'Border Collie puppy' by Sharon Montrose
Not wanting to give you any clues at all...but I wonder what the next edition's competition might be about??!!!
Here are some handy hints and advice on photographing your pet. There are also some gorgeous photos to look at using the links at the bottom of the article. Just click on the bold orange type.
* Avoid red or green eye- When using flash. Your pet’s eyes will look green or red if you use a flash directly into their faces, because it reflects off the back of the animal's eyes. To avoid this you could take the photo at and angle rather than straight on. You could also take the picture a bit further away which will help.
* Take your pet in 'available light'…which is just what it says on the tin! Use light which is available to us…daylight taken outdoors or using light coming through a window.
* No too much posing. Pets don't much like being posed and the resulting pictures might not be very interesting as a result. Try not to dress them up in clothes or with accessories too much. It can be a bit tacky if overdone.
* Think background- try not to have a cluttered background which could be distracting. You may want to have your pet sharp and the background blurred. Try the portrait setting on your camera (or for the more advanced photographer, uses aperture priority with a shallow depth of field.) (Don't worry if this is too technical for you as there will be sections later on advanced techniques.) Make the background reflect the character of your pet…so if it a horse in a stable, place some tack in the picture. Or your cat may love sleeping so photograph it asleep, snug in its favourite basket.
* Include toys and games - a great distraction for your pet is to have its favourite toy with it. An old bear or ball. You may want to occasionally try squeaking a toy or blowing a whistle so that your pet looks in the direction you want. (You could get someone to do this for you. )
* Action shots are fantastic too …chasing a ball, a frisbee, a toy mouse on a string, or a horse jumping a fence…You may need to put your camera on shutter priority or action mode for this so your picture is not blurred.
* Be patient. Don’t rush things, walk away and come back later if things are not going right.
* Take lots of photos. Click away like crazy. You can always delete after the photo shoot, but it’s best to take lots whilst you have the chance.
* Experiment. Try different angles, (get down to their level or even lower and lie on your tummy for an interesting shot.)
* Try close ups. Maybe just the cat’s whiskers or the dog’s fur or the shell of your tortoise. There could be some great patterns in the shot.
If the eyes are in the picture-keep them in focus and sharp.
Also, have a look at some examples of fun and interesting pet photos…and be inspired!
There are some lovely images to look at on Flickr of adorable gorgeous dog portraits. Click here .........and here for some more.
Here is the site of a fantastic dog photographer and her work. Do have a look. There are some gorgeous images and lots to inspire you. Erin Vey
Look out for details of the next competition, hopefully you will have lots of photos to choose from by then!! Or even better....if you subscribe to the site then you will be the first to hear about the next competiton as soon as it appears.
Enjoy taking your own pet photos...I can't wait to see them!
Let’s click it!
Posts
