Pet Photography 101 – video

The post Pet Photography 101 – video appeared first on Digital Photography School. It was authored by Caz Nowaczyk.

Taking photos of pets can be tricky. In this video, Matt Granger gives you some great tips to get better photos of your furry friends.

1. Establish the scene

Decide on what you want in the scene. Less is generally more, so you may just decide on a nice clean background to really let your pet shine.

2. Use sufficient depth of field and shutter speed.

Ensure you have a wide enough depth of field to get your pet’s entire face in focus. Also, use a fast shutter speed. If your shutter speed is too slow, you may end up with some blur if your pet moves suddenly (and we all know they do!).

Use a flash so that you get enough light into the scene. That way, you can keep your shutter speed fast, and your aperture wide.

Alternatively, consider photographing them outdoors in sunlight to really make their fur and eyes shine.

3. Bribery

You need to get your pet where you want them to be for the shot. To do this, you may need to use a little bribery. This can come in the form of treats.

Have your camera set and your focus ready, and once they get into position, you can fire off some shots knowing that they will be in focus.

4. Get their attention

Once you have bribed them into the position, you need to get their attention so that they look in the direction of the camera.

You know your pet, so use whatever you know will get their attaention – be it their favorite toy, or simply tapping the lens hood.

5. Be patient, and review your shots

Don’t set up a scene that is really unnatural for your pet. Use something that they are used to sitting on so that they are comfortable, and so you are not forcing the scene.

Don’t always expect to get it right on the first attempt. Take many shots to get the one you like.

And, moreover, have fun with your furry friends!