It is no longer unusual to see a beautifully done portrait of the family pet or pets along with the family portraits hanging on the wall. After all, pets are part of the family, too, and deserve a place on the wall and in our photo albums in recognition of the love they bring into our lives. And as our pets grow into old age, it is natural to think about preserving their memory with a nice photograph portrait.
But how do you get good photos, worthy of framing, of your furry loved ones? Frequently, people find that their black dogs come out as black blobs with eyes, their white dogs are completely washed out, and that incredibly cute shot they got comes back from the film processor lacking that "quality" feel of a truly good photo. As a pet photographer, I'm asked all kinds of questions about making pet pictures better, so here are some pointers on turning so-so photos into good ones, and turning good photos into fantastic one-in-a-million shots that will be framed and proudly displayed in your home and on your web page.
First, some technical aspects: Red-Eye: This ruins otherwise good people-pictures, too, but is more pronounced in our furry friends-turning friendly Lassie into Devil Dog and cute little Angel into Evil Attack Cat. The problem can be prevented in several ways, the best of which is to shoot without a flash. If you must use flash, use an off-camera flash and hold it off to the side so the light doesn't reflect straight back from your pet's eyes into the camera lens. If your camera has a hot-shoe or PC outlet, you can buy a cable in most camera stores that will let you use your flash unit off-camera.
Dark/Light Animals: It is common to see photos of black dogs that look more like black blobs, and white dogs that have washed-out features. With black animals especially, it is important to give them lots of light from all sides to bring out their features and detail. Ideally, make the pictures outside in a shady spot on a sunny day or rent some sophisticated lighting equipment that will give you lots of light indoors. Avoid using fluorescent or tungsten light as they will distort the colors in your photo.
Don't look down on your subject: Pets tend to be much smaller than their owners, and we are used to looking down at them. But have you ever seen a nice, formal portrait of a person straining their neck to look up at the camera? It’s not flattering for the subject, so come down to their level. Sit on the floor or lie on your belly to get a good angle. I place them on a short bench (not so high they would get hurt if they jumped off) and mount my camera on a tripod adjusted to their eye level.
Now some of the more intangible aspects: Patience: I frequently tell people this is the number one job requirement of a pet photographer. Sure, pets don't always cooperate as well as we think they should or even could, but getting angry and using intimidation will only lead to a photo of an unhappy, uncooperative animal. I find most animals are well motivated by a patient sit-stay training session right on the spot (with lots of treats!) Squeaky toys and dangling feathers will get their attention when the camera is ready.
Getting that special look: Did I mention Patience? It may take some time for your pet to calm down, so just wait him/her out. Eventually they will relax (as soon as you step away from the camera) and do something cute. I hold the squeaky toy in the place where I want the animal to look. Where the animal looks is key to the feel of the final photograph. A favorite word or sound the animal likes will provoke a twist of the head, perk the ears up, or otherwise create that special look we want. In sitting poses, watch out for bad posture. A slouching, tired look will be magnified and unattractive.
Composition is tricky, because we see with depth perception in real life but a photo can only capture two dimensions, rendering a very different look on paper than what we remember seeing when we made the picture. To help visualize what the final photo will look like, view your composition through the viewfinder and pretend it's a picture. Notice the edges of the photo, items in the background and foreground, and the way the colors mix. With portraits of loved ones, we want to focus on the face, the eyes, and the overall facial expression. Keep the composition simple--a solid background and colors that contrast nicely will let the character of your subject stand out.
Get Close: Perhaps the easiest and most effective way for people to improve their photos is simply to get closer. Try doing just a headshot--and fill the viewfinder with it. Close-ups not only eliminate distracting clutter around the subject but let us see the subject more clearly.
Break the Rules: Don't be confined by what you've seen before. Experiment with color, props, settings, lighting and camera angles. And soon enough you'll be turning your photos into works of art suitable for framing!
