Guest Blogger: Amy Renfrey
Whether a photographer is professionally photographing pets, or whether it is the owner setting out to capture some good images of a beloved family member, the techniques for getting good images of pets will usually be the same. It all begins with the individual.
All pets are remarkably unique and have their own distinctive personality. This is something you should aim to capture in the image. It never hurts to actually itemize or write down the traits that should be caught in the photographs. For example, a cat who loves to lie in the sun, or a dog who steals rolls of toilet paper should be caught in the act of doing such things. Of course, this is not always a possibility so the next thing to consider is getting down on their level.
Most pets are small and significantly shorter than their owners. This means that good and accurate images of them should be taken down at their level. This could produce some wildly funny results. Consider a dog who gets excited about people crouching down…that is bound to produce some hysterically funny close up shots. A cat that is curious and daring will also probably walk right up to the camera as well, and this too will create some unique and amusing images.
At this moment it is important to note that any pet photographer should work hard to refrain from using the flash on their camera at any time when photographing a pet. For one thing, it tends to make dramatic “red eye” issues, and for the other, most animals find it very irritating or distracting to have a flashing light going off around them.
To avoid using the flash, the pet photographer may have to add supplementary lighting to the space in which the photographs are being taken, or they may need to go out of doors where bright ambient lighting will make the images more successful.
Wherever the photographs will be taken, it is important to remember two things – try to include people in the scene and try hard to get the animal in action. The environment in which the images are taken may limit the number of people or the amount of action, but it is significant to note that many people cherish a photograph of themselves with their pet in the years ahead, and getting them in a few images will be very valuable. Additionally, some of the greatest photographs of a pet can be captured while they are in motion. Using the burst mode on the camera usually ensures that some good examples of an action shot are taken.
Amy Renfrey
Teaching Digital Photography Enthusiasts All Over The World How To Take Photos With Superb Clarity And Detail
www.DigitalPhotographySuccess.com www.DigitalPhotographySecrets.com/focusezine.htm
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Kathy McBride, the owner of Pet Shotz animal photography, has created her own mobile pet photography business. From the article:
