We know your pet means everything to you. In fact, your phone is probably full of pictures of your furry loved one.
But are they print-worthy photos?
If you wouldn’t hang them on your walls, you may want to step up your pet photography game.
Here are some tips that will help you create picture purr-fect photos that you’ll cherish for years to come.
1. Pay Attention to the Light
Photography is the art of “painting” with light. No matter how well composed your photo is, if the light isn’t flattering, you’ll be left with a photo that falls flat.
Take your pup outside during the golden hour (the period within the hour after sunrise and before sunset). Or capture a photo of your cat on its favorite window sill at this time.
The light during this period is optimal for good photos because it casts a soft, golden hue on your subject.
2. Get on Their Level
Unless you’ve got a mastiff or some other large breed, chances are you tower over your pet. This is not a good angle for pictures–you don’t want to look down on them.
To truly capture the personality of your furry friend, you’ll want to get down on their level and shoot from their perspective. You’ll be able to get in close and get those details better from this angle too. Which brings us to the next point.
3. Get the Details
When you take a series of photos of your pet, you’ll want all different angles and some closeups too. For macro-level photos, it’s easier to be on their level and come in close, capture those expressive eyes, their whiskers, and nose, get that closeup of those paws.
Capture the details that make your pet unique, those are the things you never want to forget. Once you’ve gotten these shots, you can use a picture collage app to showcase these pictures next to the full-body photos of your pet.
4. Take Action Shots
Can’t get your pet to stay still? Not a problem. Action shots will allow you to really capture your pet’s personality. And it’s less stressful than trying to get a restless animal to stay put (unless they’re sleeping!).
To capture action shots you’ll be proud of, get them excited and get photos of them doing what they do best–playing!
5. Use a Fast Shutter Speed
When getting action shots, you may notice blur in many of them. This can be an artistic look if it’s what you’re going for. If not, you can use a fast shutter speed to eliminate blur and freeze motion.
Most point and shoot cameras have an action setting you can use to do this. But if you have a DSLR and want to get more creative, you can set your camera to manual mode and keep your shutter speed above 1/250.
For example, to capture a sharp action shot of your pet running toward you, use a shutter speed of 1/500. This will enable you to freeze motion and capture some unique shots of your furry pal.
Are You a Pet Photography Pro Yet?
You don’t need to be a pro to take amazing pet portraits. Start applying these pet photography tips the next time you get out your camera, and see the difference they make.
Looking for more pet tips? Check out the rest of our site for topics related to animal lifestyle, health, and behavior.