How to Take the Best Photos of Your Pet

Trying to get photos of your pet and keep him still is a never-ending job. It doesn’t matter whether you want to take a selfie with your pet on it or just a normal photo of him.

Have you tried to catch your pet when he’s distracted? Why does he always seem to run off when you press the camera button? We’ve got some great tips today on how to take the best photos of your pet.

You probably wonder how people post photos of their dogs and cats on social networks that look like they’re out of the pages of a magazine? Sad but true, you probably haven’t been able to get anything similar.

However, you can stop worrying now because we’re here to help you. As we’ve said, we’ll teach you how to take the best pictures of your pet.

Tips for taking the best photos of your pet

You’ll soon become like one of those influencers on social networks, the ones who take movie-like pictures of their pets. Just follow these tips:

• Never use flash. It’s best to choose a moment during the day when there’s enough light to avoid using the camera flash. Why? Because the flash will make your pet freak out and move, or even worse, run away. It’ll also cause your pet’s eyes to look red and shine unnecessarily light on its face. It won’t be a photo worth sharing unless you avoid using the flash, as a rule of thumb.
• Aim at the eyes. It doesn’t matter if your pet’s looking at you or not; focus on his eyes and you’ll get a wonderful picture. In other words, their deepest expressions and feelings are found in their gaze, and that’s where you should focus on.
• Be at your pet’s level. If you try to take a picture from above, the animal may feel intimidated. Remember, he doesn’t know what a camera is or what it’s for, so when he sees you’re above him with a strange and unknown object in your hand, it’s only logical that he’ll try to run.
• Focus on your pet’s personal traits. The picture will look more amusing if it highlights an aspect of your pet’s personality. For example, if your cat loves to eat a lot, take a picture of her while she eats anxiously. Or, if you have a dog that never stops sleeping, take a picture when you catch him in a strange position and fast asleep.

Things to have in mind while photographing your pet

• Choose an ideal background. A single-colored background where your pet can stand out is not the same as a background with multiple colors where your pet blends in. In both cases the picture can be beautiful, it depends on you knowing what you’re looking for. In addition, if you leave the background out of focus, your pet will stand out in the whole photo and will be the protagonist.
• Use different camera lenses. Sometimes success is obtained from originality. Dare to try new things and use a different camera lens. Use a fish-eye or a panoramic lens, try putting color filters… You never know if the perfect photo will come from the most original situation! However, if you don’t have a camera, don’t worry; you can find lenses that are adaptable to your mobile phone and that offer these options.

Some extra details that make the difference

• Plan ahead. You can’t just walk in and take a picture of your pet, as it’s likely he won’t let you. Therefore, we recommend that you have the camera ready in your hand while you’re near your furry friend. Shoot other objects as well and even show him the pictures. This way he’ll see that it’s not a dangerous object and he will become familiar with it. As a result, when it’s his turn to be the model, everything is sure to be easier.
• Use multi-shot mode. This mode captures every moment as your pet moves. Maybe in one of those frames you’ll capture the best pet picture on social media? Who knows!
• Get inspired. If you’re not sure where to start, look for pictures of pets online and try to use some of the postures or places that you see there.
• Have fun. Pour all of your love into the moment, enjoy it, and make sure he enjoys it too. In fact, if you turn it into a contest to make a good photo, it’s likely that your hairy friend won’t be happy about it and will refuse to be photographed, making you upset and frustrated.

Taking photos of your pet doesn’t have to be so difficult. If you follow these tips it’s possible that the next picture that becomes viral will be one of yours!