01
Get
your pet’s
attention!
Call his or her name, make sounds that they respond to,
and talk to them to get them to look at the camera (if that
is what you want). You can also use treats! Dogs will almost
always look right at the treat. If you have an assistant, even
better. Have him or her hold the treat where you’d like your
pet to look. Don’t forget to give a reward for being a good
model! They even sell attachments now for your phone that
hold treats and toys, hands free, such as Flexy Paw or Pooch
Selfie.
02
Choose
a clean
background.
Decide what you want the environment you’re shooting to
look like. Simple backgrounds, like a white sandy beach
or green grass, make your fur babystand out from its
surroundings. If your pet is black, avoid black backdrops,
brown - no brown, and so on.
03 Seek out
an authentic
setting.
04 Go
for the
grin.
Stay true to the personality of your pal. Does he or she
snooze all the time? Sometimes, the best opportunity to snag
that adorable photo is while he or she is in the most calm
state. If they love being outside, go out and let them run
around; just make sure you use your camera’s burst mode or
a fast shutter to capture those energetic moments!
An easy way to get them to give you that big grin is to
take them for a quick run or tug on a toy with them. An
active dog is a happy dog and will likely flash you a huge
smile after settling down. That pant they give after a good
5-minute play session gives off all the feels of a big happy
smile!
Change
your
perspective. 05
Take
lots of
pictures! 06
Get on your pet’s level and get creative! Different
photo angles help highlight your favorite parts
of your dog from all different points of view.
Shots from above are always my favorite because
it isolates their facial expressions, giving a more
portrait-like feel.
This is the first rule of photography, no matter
what the subject is. The more photos you take,
the better your chances are of getting those few
amazing shots. Sometimes, the best photos will
be the spontaneous ones you least expect. Don’t
forget to bring an extra battery just in case!
SEPTEMBER 2017
|
WINTER GARDEN MAGAZINE
|
41