Ava Williams
Dogs are full members of many families these days. Unfortunately, the value of professional photos of these family members is often greatly underestimated. We have therefore put together 10 tips to help when photographing four-legged friends and to ensure that every dog owner has great photos of their dogs.
Use natural light
Flash can easily make photos look cheap and can scare off dogs or even hurt them if the flash is very bright. It is therefore best to take photos outside. The light shortly after sunrise and before sunset is particularly suitable. If it is still slightly cloudy, the light is perfect!
Go at eye level
To make the picture more interesting, photograph your dog at eye level! The worm’s-eye view is also useful if you’re not afraid of grass stains on your jeans.
Pay attention to the background
The background should not contain too many colors as they could steal the show from your dog. At best, tidy up the garden beforehand and set aside color-distracting things such as a red ball or something similar. To achieve a particularly high blurring of the background, it should be as far away as possible.
Get up close to your dog
Many compact cameras these days have a macro feature that allows you to photograph things up close. So how about a photo that just shows your dog’s nose? A real eye-catcher!
Show your dog’s nature
Is your dog very playful and likes to romp? Show that in your photos!
Is your dog calm and relaxed and prefers to sleep in a certain corner of your garden? This is also wonderful to hold on to. Don’t try to “restyle” your dog’s character for a few photos. After all, photos that show your dog exactly as he is are much nicer.
Avoid distractions
You should make sure that you are the most interesting thing for your dog when taking the picture. Toys lying around, children romping around or other animals should therefore be avoided as far as possible.
Don’t overwhelm your dog with attention
The more attention you give your dog, the less attention he will give you. But that is exactly what is required for dog photos. Talk to your dog as little as possible while taking pictures and avoid excessive petting.
Grab attention at the right moments
Let your dog be a dog for a while and get ready to go (e.g. lay on the floor). Only then should you begin to get your dog’s attention. When doing this, you should be careful not to work with a squeaky toy or similar, or to pull out the treats directly, as this will usually only tempt the dog to run to you. Try making a sound with your mouth. Since the dog does not know exactly where the sound is coming from, it will look in your direction for a moment. This is the moment when you should press the shutter button on your camera as quickly as possible. When homemade sounds are no longer enough, it’s time to use toys and treats.
Be Safe
Safe Never put your dog in a situation that you are not 100% sure is safe for your dog (and of course you!).
Be patient
Don’t get discouraged if you don’t get it right the first time. It’s often down to the timing when the photos don’t turn out well. But maybe your dog isn’t in the mood at all, so cancel the photo campaign and try it on another day. After all, no master has fallen from the sky! Do not give up!