{"id":1107,"date":"2020-06-16T08:02:57","date_gmt":"2020-06-16T08:02:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pikperfect.com\/blog\/?p=1107"},"modified":"2022-05-05T08:55:13","modified_gmt":"2022-05-05T07:55:13","slug":"elevate-your-pet-photography-with-these-7-tried-and-tested-tips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pikperfect.com\/blog\/elevate-your-pet-photography-with-these-7-tried-and-tested-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Elevate your pet photography with these 7 tried and tested tips"},"content":{"rendered":"

Pet owners are notorious for constantly taking photos of their fur babies and posting them to social media. But when they\u2019re such an integral part of the family (and so adorable), why shouldn\u2019t you! However, just like any form of photography, there\u2019s an art to it and with a few strategies, you can elevate your images beyond the everyday.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In this article, we\u2019ll share seven of our top tips for taking your pet photography to the next level and capturing images worthy of a photo album. With few pets getting disgruntled about having their photo taken, you can practice and perfect your skills to your heart\u2019s content.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Remove any clutter<\/strong><\/p>\n

There\u2019s nothing worse as a photographer than capturing a great shot, only to find out later that you have to spend hours post-processing to remove unwanted items from the background. To avoid this outcome, take a few moments to clean and clear the space\/room you will be working in so that your background is aesthetically pleasing to start with. An uncluttered background also allows the subject of your photos – your pet – to shine, without having to compete with dirty plates, children\u2019s toys or garden debris. If there is clutter, try shooting at the maximum aperture (the lowest number), which will instantly blur out the background.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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2. Find the best light<\/strong><\/p>\n

Good light makes a huge impact on photographic quality and can be the difference between \u201cso-so\u201d and \u201cstunning\u201d images. Natural, diffused light on a sunny day is usually best and will result in the most flattering portrait conditions. If you are about to begin shooting in a dark room, consider moving towards a window where light is filtering in or head outdoors. However, avoid photographing in the bright midday sun (with no clouds to diffuse the light), as this will create sharp and heavy shadows. Many pets seek out sunny spots as a natural habit and capturing a beam of light illuminating them can result in impressive images.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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3. Change your perspective<\/h4>\n

Unless you\u2019re someone who likes to get down on the ground and play rough and tumble with your pet, chances are you are accustomed to looking at them from above. But when it comes to photography, this is not the most engaging angle and doesn\u2019t reflect the world from their perspective. So don\u2019t be hesitant about getting down on your belly to shoot your pet face-to-face or even get creative by photographing them from below while angling your camera up. It\u2019s an angle that we as humans aren\u2019t used to seeing, which will only make your images more appealing to viewers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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4. Focus on the eyes<\/strong><\/p>\n

Just like their human counterparts, animals\u2019 eyes express a lot of emotion and can convey to you what they\u2019re feeling when they don\u2019t have the ability to talk. So by focusing your attention (and camera lens) on their eyes, you\u2019ll create pet portraits that tell a story. If you want to capture a variety of expressions, you can try making different noises that will spark their curiosity, then click away in rapid succession to document the change in mood. Most importantly, avoid making any sudden movements that might disrupt the atmosphere or turn your pet from being trustworthy into cautious.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u00a05.\u00a0<\/strong>Capture the energy<\/strong><\/p>\n

Most pets exhibit classic moments of languor (eg. a cat stretched out in the sunshine), as well as periods of boundless energy when freezing the moment is a challenge. It\u2019s at times like these that your pet is often at their happiest and there\u2019s great joy in documenting that feeling in a still image. Consider setting your camera to \u201csports\u201d mode or use a fast shutter speed, so you don\u2019t end up with any unwanted blurring. Once you\u2019ve got the perfect shot, you can get creative by purposely trying to blur the moment with a slower shutter speed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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6. Add some personality<\/strong><\/p>\n

After years of living with your pet, you probably know all the quirks of their personality. But sharing this with others is one of the hardest parts of pet photography. Perhaps it\u2019s how their ears prick up when they hear a particular food package being opened or the way their tongue sticks out ever so slightly while they are asleep. Try and document those little things that make your pet unique by having your camera at the ready. You might want to make a \u201cshot list\u201d of scenes to recreate or just follow your pet as they go about their daily routine and wait for the magic to happen.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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7. Make sure you have your model\u2019s permission<\/strong><\/p>\n

As with all portrait photography, it\u2019s essential that you have your model\u2019s permission\u2026.and that you pay them for their time! Whether it\u2019s treats, toys, or cuddles, figure out what is the best way to motivate your pet to participate in a portrait session and have them on hand. Portrait photography is all about the relationship between who\u2019s in front of the camera and who\u2019s behind it. So if you\u2019re good to your pet, they\u2019ll be good to you and reward you with memorable shots to add to your family photo album.\u00a0<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

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Pet owners are notorious for constantly taking photos of their fur babies and posting them to social media. But when they\u2019re such an integral part of the family (and so adorable), why shouldn\u2019t you! However, just like any form of photography, there\u2019s an art to it and with a few strategies, you can elevate your […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":1126,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3,18,22],"tags":[],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pikperfect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1107"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pikperfect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pikperfect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pikperfect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pikperfect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1107"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.pikperfect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1107\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2088,"href":"https:\/\/www.pikperfect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1107\/revisions\/2088"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pikperfect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1126"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pikperfect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1107"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pikperfect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1107"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pikperfect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1107"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}