Capturing A Pet in Photos
As a photographer, you know that trying to photograph a pet is as difficult if not more than photographing a baby. Dogs aren’t human, and they don’t understand what we are doing when we try to take their photo. They may think that the camera is a toy and charge at you, instead of striking a pose. Here are some tips you can follow to ensure you capture great photos of your furriest clients.
Proper Background:
Pets come in all colors. If the dog is dark, you will need to make sure that he doesn’t get lost in your photo due to a dark background. Dark animals photograph best with light colored or neutral backgrounds. You can use white, grey, or creamy beige backdrops. You should never take a photo of a Black Lab, or a German Shepherd, against a dark background. It conceals the true color of the animal, and the dark background can also conceal its true size, shape and proportions.
The same rules apply with pets that have light coats. If you are photographing an apricot or white puppy, you would not place her in front of a white wall for a picture. Photographs of animals need to capture the color and texture of their coats. If you have a white toy poodle, you would want to place her on, or in front of, a black, blue or brown backdrop. This will assure that the poodle’s springy white curls are the focus of the picture. It is important that you choose a background that compliments the dog, and doesn’t hide its beauty.
Keeping the Animal Still
The hardest thing to do is to get the animal to sit still for a photo. The best time to arrange the photo session with your clients is when the animal is tired. When the animal seems to be dozing off, get its attention by a low whistle, a squeak from a squeaky toy, or the sight of a treat. The animal will perk up immediately and appear to be wide awake. It is important that you are ready to snap the shots immediately. It is also best to take their picture when they are well fed. That way they are not distracted by wanting food while they are modeling for you. The treats you hold up will be more a curiosity item to them, instead of a hopeful dinner.
Capturing the Pet
In professional animal pictures, usually the full body of the animal is shown. This allows the viewer to get a general idea of the size and proportions of the animal. It also will allow the viewer to get an idea of the animal’s general health and appearance. You wouldn’t want to have just a head shot of your pet if it had unique colorings that made it cute. Some animals appear to be wearing little white socks on their paws, or the ends of their tails may appear to have been dipped in a paint bucket. Be sure that the pictures you take capture all of the unique things about your entire dog. However, if the dog just has an irresistible face, you can take head shots. Some pets will appear to smile when they are very happy. Nothing says “love me” like an innocent puppy face.
The Angle of Photographs
When you are taking photos of the animals, it is important that you are at least at the animals eye level, or below. This gives the picture the sense of being from the dog’s viewpoint. You can accomplish this by elevating the dog to a higher position. Or, you can lie on your stomach to achieve the same results. You need to zoom in as close as possible, while still capturing the entire body of your dog.
Photographs are a great way of preserving the beauty and personality of an animal, just keep some of these pointers in mind and surely you will have great shots for your clients. Why not put all the shots together for them into a custom professional photo book, a keepsake your clients will have to remember their beloved pets.
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