Modern people consider pets a part of the family and would love to have professional quality pet portraits to display. Whether you are a pet owner, an amateur looking for extra cash, or a professional looking to expand into this lucrative field, the following ten tips will make your pet photographing experience more successful and more pleasant for everyone involved.
1. Forget about poses.
Most pets simply won’t pose, so you are wasting your time—and everyone else’s—in even trying. Instead, follow the pet around at their level and try to get shots of their natural behavior. Aim for photos of the pet in a characteristic pose—napping on a bed, guarding a favorite ball, or cuddling with a loved family member. Just as with children, animals will be most attractive and most compliant when performing familiar actions in a familiar setting.
2. Take the time to get used to each other.
The pet’s first reaction to you and your equipment may be curiosity, fear, or even aggression. There simply is no way to take a good photograph of a terrier nipping at your lens or cowering in a corner. Taking a few moments to get to know each other and become comfortable will make all the difference in the quality of your shoot. It will also give the pet time to settle down from the excitement of a new visitor.
3. Look for creative angles.
While it is most natural for a human, shooting an animal from above rarely results in a good picture. For small animals, the best way to get a quality photograph is to photograph them from eye level. Dramatic pictures can also be taken from the side or even from below. Smaller animals may photograph best when placed on a table or platform. With large animals, allowing them to romp in a familiar park while standing back and using a zoom can get candid ‘up close’ images without having to interfere with their movement.
4. Shoot as close as possible.
People don’t want a picture of their home or your studio; they want a memory of their favorite family member. Trying inching slowly toward the animal so as not to startle them; they may be interested in watching you and thus stay still. If the pet moves away when you come close, use a telephoto lens. Ideally, the pet should fill the frame almost entirely.
5. Remove clutter from the background.
Because a pet will be moving around, clear the floor, or wherever you are photographing, for a clear shot. Things like coffee cups, socks, and dust bunnies often escape our notice until they ruin the finished product, so it is best to deal with clutter before you start the shoot. You may have to temporarily remove furniture from the room in order to get a clean shot of an animal that is constantly on the go, but the results will be more than worth it. Small things like electrical cords for lights can often be Photoshopped out of the picture later, but you don’t want to create too much work for yourself.
6. Light without flash.
Flash is frightening to animals and often unattractive due to the different contours of their faces and bodies. It is best to avoid flash all together. If you are shooting outside, plan to take pictures in the early morning or early evening when the sun is low and less glaring. If shooting inside, use light from windows combined with artificial lighting to evenly bathe the area in gentle light. If the animal is moving slowly or lying still, you can increase your shutter speed, although this may result in a blurred picture with a very active pet. Dealing with lighting in an unobtrusive way will allow you to get a variety of photographs without scaring the pet or hurting their sensitive eyes.
7. Use a ‘sports’ action speed for fast-moving pets.
Some pets will lie still or move slowly, but this is not the norm. Most pets will be excited by the new person (you) and by the attention they are receiving. This may lead to twitching, shivering, and other rapid movements. If your lighting allows it, set the shutter speed to 250 to capture the fastest movements without blurring.
8. Adjust the exposure to the pet’s color.
A light color animal in a well-lit area may need to be under exposed in order to maintain detail and personality. On the other end of the spectrum, dark animals should be slightly overexposed to keep the texture and detail in their coats. Many animals have a mixture of light and dark fur, in which case you should take a variety of shots in different lighting situations and choose those that are the most attractive. In any case, fur tends to absorb light, so factor this in when selecting lighting and settings.
9. Capture a variety of facial expressions.
Just as with human subjects, a pet’s eyes reveal their unique personality and spirit. A good close-up of the pet’s face with special focus on the eyes is sure to be a beloved keepsake for decades, and is really an easy shot to get if you are obeying the rest of our ‘rules’. Follow the pet throughout their normal movements and try to capture a variety of looks and expressions. This will give a well-rounded set of pictures that capture that pet as the family wants to remember them.
10. Don’t forget the humans.
People and their pets often have very special relationships that can be captured on camera. A parakeet nibbling on their owner’s ear or a cat napping in a child’s lap are two situations that yield intimate and attractive pictures. Don’t be afraid to include a human in your pictures. Being held by a familiar person will calm the animal and encourage them to stay still long enough to get several good photographs. Often, the interaction will result in a uniquely personal picture, which is of course the entire point.
