets/522684/
July 18th, 2009 at 4:01 am
I clip off ears sometimes, and it still seems to work as long as the eyes are in focus.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2445/3646615237_7ffff1360e.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3302/3544286100_90edb63b93.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3407/3543471559_5958095b7f.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3304/3450859157_77fc91cf55.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3169/2854679011_b471ca3290.jpg
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3210/2854588181_97d4d01ea1.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2335/2322447810_3a325b209e.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2194/2076226899_e5219a84ed.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2088/2075329148_570a50e705.jpg
July 20th, 2009 at 5:58 pm
My little tip, I know it may seem obvious… If you having a growing puppy, like me, they’ll inevitably rip some sort of squeaky toy(s) to shreds. Instead of just throwing it all away, be sure to keep the squeaker. I leave it in my camera bag. When I’m trying to photo my puppy and needs his attention I just give the squeaker a couple of presses. Usually I can get a good 2-5 seconds of alertness/attention.
July 21st, 2009 at 6:22 pm
I love taking pictures to my pets, i use the food trick to the dogs, cause theye can get crazy XD
http://www.flickr.com/photos/40412322@N03/
Please, feel free to comment or critic
July 22nd, 2009 at 3:11 am
I’ve been trying to take some good pictures of sweet maltese, but it’s not that easy. I’ll try some of those tips.
I liked this one I took on a car trip. Dogs and car windows, they were made for each other!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/robertaaviz/3451861507/
July 23rd, 2009 at 1:50 pm
great tips.. i cant wait to try them on my 3 dogs.
have no problems with the 2 as they soimply love the camera. One challenge i would take on is my hyperactive camera-shy dog.
July 24th, 2009 at 3:21 am
I have 3 huskies, and some of my best pictures of them are when they are just playing together in the yard. I sit in one place, follow them with the camera and click away. Then I move to a different spot and do the same thing. You get great action shots, and even ones when they stop moving for a second.
August 18th, 2009 at 5:21 am
These are really good tips, especially the one about shooting in RAW. I never would have thought to do that.
We have 9 cats. Plenty of opportunity to play with the camera. We have a number of good photos of them.
October 4th, 2009 at 6:11 am
Darren,
What’s up!! Just dropping by to see what you were sharing on pet photography. I am starting to shoot the pets in my building here in Miami make some extra university funds
Take care!
–
Dwayne D.C. Tucker II
Photography For You.
Nassau, Bahamas
October 4th, 2009 at 10:27 pm
i was invited twice to a dog park party for a shoot ….they loved my last one the most …i tried …dogs view of the world …kept the camera at dogs angle on life …and used a flash also ….so …i was using a rebel xti ….a tamron 17-35mm f2.8 with a sigma 530 flash …just pointed it at dogs …at the hight of there legs …shooting up …gave me some great shots
October 5th, 2009 at 6:05 am
Darren, thanks for this. I am going to give it a shot today. Wishe me well!
November 29th, 2009 at 10:54 pm
Especially love the tip about being patient. That’s something that’s easy to forget.
December 18th, 2009 at 4:43 am
Thank you very much for these tips. It is the patience that I need to work on.
December 31st, 2009 at 11:28 am
I was very pleased to find this blog.I wanted to thank you for this great read!! I definitely enjoyed every word of it and I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff in the future.
Herm
January 31st, 2010 at 1:52 pm
Thanks for the tips Antonie. Making sure your pet’s eyes are in focus is a great tip. And like JP mentioned, some of the tips are helpful for when shooting with kids too. heh. Good point!
Thanks Darren for all your work. I like the info you share on Problogger too.
Michael
March 11th, 2010 at 10:03 pm
I have a Nikon D60 and use a Tamron 18-270 lens at the dog park. I am having a very difficult time getting the eyes of dogs sharp when they’re running and playing. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated! I try the fastest shutter speed I can and still having trouble.
March 12th, 2010 at 8:06 am
low Fstop …the max it will go …set iso at about 400 ….adjust shutter speed to the maz it will go ….make sure its a bit dark in your camera screen …shoot in raw ..then sharpen when you get home on the comp …should work perfect
April 5th, 2010 at 1:54 am
Just a thought for the point-and-shoot owners out there: the best way to get great shots without fancy equipment is to read your owner’s manual! I thought I’d never get more than “decent” shots with my little $150 sony cybershot, but after reading about the different menu options and when to use each setting, my images really improved. I actually tied for 8th place in an amateur photo contest with just my little sony, going up against guys and gals with the $4k kits. Knowing the options and limits of your gear can make a huge difference in your image creation, and the limits are broader than you might think!
I still use my cybershot at least as often as my new D5000 since I had to start a whole new learning curve with all the new settings and options. Check out your manual, and even your local library for books on shooting with your camera model. Happy shooting!
July 29th, 2010 at 6:50 pm
Hi … this collection of is truly amazing , all of them are very nice but the one which i like the most is the third tip..keep up the good work.
August 4th, 2010 at 10:12 am
A great tool that I use is a squeak toy. It’s great to get that surprised/begging look. It just becomes difficult to focus, squeak, and press the shutter
September 5th, 2010 at 10:50 pm
Compliments for your lovely site.
Tip: You can create a memolio album in a matter of minutes as one of the good ways to show Pet
Photography.
September 5th, 2010 at 10:52 pm
Compliments for your lovely site.
Tip: You can create a memolio album in a matter of minutes as one of the good ways to show Pet Photography.
September 5th, 2010 at 10:55 pm
Hi Darren , I send a comment already, but I think something went wrong.
First of all compliments for your lovely site.
A tip from on professional to an other: You can create a memolio album in a matter of minutes as one of the good ways to show Pet
Photography.
November 17th, 2010 at 4:09 pm
These are great tips that are very useful. I am very lucky because I have manged to get some great shots of my pup, he is very photogenic and has the softest eyes. I just always try to snap as many as possible and then sort through them later after the initial moment is captured.
December 4th, 2010 at 6:21 am
Thanks, Antoine and Darren, for the great tips! We linked to your article in our blog post on the subject: http://blog.dogwatch.com//2010/12/02/how-to-take-great-pet-pictures/
Keep up the good work!
The DogWatch Hidden Fences Team
December 8th, 2010 at 12:20 pm
These tips are pretty useful, and I’m learning on how to be a pro photographer. Thanks for the help! =]
February 15th, 2011 at 4:40 pm
I always feel silly posting on this like this months after the last poster, but I’d like to ask a question, if anyone happens to know an answer.
I already have multiple cats that I love to photograph, but I’m a dog person…through and through. I’d love to take more dog photos, but I have two problems. Number 1, I don’t have any dogs, nor do I live near any dogs…how can I get in contact with people that do own dogs…and would like pictures taken (I have been asked to do cat photography by people before). And secondly, what kind of camera (digital) would be best for things like this? My parents each own a high-tech digital, but I don’t. I’m wanting to get one maybe for Christmas this next year, and then work on taking photography classes (something that I’ve just never done before).
February 18th, 2011 at 4:40 pm
I can’t say this enough how important it is to use a macro lens for pet photography
March 7th, 2011 at 8:35 am
Who the frick frack has time???!!! :O Ohh yahh.
Andddd those pics are good. 
March 9th, 2011 at 7:09 am
Great tips – although I’d probably add one more: be adaptable to different dog behavior / mannerisms since dog personalities are all over the place.
May 23rd, 2011 at 5:17 pm
Wow great tips! I especially like the idea of going to the pet instead of having them pose for you, it would be so much simpler. Thanks for the great tips (and pictures)!
June 9th, 2011 at 1:21 am
Great site, I love taking shots of animals, and patients is definitely a major component of taking our furry friends’ pictures
xo
June 10th, 2011 at 9:32 am
That was quite an interesting article. I will be reading more of your blogs in the future. Thanks so much!
October 19th, 2011 at 7:20 am
Great tips. I have 3 cats and getting photos of them is always a challenge. 2 are black which makes it even more difficult. Mostly I just keep the camera handy and try to catch them being themselves. This set has one of each of them.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/edletts/sets/72157626453628407/
October 19th, 2011 at 7:56 am
Great tips there. Like to try them out.
Here are some pictures I took of my parents border collie: http://usedglass.blogspot.com/2011/05/diese-wochenende-war-ich-mal-wieder-bei.html
She likes to run and play the whole time, so it quite difficult to catch her with a manual focus lens
October 19th, 2011 at 8:02 am
Use what you have, patience is key. I used a vintage, manual focus lens on my digital camera for this one. Ones posted above are great!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/45517597@N07/6216921867/
October 19th, 2011 at 8:14 am
De-clutter, and be very mindful of unnecessary objects in the frame.
October 19th, 2011 at 10:43 am
I just got low and mimicked the movements i saw from those camera men recording NFL games on the sidelines with those weighted cameras. It worked! my blog was Freshly Pressed on wordpress.com and has gotten over 12,000 views! http://tronfoto.wordpress.com/2011/10/03/puppies-doggies-and-more/
October 19th, 2011 at 11:16 am
Great article, though a bit favorable of cats….
Did he say sit?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lendog64/5366472355/
October 19th, 2011 at 1:04 pm
Hi
Here is a wonderful shot of some Aussies waiting for their Dad to come back from diving off Catalina in California…so well behaved! Shot with a 70-200mm f2.8 wide open.
http://kerstenbeckphotoart.wordpress.com/2011/10/15/waiting/
October 19th, 2011 at 1:53 pm
I do not really think of indoor shots when I think of pet photography, nor when I do pet photography, but I mostly photograph dogs and I prefer to photograph them in action in a dog park or similar location:
http://jasoncollinphotography.com/pet
My tip for shooting in a dog park would be to position yourself for the best lighting (back to the sun) and wait for the dog(s) to pass in front of your lens in the prime light and cleanest background. I use this method rather than chasing them around because even if I can catch up to them the light might not be idea nor the background.
I use an 80-200mm lens or sometimes a 105mm lens.
October 20th, 2011 at 12:55 am
Patience and timing is the key I’ve found. And I agree with the poster before me, Jason, I’d position myself for the best light and wait for them to come past. chasing pets (and kids for that matter) means I’m out of position and have to set myself up, steady and squeeze. Staying put means I’m already set up and steady, just need to squeeze.
October 20th, 2011 at 1:00 am
Great tips & photo examples.
October 20th, 2011 at 3:47 am
looks like lonely dog lol
October 20th, 2011 at 8:28 am
You can use a flash to help photograph black animals. I have a beautiful solid black cat and the best way to get her to show up in photographs I’ve found is to use a mounted flash (not the onboard flash). I have a Nikon Speedlight that I can bounce off the ceiling. Don’t direct the flash into the animal’s eyes – not only will you get the redeye problem, but it will irritate or frighten the animal. By using the bounce flash option, I’ve been able to get some incredible photos of my cats taken indoors (my cats aren’t allowed outside).
October 20th, 2011 at 2:06 pm
My best tip: tidy your pet up before the photo session. I got a gorgeous photo of my cat only to find some of those gross uggy eye goopy things messing up my shot. And I didn’t know how to use editing software at the time. I can imaging a good brushing and teeth cleaning could be useful for some cats and most dogs.
October 21st, 2011 at 2:02 am
this is my favorite one:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nani-photos/5716887337/in/set-72157625822026014
October 21st, 2011 at 2:41 am
Regarding animals I know that red eye correction does not work.
Anybody know what does when the eyes come out yellow?
October 21st, 2011 at 5:16 am
My cat Ozzy
October 21st, 2011 at 5:17 am
My cat Ozzy
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nicksk/2647047507/in/set-72157606298900319
October 21st, 2011 at 6:18 am
I found this cute dog at Central Park
October 21st, 2011 at 6:40 am
1)Try to hold your camera with one hand ( prepare all the settings beforehand) take an object in your free hand. It can be anything your pet is interested in. My cat reacts well if I just raise the lens lid in my free hand and scratch it with my fingers. Thus I can control what direction she is looking. ( Although, to be honest, I’m lucky as my cat is very understanding and used to being photographed)
2)Focus on something other than eyes, but make it deliberately ( I mean, choose a point, not just lose your focus). I find pics of my cat where I focus on her paws while her head is blurred in the background quite cute.
3) I noticed that pets get used to cameras quickly. So don’t panic if an animal is interested in the camera and doesn’t want to sit still. Let the pet get used to that strange clicking black box.
4) If your animal is looking at something else and you are shooting from a side, for example, show also what he/she is looking at.
5) I noticed that some owners like to dress their pets before the photo-shoot. I personally don’t do this but I think many people find it adorable.
That’s all so far but I might come up with some more tips later.
October 21st, 2011 at 7:23 am
Great tips. DPS has provided much inspiration for the expansion of my horizon. Thanks.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/60701150@N04/6264321714/
October 21st, 2011 at 10:01 am
My site is http://www.puptographer.com
I prefer indoor well lit photos with colorful backdrops. Most dogs don’t mind strobes and you can catch their expression before the strobe startles them (if it even does). I’ve only had one dog hate the strobes. There justbisnt good enough constant light to get your shutter speed up to 250 which I find optimal so as to freeze the subject, especially in a roll or jump or shake. A water bottle mister is great for fun expressions when they shake it off.
My tips: shoot lots of frames, shoot high shutter speed, higher iso can help, be patient and if possible, never have the owner there.
October 21st, 2011 at 10:40 am
Gorgeous pics in the main post. I have much to learn.
I love photographing pets, capturing each ones personality is the most important i think.
http://kmatthewsphotography.com/?p=501
October 21st, 2011 at 12:55 pm
I have just taken up the challenge of the question posed a couple of times regarding “what about a $175 camera?”. I have literally just picked up a camera that was bought for $250 three years ago that I have since given to my daughter after buying a DSLR and is probably of lower spec than current sub $150 cameras. Two photos were taken just moments ago of my two dogs at rest. I used the manual settings on the camera (yup, even cheaper cameras have manual settings). Whilst the results will be far from “pro” they demonstrate that you can be creative and get worthwhile pet portraits. The third image was one of the first I took with the new DSLR I bought and shows that you can get a dog to pose – not a technically brilliant photo but I had just unpacked the camera, stuck on the kit lense and told my dog to sit.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bb-photoz/
October 21st, 2011 at 3:05 pm
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1664451406328&l=2ec8c25c1f
October 21st, 2011 at 5:36 pm
Here’s my favourite photo of Mr Cleo:
http://flic.kr/p/aw9Yru
and the rest of them are in this set: http://www.flickr.com/photos/actdontreact/sets/72157627911067246/with/6248456550/
Hope you like them
October 22nd, 2011 at 12:44 am
Thanks so much for so many good ideas. In the meantime I guess I just use elements to turn them black.
October 24th, 2011 at 11:40 am
I was lucky this weekend to babysit my friend’s puppy!
here are you can see 3 BEST shots
http://skichko.blogspot.com/2011/10/babysitting-puppy.html
there were morearound 100 shots – in this age dogs are so active
October 24th, 2011 at 11:41 am
I was lucky this weekend to babysit my friend’s puppy!
here are you can see 3 BEST shots
http://skichko.blogspot.com/2011/10/babysitting-puppy.html
there were morearound 100 shots – in this age dogs are so active
October 24th, 2011 at 3:19 pm
I’ve found that having a bag of small treats or a new squeaky toy helps to keep their attention, but don’t go overboard on either. Try to attempt some unique sounds that are new to the dog. They tend to offer a curious glance if they wonder what that noise was, but like anyone else, they can tire of a sound. Pull them out as necessary. It’s also nice to include part of the owner in the shot; their feet, a hand on the pet’s head, shaking it’s paw, or featuring them out of focus in the background. The human connection sort of gives the shot a dog-as-family-member feel to it. Which in my book, they are.
)
http://www.facebook.com/whoshotyourdog?sk=photos
October 24th, 2011 at 10:13 pm
These are excellent tips. The easiest way to take pet photos I have found is just to follow them and have fun. But the number one tip is treats. Lots and lots of treats! Whether it is a squeaky toy, a tug rope or a food treat. Pets always give you great expression when they want what you have. ;0)
October 24th, 2011 at 10:44 pm
Didn’t see that I could add photos. Here is a picture of one of my 5 Saint Bernards. They and my 2 cats are my favorite subjects!
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2473541649036&l=c2764a1c0f
October 25th, 2011 at 12:23 am
One of the most important ways to get good pet photos is to start them off early. We raise English Bulldogs and the photos start at birth. By the time they are a couple of months old, they are so familiar with the camera and the flash, it’s no bog deal. They do actually seem to pose — or is it just “i know you are gong to do it; just hurry and get it over with!”
October 25th, 2011 at 10:11 pm
“Hold a biscuit in your mouth” – Brilliant. I’m going to give this a try. I have a dog who’s afraid of gadgets. Point a cell phone, camera in his face and he ducks his head. Maybe the biscuit trick will work.
Her’s a shot I managed to capture of him last year.
http://dorisrudddesigns.wordpress.com/2010/11/09/november-8-2010/
I’m inspired to photograph him again. I think it’s time for a portrait.
November 4th, 2011 at 6:55 am
Great tips…
What do you think about mine?
http://hansgemacht.wordpress.com/2011/04/18/murmeltiere/
http://hansgemacht.wordpress.com/2011/02/19/kamerunschaf/
November 11th, 2011 at 6:09 am
thanks for the tips. i love photography but is not that good. anyway i know this will help alot thanks:)
November 25th, 2011 at 10:44 pm
I find it very difficult to get a really good shot of my cat with his eyes open. If he is still, he is asleep, otherwise he’s rushing around at a pace I can’t keep up with!
January 12th, 2012 at 1:44 pm
I need to shoot pics inside my local animal shelter. The light is horrible, the flash scares more than it helps -even when bouncing. Wondering if anyone has had any luck using a flashlight or lamp as a fill light?
January 13th, 2012 at 10:16 am
Yes, I have started using a couple of LED lights as a light source in low light conditions. These have some decent advantages in they are battery operated, light and portable, throw of a surprising amount of light but do not produce red-eye or cause subjects to be startled or blink at the sudden bright light of a flash. The light is very white also, so doesn’t give a colour cast that needs fixing up later. They are also extremely low cost. Our local hardware store recently had a promo on some that gave me two for $20. I would definitely give them a try. You want ones that have 12 or more LEDs in their cluster – the more the better – so don’t go for the small 3 or 5 LED lights. They have too narrow a beam and aren’t going to be bright enough.
January 30th, 2012 at 4:14 pm
Haven’t taken very many pet photos yet but one thing that can make a great shot is trying to single out a quality of the pet, whether physical or behavioral, and make that the main focus of your photo. For example, if people think that your puppy is cute because it is tiny, then try taking a shot that accentuates that.
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