Are you hoping for an adorable photo of your pet to put on a holiday card, perhaps? Or would you just like to have a beautiful memory of a treasured moment to display in your home? All pet owners know our furry babies often aren't the best at – or fond of – posing.
Thank goodness for digital cameras so we don’t waste film and development costs these days just to discover endless shots of closed eyes or animals in motion as they attempt to escape the frame. Here are some tips we’d like to share to make the photo session both fun and bearable – for you and your pet.
Familiarize yourself with your camera and explore shutter speeds if you are photographing a pet in motion – particularly a dog. The faster the shutter-speed setting, the more success you will have at capturing a clearer photo. Often, with one push of the button, you can capture a stream of photos of your dog at play. Then simply edit digitally and only keep your favorites.
Zoom is your friend. Don’t let your pet know you are photographing him/her and then zoom in for some delightful candids. Using this method you don’t have to invade their space, but can use the zoom to focus in on eyes or a nose for an upclose and personal – and very sweet – look at your dog or cat. This is also a great way to play around with angles and approaches, especially if you can get some close-up shots of your pet looking over his/her shoulder or with his/her head resting on paws.
Consider the lighting and ambiance such as that provided by natural light. Often a flash can ruin the picture and make your dog run away; due to this they also develop a dread of seeing the camera in the future. Why? Dogs have tapetum – a layer of eye cells –, which causes the colored reflection when exposed to painful bright lights such as a camera flash or headlights. Reflections run the gamut from red and green to yellow or orange, dependent on the dog's eye color. For example, a blue-eyed husky will often have red eye shine, while a brown-eyed lab will shine yellow.
Have “assistants” available – preferably two. If you are seeking a posed shot, while you take charge of the camera perhaps have one person handle the dog such as getting him/her to sit and stay. Have another person behind you who can catch the dog’s eye by saying “treat,”“cookie,” or a word your dog recognizes as an attention-getter at the right moment. Assistants are particularly useful if you are attempting to photograph two or more pets together!
Capture attention with favorite toys and goodies. Put a treat in a glass, mug, or Kong to get him/her to be still long enough for a shot. Hide a cherished toy behind a couch pillow or outside in flowers to keep him/her inquisitive and in position. These tricks lead to adorable personality photos.
Have fun, good luck, and happy shooting – both for the holidays and forever!
For pet-sitting with a personal touch, contact Dee Hopkins at 517.546.0439 and visit http://www.ddspetpatrol.com.
Written by Dee Hopkins in collaboration with Ginger Sprinkle @ nine dots branding & marketing company (ginger@ninedotsbranding.com).
