Clever Pet Photos

Whether you’re taking pictures of pets for your office hangings, or helping your customer order a Pet Picasso, the following tips will help ensure that the finished pet photo comes out looking great.

Taking a high-quality pet photo can be challenging, to say the least, but there are several ways to make it easier on yourself and your pet.

First of all, if using a digital camera, you will want to set your resolution to the highest setting.  Make sure the background contrasts with the color of your animal.  For example, if your dog has black fur, try to take its picture against a light-colored background, and vice versa.  Try to use as much natural light as possible to bring out the full texture of your pet’s fur, feathers, or scales.  Avoid using your camera’s flash whenever possible, as animals will often be spooked by the sudden bright light.  Some will even learn to associate your camera with this flash and will look away or close their eyes just before the picture is taken.  If you must use a flash, try to take the pictures while your animal is not looking directly at the camera to avoid unwanted “red eye” reflections.

If your pet has trouble staying still, or if you prefer to take a shot of your pet “in action,” activate your digital camera’s burst or sequence-shot settings to take several quick pictures in a row.  This way you can choose from several shots and weed out any blurry photos.  Some digital cameras have a “sports” mode which automatically focuses on objects in motion and eliminates motion-blurs.

To help your pet feel at ease while taking pictures, use natural settings that are relaxing to him/her.  Avoid times of day that your pet is naturally hyper, and you will save yourself much frustration.  Also, crouch or lay down and take your photos from your pet’s eye level for best results.

For more information on how to make your pet’s picture-taking experience as rewarding as possible, visit Photography.com.