Want to take a wow photo of your dog or cat yourself, just for yourself or for a photo contest? Prins Petfoods image specialist Lonneke Tubbing is happy to help you on your way with 7 good tips to take stunning photographs of your dog or cat!
Find a nice place where you have the space to take the best photograph of your pet. Do you shoot indoors? Try to do so with natural daylight as much as possible, like for example close to the window. Do not attempt to use the flash light as this may distract or even frighten your pet. It can have a nice effect if your cat looks at the (natural) light, the eyes reflect beautifully.
Try to capture the character of your pet. Look for what really characterizes him or her. What is your pet good at? What does your pet like? What is his or her special feature? Is your pet mainly outside or inside in its element?
Tip: Make use of your dog or cat’s favorite toy.
Always make sure your animal’s eyes are sharp. If you increase your degree of bokeh (blur) in the background, the eyes will stand out even more. You can create a blurred background by photographing the eyes up close, using a large aperture, or for example by using a 50mm lens. Taking photograph of your dog or cat with your mobile? Many new iPhones or android-based high-end mobile phones have a portrait mode camera that also allows you to get more bokeh.
Did you know?
The photography term bokeh is derived from the Japanese word for blur, ‘boke’. You pronounce it like bokè, with a short “eh” sound. So now you can talk smart with professional photographers ;)
Photographing dogs and cats in action is great fun! You can shoot some unique images this way. For a newbie photographer this can be challenging, but practice makes perfect (and sometimes you just have to be lucky :). For action photos, use the sport mode of your camera or ensure to use a fast shutter time, for which you need a lot of light by the way. That is why it is best to record movement outside, where you also have enough space to have your dog or cat run or play.
In general, I recommend photographing dogs and cats at eye level. But if you want something more unique, try photographing your pet from a different angle/ perspective. For example, from below when your cat is on a cupboard. Or taking a picture of your cat or dog from straight above.
You cannot always ask of your pet to pose or act in a way that comes convenient to you for the picture you want to take at the time you want to take the photo. Allow your dog or cat to doe what it wants to do that moment. I had times where I had to wait for a few hours with a shoot for a cat that had hidden itself under the couch. Patience is a virtue! You want your dog or cat to be in its element and at ease, and not have him or her stressed or unhappy on the photo. Is your animal very active and playful during the photo session? Make fun action shots of your playing pet and don’t let your dog or cat pose in a certain spot where it has to sit still or take a certain pose.
Did you know?
Stressed cats often have large pupils. Stressed dogs pant and show a lot of white in the eye, which is visible as two half-moons.
The eyes of an animal can say a lot and are beautiful to capture from very close. You ma also want to take other close-up shots, such as of the bottom of a paw, the tip of the tail or the snout of the dog with his favorite toy. Your unique animal in your unique photo!
These were my 7 tips for dog and cat photography. Have fun!
Warm regards, Lonneke Tubbing
If you have experimented with above tips and wish to share your beloved pet’s perfect picture, send your picture with details like, name, age, character and ‘loves most’ to info@jakartapetfoods.com. With your permission we will share your picture-perfect dog, cat, puppy, kitten on our social platforms.
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