Do you want to click some great pet photos? Wondering if you can do it by yourself or need a pet photographer for the same? I understand your difficulty; hence I will help you with your pet photography session.

Animal photography can sometimes be challenging because you can’t instruct them to act in a certain way. Yes, some pets are obedient, but not all pet owners enjoy the same privilege :P. So, you will need to apply some tricks to get the most amazing pet portraits.

Pets are a really special part of our everyday lives and adorable addition to the family. They are great companions and help reduce stuff. Having a pet gives us immense joy since we know someone is waiting for us back home. And like all pet parents, we want to click so many photos of our cherished pets. With pet photography gaining popularity, a photo session is the best way to capture beautiful, hilarious and wonderful memories.

Pet photos can be a source of joy for a lifetime. Here are a few brilliant tips for your pet photoshoot to do the best pet photography:

Pre-Photoshoot Tips

Let’s start with some necessary pre-requisites

• Be Flexible

Before you take out that camera and start clicking, make sure to stretch a bit first. This will assist in capturing some out-of-the-box pet portraits from photos of your pet. And it will make sure you get some nice candid shots.

• Be Slow & Steady

Make it a point to move around slowly so as to not startle your pet. When you shift position they sense you are off on a new adventure and want to follow you. A perfect pet photo session requires you to move as little as possible. Cats tend to change their expressions at the slightest movement. Even dogs get distracted by too much activity. Pets like birds are even more prone to getting ruffled due to erratic movements.

• Clear Away The Distractions

A lot of clutter in the photo session space will divert your pet’s attention. This will hinder the process and your cute companion will be engrossed in the stuff around rather than the camera. An uncluttered setting exhibits more aesthetically pleasing photos and reduces post-processing work.

• Keep Zen Environment

Pets are great at sensing emotions and feelings. So if you are tensed or stressed, they will reciprocate in the same way. The key is to relax and make your pet comfortable. Calm down before you begin the photo session and help your pet to be at ease as well. Take a deep breath and remember to have fun with your friend.

Is the water hose too loud and distracting? Does the neighbor’s voice carry all the way over to the photoshoot space? This can be chaotic for your pet and result in substandard pictures. To achieve some amazing pet photos, keep the volume down and the environment zen.

• Personalize The Photo Shoot

Each and every pet has a unique personality that they display. The essence of marvelous pet portraits is capturing the animal’s personality correctly. A playful pet should be given the freedom to be in his or her element. Your cat’s yawns showcase how adorably lazy it is. Your horse playing with the hay makes for exceptional pet portraits from photos.

• Interact & Communicate

Though your goal to get some beautiful pet portraits from photos, the focus should be your pet. They don’t have a clue about what’s happening and may feel confused and frustrated. Make sure you spend enough time petting them and playing, even if that means you miss a few picture opportunities. Show some affection, put the camera down for a few minutes and let them feel loved.

• Ask For Help

Juggling a camera while making sure your pet is calm, cool and happy can be quite a handful. Invite over a friend or two who are animal lovers and with whom your pets are comfortable with. When shooting outdoors, you will need a friend to look over your pet and make sure they don’t run away or get into dangerous situations.

Another tremendous advantage of including someone else is that they can play with the model and entertain them to help you capture the expressions you’re looking for. Get them to help you shoot some pristine pictures.

• Use Proper and Safe Location

Choose the location wisely. It is the key to a proper photoshoot. Make sure that the place is safe for your pet. It should not be at risk from itself or from the environment. Also, choose a quiet location where you can work undisturbed. Take a round of the site to get familiar with the place and decide some nice spots for the shoot. The background should be clean and clutter-free for pet photography.

 

• Use Natural Light

This is the First Rule of photography. Lighting should be proper for all kind of pictures. The most feasible option is shooting outdoors. The best time is after sunrise and before sunset. The golden light at these hours will look amazing in the pet photos. Cloudy weather makes the environment bit dull, but it still gives you some cool & windy pictures for your pet’s portfolio.

Lighting is of the utmost importance when it comes to photoshoots. Good light is everything in photography and a must for majestic pet photos. Avoid shooting in dark rooms or under heavily overcast days.

Bright yet diffused light is the easiest to create flattering pet portraits under. Take a look around your subject’s environment and determine where the best bright yet diffused light is. Move the location, try a few different spots or bring in some bright lights if you are shooting indoors.

 

• Select the Right Background  

   

While clicking some classic pet photography, use a plain and neutral background. This will enhance the facial features and a strong contrast will illuminate your pet in the foreground.

Throw the traditional rules out the window. Your pets require new experiments and fresh ideas to get stunning pet portraits from photos. Take your time and appreciate the session, try several approaches, angles, and also compositions. Shoot a lot and click a number of pictures.

 

NOw you are ready to rock. Let’s begin!

Mid-Photoshoot Tips

Here is how you can make the best out of the photoshoot with your paw!

• Try Candid Poses

A photographer always tries to get friendly with the subject before shooting. This makes the subject comfortable and also helps him to capture its distinct personality. The same goes for pet photography. In fact, it becomes more important to know the pet if it is not yours to plan the shoot accordingly. If the pet is very energetic, you must capture some playful shots.

If he is very loving, you can capture some pet and owner shots to depict their friendly relationship. Make the photoshoot really fun and fast going as the dogs tend to get bored very quickly, so don’t waste time in adjusting your camera. You will get some fabulous pet photos if you click some candids rather than making him pose for you.

 

 

• Click Action Shots at the Beginning of the Session

The pet would not be in a mood to settle down and pose at the beginning of the shoot. The energy level is high, and it’s the best time to get some action shots clicked. You might need some help for these clicks because engaging the dog in some activity is itself a task. Play with him, make him fetch for a ball and capture the moment instantly. Call your pet from a distance, and shoot with a fast shutter speed camera settings to capture details in motion.

Another thing that you can try is running in shallow water. Dogs usually love to play in the water. So, make him do that and capture the same. The splashing water gives a candid and happy pet photo. 🙂

 

• Focus on Eyes

Dogs and cats have glittering and interactive eyes. A close portrait with a focus on the eyes gives an emotional touch to the picture. You must Highlight the distinct color of the eyes and different expressions that look really cute in photos. A simple puppy face might turn out to be very alluring. The eyes truly do convey a lot and make sure you focus on them. Being the most expressive part of an animal’s face, eyes can help you create fascinating photographs. This will aid in clicking some cute pet photos.

Pretty good? 🙂

Pro Angle Tips

• High-Angle Shots

You must find a top spot and shoot downwards. This might sound bizarre but trust me you will be amazed by the results.Some of the greatest pet photos happen when you get to your pet’s height. The view from their height can help you create some stunning photographs. If your cat loves climbing the tree in your backyard, get a ladder and capture the scene from a whole new angle.

Such shots not only create a sense of curiosity but also bring cuteness and innocence in the pet photos. When the dog looks up into the camera, his eyes look very inquisitive and attractive. After all, being small has its own advantages. These might be your favorite clicks of the entire pet photography.

 

 

• Low-Angle Shots

Get down in the doggy world, lie on the floor looking straight into the dog’s eyes with the lens. This way the images have far more impact than you standing over the dog and shooting downwards. Take your lens down to eye level for a dog’s eye view. Eye-level shots are very engaging. You can also move your hands to get his attention and try to bring out that smile for a perfect shot.

Now, while lying on the floor, it can be cold, wet and if you are not comfortable, it will affect the quality of the photo. So, remember to get outdoor gear, a good jacket, good waterproof trousers and also some boots and gloves if needed. It’s essential to stay protected.

 

• Wide-Angle Pet Photography

You can also try some wide-angle shots. These are basically some shots of your pet with its surrounding environment. Use a lens with a short focal length to get wider fields of view. Place your camera at a lower angle and click the subject with its background. For example, a picture of your pet sitting at the beach/lakeside. It will give the impression that the dog likes to stay near the water.

Some Cool Tricks for Pet Photography

 

• Favorite Toys

The best way to obtain some fantastic photos is to bring along a few of your pet’s select favorite toys. This can be a great break from all the posing which may tire your pet. And we all know that a tired pet is not a happy one. You can use this to get a few cool candids as well. It will help in establishing the thought that pet photography s fun.

• Celebrations

Birthdays, special occasions and holidays are the perfect settings for a fun photo session with your pets. Celebrate your pet’s special day in style and click some memories. Invite your friends with their pets and shoot a few group photos.

• An Adventure Together

Most of the times, when you go on vacation, you leave your dear pets at home. But a great travel adventure can result in some fascinating clicks for pet portraits from photos. The guy who travels with his beloved cat is a great example.

• Cool Props

Do you want to get some crazy fun pictures of your pet? Try some props. They instantly lift the energy of the image. A prop can be anything like a hat, or a pair of goggles, or even a ball of wool. These props add that extra zest in the photos and make them absolutely different and playful. The best part is that there are no hard and fast rules regarding which props to use. Just use your imagination, be creative and go crazy experiment

A cute little umbrella, comfy costumes and many such props can be a delight to shoot with. Props enhance the environment and help you shoot striking pictures. Make certain that your pets are comfortable with the props and are not startled by them. Use props that they are usually curious about or are familiar with.

Done with the pet photography shoot now, What’s next?

Post-Photoshoot Tips

Once you all are done with the pet photography, Hug your pet &

• Reward your Pet

 

 

Get the pet to strike poses and bribe them with treats. Make sure to bring some treats with you like a fish or a bone or a tennis ball, according to his likings that you know your pet really enjoys. These will help you to get the pet’s attention.

The biggest ‘trick’ in pet photography is to deceive the animal into thinking that they are making the decisions, when it’s really you that is prompting them to do what you want, without being obvious about it. Make certain that you reward your pets with a lot of treats.

• Give Them Space

A lot of pets enjoy hiding in their special places. Get your camera in these spots and shoot some amazing pictures that capture your pet in their natural state. Cats, especially, enjoy hiding underneath couches or inside cupboards. Your pet chameleon will be a delight to shoot when given free rein.

You must try to give the dog his comfort zone. If you roam around him with a camera pointing to his eye, he won’t be comfortable. You will not be able to get the desired shots at the desired angles.

You must give him some space and stand at a distance. This will provide him with an area to play around and do all the activities that you wish to capture. You will need a high zoom camera for this purpose. It will help you get close shots by zooming in while standing away from the subject.

 

• Relax with them in their habitat

When your cat explored every nook and cranny in your home every day, he basically owns the place. Take photos of them in their chosen areas: being naughty as they scrounge for leftovers or when they are lounging majestically on your chair.

While making your dog do tricks or getting your cat to sit in a cute basket may get you some nice clicks, shooting them in their space can produce great results. If your pet parrot enjoys sitting at the window near your plants, make sure you get those photos.

 

Conclusion

While these tips will definitely help you with your pet photography session, the most important thing is to have fun while doing it. Play with your pet, enjoy clicking pictures, and make him familiar with the process. If you are willing to know more about specifically Dog Photography or Cat photography go visit our blog.

This guide will aid you in a lot of different ways when it comes to a pet photoshoot. The end goal is to have fun with your pets while making memories. So get ready with these tips and tricks that will help you capture lovely pet photos.

You might not be able to get it right the first time, but don’t worry, it gets easier as you practice. If you have some more tips, then you can share it with us. Once you have captured your paw, you can actually cherish the moment for eternity by converting it into a handmade pet portrait painting.

Also, tell us which tip was the most useful for you?