Want to get some super pix of
your pet but feel hesitant when you remember the last batch of
disappointing photos you took? Relax! Photographing animals can
seem challenging, especially when those animals are your pets, but
a little practice using a few simple techniques can make it easy
and fun for both you and your subjects.
¥ Zoom in
If your camera doesn't have a
good zoom lens, get one. Most pets are quite a bit smaller than
most photographers and can easily get "lost" in the background.
The added benefit of a long focal length helps to make your pet
stand out from the background and become the clear focal point of
the photo.
¥ Get on their level
Take your pet photos at pet
level whenever possible; otherwise, your photos end up with a
distinctly human perspective that can diminish your pet's true
personality. Getting down on your pets level allows you to take
more intimate photos of your pet.
¥ Mix it up a bit
Like people, pets look
different when photographed from different angles. Taking a mix of
closely cropped facial or body shots, even just of eyes, whiskers
or paws, can make for some delightful and interesting pictures.
¥ Keep lighting natural
Stick to natural light when
photographing pets. Using a flash not only distracts them, it
creates weird "red eye" effects that will need to be removed from
the photo later. When photographing pets with very dark or black
fur, try slightly overexposing your images to capture more detail.
Slightly underexpose images of white pets and avoid photographing
them in direct sunlight, which can blur them out altogether.
¥ Freeze the frame
Pets often present photographic
moving targets, so when photographing them in motion use a fast
shutter speed to freeze the frame. Most digital cameras allow you
to adjust the shutter speed and aperture manually. Alternatively,
you can set the shutter speed and let the camera select a good
aperture to work with that speed. You can also choose 'sports'
mode in which your camera selects the fastest shutter speed
possible. Whichever shutter speed you use, consider taking a
series of shots in continuous mode-you can get some wonderful
photographs that way!
¥ Persevere
It's been well and truly said
that amateur photographers take one photo and hope it will be
great, while professional photographers shoot an entire roll and
hope they get one good shot. The more often you click the shutter,
the better your chances of getting a truly great pet photo become.
¥ Turn your pet photos into
fine art
After you've become a pro at
taking pictures of your pet, you'll probably find yourself wanting
something a little more elegant than a photo. When this happens,
remember that nothing will express the essence of your pet's
personality and spirit as elegantly as a fine art portrait. Fine
art portraits don't have to break your budget, either. A truly
talented professional artist can create an affordable portrait of
your pet working from photos, and work with you until you are 100%
satisfied with the results. To learn how to get superb fine art
portraits of your pets at a budget-conscious price, go to
http://www.howtotalkwithanimals.com/portraits.html
