How to Start with Pet Photography

Taking pictures of your pet can be a very rewarding thing to do. If you do it right, you can make Fluffy or Spot a part of your family forever. They shared food with you, chewed up your shoes, and brought you the newspaper. In fact, taking good photos of your pet will bring you closer together because you'll start to notice small, wonderful things about him that you might not have noticed before, like the way he wags his tail. This is an exciting journey.

Introduction

Taking pictures of your pet can be a very rewarding thing to do. If you do it right, you'll be able to remember Fluffy or Spot forever, that important family member who shared your food, chewed your shoes and brought you the newspaper. In fact, taking good photos of your pet will bring you closer together because it will help you notice small, wonderful things you might not have noticed before, like the way he wags his tail, etc. This is an exciting journey.

Goal

As with anything else, it's best to have a plan so you know where to begin. What do you want to get done? Do you want to show how playful your pet can be? Do you want to take a funny picture with a prop, like a birthday hat? Is this a picture of your pet and your child that they can talk to each other about? Sit down and write this goal down because it will help you get ready in the right way. Do yourself a favor and don't skip this step. There's nothing worse than spending an hour getting to your favorite scene with all your gear and then realizing you forgot your favorite toy.

Setting

Now that you know what your goal is, it's time to choose the right place. Indoors vs. outdoors. In front of an open fire in the fireplace or in a studio. In the woods or at the beach. Think about how your pet will react to the right setting as you think about it. If you think the public park is the best place, you should think about how easily your pet gets distracted. Can he or she stop themselves from running after another animal or person? The better off you will be, the more you know about your pet and try to see things from its point of view.

Preparation

Now is the most important time to get ready. You've set your goal and chosen the right place, so let's try to think of everything that can (and will) go wrong. I use the word "wrong" loosely. Try not to be too strict and have fun. We'll talk more about that in a minute. Write down everything you can possibly think of. Here are some suggestions:

1. Lighting should be natural lighting (outdoor is best, but the flash will work too).
2. Take your pet for a walk, but not too much. They should be alert, but not crazy.
3. Grooming should be done days before the event, but only if it doesn't make your pet unhappy.
4. Favorite props or toys of the pet
5. Food - the pet's favorite
6. Be ready for sudden movement; set the shutter speed to about 1/125th and use film with an iso of 400 or 800 (if indoors)
7. Look at the scene mess
8. Keep your pet at least 6 feet away from the background to cut down on shadows.
9. Zoom Lens
10. Bring someone to help you take care of your pet
11. Camera, Film, Tripod, Equipment, etc.

Etc., etc. Do you see what I mean? The first time you make your list, it will be a little time-consuming. However, once the list is made, all you have to do to change it for the next session is make a few small changes.

At the Place

You finally made it to the place where the movie will be shot. You've probably brought everything you'll need, right? Right! It's now time to set up. Be organized and set up everything in a way that makes sense. When you need to take pictures, the last thing you want to be doing is fiddling with your gear. An animal has no attention span, so you have to be ready to snap that picture when the time is right. How does your animal act? Is he or she really worked up? If so, he or she might need to do some light exercise—nothing too hard, just enough to help him or her calm down. What's up? Are you anxious? Animals are very sensitive to how you feel, so just chill out and go with the flow. Give your pet some last-minute grooming - just touch-ups. How is the wind where you are? Does it have too much? Does the sun shine too much? Remember that a cloudy day is much better for taking pictures. Make sure your pet is far enough away from the background that it doesn't cast any shadows.

How a photographer thinks

Your thoughts should be calm and peaceful. I just can't say that enough. Also, you should try as hard as you can to get inside your pet's head. What do they think and how do they feel? Make sure your expectations are realistic. If you've never done this before, don't expect to get it right the first time. That will only make you and your pet more anxious.

Shooting

One of the most important things to remember is to get your pet's level as low as possible. A shot from above doesn't show how close people are. Also, when you are on your pet's level, it's easier to understand what it's going through. If you've never crawled around on the ground before, you might feel silly, but trust me, it makes all the difference in the world. Make sure you and your handler work together. You have to be in charge, but you should also try to be flexible because you have to deal with a lot of different things.

Be patient and have a great time!!!