If you’re one of the 95% of Americans that consider your pet to be a part of the family, you likely are pretty invested in getting some pictures of them to frame and display proudly. However, getting pictures of furry friends can be a difficult task, especially with the many interesting distractions that the world around them provides.
That’s why we’re here today to give you some dog photography tips so that you can get a good shot of your pup. Read on for some ideas on how to make these images look amazing!
- Keep Your Pet Comfortable
Animals have keen senses as well as strong ideas of what their routine should be like. If you break this routine or do something that stresses your dog out, he isn’t going to be as receptive to a photo shoot as he otherwise would be. Because of this, it’s important to keep your pet in a comfortable environment when you decide to take pictures of him.
Go to your dog when he’s relaxing rather than trying to drag him to a new location. Figure out when he’ll be in a good place for a photo shoot and walk near him. Dogs are pretty routine-oriented, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to pinpoint when you can get a good shot.
Also, don’t force a photo shoot if it seems to be stressing your pup out. There will always be opportunities to take pics later.
- Don’t Underestimate Candids
Candid photography is one of the best methods of taking pictures. It captures a moment in time and lets you see a person- or, in your case, a beloved dog- living his life to the fullest. Because of this, you probably will want to get some awesome candid shots of your pet.
Take your dog to the park and snap some photos while they’re running around playing. You can use a high-quality Smartphone camera for this, but it can also be a good opportunity to whip out the digital camera if you have one.
Another benefit to candid pictures is that your dog won’t even know you’re taking them. This gives them zero opportunities to get stressed out and refuses to cooperate with your strange human ways.
- Take Some Pictures With Them
Though shots of your pup alone make for great decorations, Facebook banners, and phone wallpapers, taking pictures with them is also important. You can save these images for a long time and look back on the awesome times you had with the furriest member of your family. You also can use these photos as profile pictures or even as professional images (if you’re wearing good attire and your dog cooperates perfectly).
Some ideas for photos with your pet include:
- Posed photos of you holding them or sitting beside them
- Candid pictures of the two of you playing together
- Pictures of the both of you in various locations- these make for awesome collages
- You and another loved one taking family photos with your dog
- You going about everyday life with your furry friend trailing lovingly after you
There are so many options!
- Get Props
Does your dog have a favorite toy? A pet bed that he likes to sleep in? How about those funny little dog clothes that you can get at the pet store?
These are all fun props that can be used in a photo. You can create some interesting and exciting setups with these items.
Wear a hat or sweater similar to the one that your dog is wearing and send it out to your family as a Christmas card. Tug on either end of a dog toy rope to playfully wrestle with your best friend. This is an awesome way to show off the bond that you share with your pup.
- Provide a Reward for Cooperation
Getting dogs to cooperate and hold still for pictures is a challenge, but you can make it easier for yourself. Dangle a treat where you want your dog to look. Snap the photo when his eyes inevitably follow the treat.
This also is a great way to train your dog to cooperate and reward him for a job well done!
- Use Appropriate Filters
Digital filters are an important part of any photograph. We’re not talking about funny Snapchat or Instagram filers, but rather just those that ensure your image looks as professional and high-quality as possible. You can use an auto-generated enhancement to make sure that your dog’s pic is as sharp and clear as possible.
For added fun, try making some of your images sepia or black-and-white. You can also blur backgrounds slightly or saturate the image. These filtering options ensure that eyes remain on your pup rather than distracting background colors and images.
- Keep Pictures Safe
Finally, you must back your photos up to keep them safe. You don’t want all of your adorable dog photos to be lost, especially those that you painstakingly took at different venues and various angles!
Make sure that you upload the images that you love to a Google Doc or a computerized portfolio. Putting them on a flash drive or Cloud-based application may also be a good idea. This ensures that nothing will happen to your photos even if your computer crashes or stops working.
You also should learn how to recover deleted images from your iPhone in the event of an accident.
Beyond Dog Photography Tips
There are many awesome ways that you can take pictures of your beloved pet, but you can’t go wrong with these awesome photography tips.
Now that you know some of the best dog photography tips out there, it’s time to get started. Click on the ‘contact us’ tab on our home page to get in touch with an expert. We’re happy to answer any lingering questions that you may have about capturing a snapshot of your furry friend so that you can keep their memory close forever.
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