Taking photos of your pup can be difficult and frustrating—from keeping them focused to editing and angles. Follow these steps to get that special photo your best friend deserves:
1. Keep them engaged
Keep treats at the ready to bribe your pup to look at the camera. It’s also a good idea to wear them out a bit beforehand so they can sit still for you.
2. Capture their unique personality
If your dog is relaxed, try taking a photo of them curled up on the couch. If they’re energetic, capture them in an action shot playing fetch or jumping in the air. If they’re obedient, take a photo of them practicing their favorite trick.
3. Avoid the flash setting
Using a flash can result in laserbeam eyes and can startle your pet. If needed, point the flash at a wall or ceiling instead of directly onto your pooches face. Just like photographing humans, use natural light for the softest image and try to avoid taking photos in the middle of the day with harsh sunlight.
4. Pick a great location
Having a background that contrasts your dogs fur will make their coat pop. If your dog has light fur, experiment with darker colored backgrounds—such as your favorite colored walls in your city and vice versa.
Try to keep the background simple so it doesn’t distract from your dog. You can also experiment with your background colors complimenting your dogs accessories.
5. Experiment with different angles
Take photos from different angles so you can to avoid the standard birds eye view of your pup. Holding the camera at their level will produce the best results. Higher angles will make your dog look small and cute, lower angles will make your dog look larger, and are a great way to photograph their new studded dog collar or dog tag.
6. Edit the photo to make your dog stand out
Keep the editing subtle - don’t increase the highlights or contrast too much or you will lose details in your dogs eyes and fur. If you don’t own photoshop or lightroom, download a free app like snapseed or vsco. There are hundreds of tutorials on how to use vsco and snapseed like a pro.
Don’t forget the most important part, reward your dog with their favorite treat!