How to Photograph Pets

“Pamper Me More”

1.  Toys:  Have on hand your pets favorite toys on hand.  This will give them something to keep interested in.   Besides my clients having a toy for their pet, I keep a squeaker in my pocket that you can get from any pet store and squeak it once to get their attention when I am ready to click.  Do not keep squeaking.  Once gets their attention and usually makes their ears go up.

2.  Treats:  Have on hand your pets favorite treats. Break them up smaller so they don’t get too full and make sure they are really hungry before you photograph them so they will want treats and obey.

3.  Camera Equipment:  Use a long lens.  Karen of Jordan Ashley Photography uses her Canon 70-200 2.8 lens which blurs out the background and if you are outdoors and the dogs runs around, you are able to capture them in play.   Since they are moving fast when outdoors, use a lens or camera with image stabilization.  

4.  Lighting:  If outdoors, find light shade for your pet and add light into the picture.  On camera flashes can be too harsh.  I tend to use a professional reflector from Lastolite (30″ tri-grip) and interfit outside and use a large larson reflector in the studio.  If you do not have one, try using a car window shade (shiny silver).  For studio lighting, I use I profoto lights with a large umbrella, a hair light, and  larson reflector.  Check to see if the pet is afraid of strobe lights prior to photographing them.  Some may become scared.  If that is the case, and use hot lights (constant) or natural light.

5.  Backgrounds:  For outdoors, find a darker background behind your pet.   Such as, trees, bushes, building, etc.  Light backgrounds can be blown out from the sunlight, especially if it is in the middle of the day.  For studio portraits with your pet, use a background that is complimentary to their fur colors.  Solid backgrounds work best.  You want to flatter the animal, not take away from them.    For studio portraits with your pet, paper backgrounds work well and you can purchase those at your local teaching store (small ones) or at your local camera store.  Here in Austin, TX, we have a great camera store called Precision Camera.  They sell great paper backdrops for great prices.  If the animal messes them up, new paper can be rolled down and the old disposed of.

6.  Camera Tips:  Be patient, snap as often as you are focussed, fill the frame (unless you are planning to print a 20×30 of your pet on you wall then please include some of the background and make the subject smaller)  and most importantly, focus the camera on the eyes.  If the eyes are blurred, the picture is not good.  Karen tends to use only one focal point on her camera and almost always focuses on the eye of her pets, seniors, and families, and children.    Shoot low and get on their level.  Don’t be afraid to get down on the ground with your pet and the camera.

7.  Other Tips:  If you are photographing indoors in a place such as a studio or in your home, try to contain the dog to one room so they can explore the room and not leave.  This way you won’t have to chase them to get back to the backdrop area.  Also, keep on hand, a lint roller and baby wipes for pets that slobber and shed.  When they are a little scared, they may shed more and you don’t want the hair to end up in your pictures.  One last thing, too many people can be a distraction to the pet in getting their attention.  Try to have an assistant or just one of the family members to help with the photos so that the pet is not looking in several different directions in the room.

Have Fun Photographing your Pet!

Karen, photographer at Jordan Ashley Photography in Cedar Park, TX