CC eNews: 'Pawsome' Portraits - How to Capture in 6 Easy Steps

If you’ve been lucky enough to have a pet around while working from home, this is the 'pawfect' opportunity to practice your pet photography skills and try to get some beautiful portraits of your furry friend.

For best results, if you have an actual camera - now’s your chance to use it. But if not, these tips can be applied to your phone camera as well.

1. Light & Bright

Good lighting is key to any kind of photography. Morning and late afternoon are often great times to shoot outdoors or if you’re planning a posed photograph indoors, try placing your pet near a large window or a light source such as an open or glass door. Natural light produces the best results and we doubt your pets (like humans) appreciate lots of flashes in their faces, so avoid the flash.

2. Get Down Low

For pet photography, it’s best not to just take pictures looking down as you’re so much taller than them, right? So for the most part, get down on their level and be creative with different perspectives. Try close-ups of the face or paws, and experiment with a variety of angles like from way down below (especially for bigger dogs), or from the side or from a distance.

3. The Eyes Have It

Focus on the eyes as they say, ‘these are the gateway to the soul’. The eyes are the most expressive part of an animal’s face, so if you want to create really engaging portraits, focus on the eyes and capture their interesting facial expressions as they evolve through the shoot.

4. Use Bribes...I mean...Treats

Treats can be super useful if your pet is reward-driven, and you’d like them to stay still or follow a command for a particular shot. The promise of treats will make even a partially well-behaved dog sit still for a few seconds, and cats might pay attention to treats or toys. Puppies can display some interesting behaviour and expressions with the use of a squeaky toy.

5. Who's Who In The Zoo?

It’s important to capture your pet’s character. So if they are the sleepy type - then photograph your pet having a nap or tucked up in a cozy bed. An active beach lover? Then catch them in action, enjoying their favourite environment. You are aiming to tell the story of your pet and depict their character, just as you would a portrait.

6. Be Patient & Have Fun!

Photographing pets is not unlike capturing babies and toddlers, they wriggle around...ALOT! They also take in our emotions like a sponge, so relax and have fun for the best results. Enjoy the shoot, take lots of photos and have patience - I can assure you this will be reflected in the best (and cutest) photos of your furry friend!

Want Some More Pet Photography Inspo?

By the way, do you look just like your dog? Or maybe you know someone who does? One of my favourite animal photographers, Gerrard Gethings, captured photos of 25 pairs of dogs and their owners that look hilariously alike! View these amazing images HERE