Animal photography is becoming an increasingly popular subject. Some owners of an amateur digital SLR camera use the automatic mode. In this case, more expensive smartphone models can be a comparable option when it comes to the results obtained. Here’s how to take a successful photo of your four-legged friend.
To take a picture of satisfactory quality, you will need a smartphone equipped with a good camera. However, the camera alone will not take the right picture for us. If you are wondering what you can improve when taking pictures, read some of the following tips.
Remember that in animal photography, apart from the equipment and technical skills, it is also important to cooperate with the four-legged model.
What should you pay attention to?
Hold the camera at eye level with your dog
When photographing an animal, we very often forget that it is much lower than a human. A photo of your dog taken from below will look much better than one taken from above. This applies to both portrait and sports photography.
Plan the frame, straighten the horizon and take care of the background
Before you take the photo, think about how you want it to look and what’s in it. Make sure there is an interesting background behind the posing dog, rather than a rubbish bin or parked car.
Try to avoid central framing
Place the dog on the left or right of the frame so that its surroundings are shown. Use the golden ratio (these are the four key points in any composition). Try to make your pictures tell a story.
Turn off the flash
When using the built-in flash, there is the problem of overexposed photos, glowing eyes and unnatural expressions. In addition, no pet likes to be flashed straight at the muzzle. Remember that your dog’s comfort should be a priority in this situation.
Get to know your model and learn to cooperate with him
Learning tricks is great fun for both the dog and its handler. It is worth teaching your pooch a few commands. For example, asking on two paws, staying at a distance, changing position from sitting to down, looking at the camera, and putting his head down on the ground or other objects. The photos will be interesting and the bond with your dog will be deepened by working together. It’s a good idea to bring treats or toys that your four-legged model likes.
Look at other good photos
Get inspired, learn from others, test, break patterns, and develop and photograph because practice makes perfect.
Remember that the best camera is the one you currently have with you, that you can pull out at any given moment and capture the moment.
Solid foundations
When starting with animal photography, start with the less complicated equipment. With time, when you broaden your experience, skills and knowledge, as well as when you gain experience in working with animals, you will decide whether you want to replace the camera in your phone with a more advanced device, even a digital SLR camera.
By working in this way, you will be able to get much more out of your equipment than if you started straight away with professional cameras. Just like in any other field, a solid foundation in photography pays off down the line.
Remember, whenever you need professional photos of your pet for commercial or personal purposes, you can use a professional pet photographer who not only has professional equipment, but also experience and skills.
