People are often easier to shoot, as we love to be on a photograph, we enjoy the moment of posing, checking the shot and editing ourselves to look stunning. Kids might be a little more challenging, but its not impossible. Pets however are an entirely different story. Trying to take a good photo of your dog for example, can often be very challenging, sometimes maybe impossible. Other pets shouldn’t be much easier, so getting them in the right moment and looking great can be a headache for many. That’s why today we want to give you some tips to make your life easier and leave you ready for getting those perfect shots.
The first thing we need to understand is that pets, even though they understand certain orders, don’t really speak our language, and often get confused by what we want from them. Sometimes they don’t even care. That’s why giving them something they care about is the most important thing to catch their attention and get them ready for a photo. In the case of a dog, it could be their favorite treat. Holding the treat behind your iPhone will immediately focus your dogs eyes on the camera, and the shot can at least be well placed. You can repeat this exercise a few times until you get the right photo. If your pet understands to wait, before they are allowed to take the treat, could make this shot even easier and better looking, as they will be concentrated and probably sitting still.
Something else that can work is using their favorite toy, so they can play around with it, and you can shoot every time they hold still. Here is where you handling your phone camera comes into place, while your pet is moving, playing or walking, it is very important to use a higher shutter speed, so you won’t get blurry results, but nice and steady photos.
Last but not least there is the editing process, where you will need a little bit of skill. Shooting inside is great, but outdoor photography with pets is always nicer, as its easier to edit brighter photos, and you can play around with the tones of nature. A beautiful green background can be more eye-catching than the family couch in your living room. Highlighting the color of your pet, and sharpening the image a little, can be a good foundation for the rest of your editing process. It can also be interesting to use a black and white edit, if there are not too many colors in the photo.
In the end it comes to everyones taste, but also skill and patience. After understanding that pets need time, just like us, to get used to being photographed, it will get much easier to get some nice shots to post on social media. But being honest, some pets don’t want to be that famous, and love to keep refusing to face your lens, even for a delicious treat.
