Photo Tips
Photo tips: My pet and I
Capture your pets in unique photos. We’ll show you how to bring out the best in your animal companions.
Whether you have a dog, cat, mouse or hamster, a few tips and tricks can help you take fantastic photos of your pet. We’ll show you what makes a great pet photo and how to capture your pet at their best. The result? Remarkable photos you can preserve in a photo book, or bring into your home on canvas or behind acrylic glass.
1. Get down to your pet’s eye level
Avoid taking photos that look down on your pet—in both senses of the phrase. Instead, get down to your pet’s eye level. This perspective creates natural, engaging photos that capture life from your pet’s point of view, and gets both of you fully involved.
So, crouch or kneel—or even lie flat on the floor. Get creative and literally put yourself in your pet’s place. If your camera has a tilting screen, make the most of it. It makes taking photos at eye level much more comfortable.
2. Make the most of available light
There are plenty of good reasons to avoid using flash when photographing dogs, cats, mice and other pets. Most importantly, it can startle and frighten them unnecessarily. Flash can also cause red-eye in both people and animals. Sometimes it can make a photo unusable altogether: when photographing aquariums and terrariums, for example, the flash reflects off the glass and steals the spotlight from your scaly friends.
So, use the available light when photographing your pet—daylight is best. Take a photo while your four-legged friend is basking in the sun, and their coat or eyes will glow beautifully. The natural light will also bring out the finer details.
3. Focus on the eyes
In every kind of portrait photography, the eyes are especially important. They draw the viewer’s attention and are the focal point of the image. The same goes for photos of pets. To capture your pet’s eyes at their best, wait for a quiet moment and take your time. When your pet is sitting or lying still, focus on one eye with a tap on your smartphone screen. Choose the eye closest to you.
It also helps to keep the background as calm and uncluttered as possible, so nothing distracts from your pet. Use the gridlines on your smartphone screen as a guide, and place the eye closest to you where two lines intersect. You can usually turn the gridlines on and off in your smartphone’s settings menu.
4. Human und Pet
For more variety in your photos, include people as well as pets. Get your children to play with your dog or cat, for example. Follow the action and take the shot at just the right moment.
For moving subjects, burst mode is a great help—and it’s available on smartphones, too. Simply hold down the shutter button, then choose the sharpest and best shots.
Or, of course, you can take selfies with your furry friends, using a selfie stick, for example. As always, let your imagination run wild.
5. Action shots of your pet
Want to take especially striking photos? Let your pet’s «wild» side take centre stage! For example, let your dog chase a stick around the garden while you take photos.
You can tempt a cat out of its shell with toys, such as a ball of wool, gift ribbon, a moving spot of light (from a mirror in the sun or a torch) or a feather on a string. Try capturing your feline friend mid-jump. The possibilities are endless, and we guarantee you’ll have fun taking these photos, too.
However much fun you’re having during a pet photoshoot, always make sure to take plenty of breaks, especially for your furry companions. Reward your «model» with little treats and give them time to rest regularly. That way, everyone stays in good spirits—and you’ll already be looking forward to your next photo session.
Good luck on your own photo safari!
