Friday, November 4, 2011

Tips For Taking Good Dog Photos

PetSmart

If you have a dog then you probably have some photos of your favorite pooch.  You may also know how difficult it can be to get a good picture of your dog.  As soon as you haul out the camera it seems like some dogs start turning their backsides to you. Other dogs start walking toward the camera to investigate which means all of your pictures are close-ups of their noses.  And some owners only seem to get pictures of their dogs sprinting through the background.  Don’t despair!  Here are some tips for getting good photos of your dog.

1.  Plan ahead.  In order to get some good pictures of your dog you need to do a little strategic planning.  That means letting your dog get used to the camera.  If you only bring out your camera a minute before you want to take a picture your dog is going to walk straight to the camera to investigate it.  Instead, take your camera out and let your dog get used to it.  Take the camera out often.  Wear it a while.  That way your dog will be used to it and will act naturally.  You should also consider some other factors before you take pictures.  Is your dog wound up and zooming around?  Then be in position for his action shots.  Is he being lazy and mellow?  Get in the best spots to take those shots.

2.  Take lots of pictures.  If you take just a few pictures of your dog you may get lucky and get a great picture but you’re much more likely to get good pictures if you set aside some time and take lots of photos.  You can catch your dog doing all kinds of cool things and his personality will really come out in the pictures.

3.  Consider the angle.  Some of the best dog pictures are usually taken at your dog’s level.  Many people take pictures standing up, looking down at their dogs but if you really want to get good pictures of your dog then get right down on the floor with him.

4.  Look at your surroundings.  You can take great pictures anywhere but it certainly helps to have good surroundings, free of clutter.  Simple surroundings can help focus attention on your dog.  A clean, sandy beach or green trees will make your dog look great.  Watch for things growing out of your dog’s head like telephone poles.  And try to keep some contrast in the background.  If you have a black dog stay away from black backgrounds; stay away from light backgrounds for light-colored dogs, and so on.

5.  Have fun.  Don’t be afraid to have fun with your dog.  Remember that you don’t have to make every photo look the same.  Mix them up a little!  Have some close-ups.  Do some body shots.  Take a head shot.  Use different angles.  And ask a friend to help.  Sometimes having a friend playing with your dog can help, especially if your friend has a squeaky toy.  Professional photographers often use squeaky toys to get a great facial expression from a dog.

Follow these tips and you should be able to get some great pictures of your dog.  It’s all for fun so go out and have a great time with your dog and your camera.

1 comment:

  1. i'd know nothing about this. gwendolyn doesn't enjoy being photographed. SIKE. :) :) :) --> did i really just type "sike?" :) x

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