Taking pictures of your pets does not have to be left to the professionals! You can get some great photos and have a lot of fun by following some of these great tips!
Environment:
Make sure you choose an environment where your pet is comfortable and knows the surroundings, you should allow 30 minutes for the pet to get used to the environment and the to the camera/photographer.
The best time for taking pictures is in the morning and in the evening, not mid-day.
Do not take pictures with the sun behind the pet.
Equipment:
Use a medium zoom fast lens, such as a 24-105 mm f4 with image stabilizer.
Using your macro lens will get better details.
Use a narrow depth of field, meaning that the pet is clear but the background is blurry.
Use a ISO setting as low as possible (100-800) and since pets move around a lot, use a high shutter speed.
Tips:
Make sure that the eyes of the pet are very clear/sharp or in focus; you always want to have a little bit of light in their eyes.
Be patient and wait for the moment when the pet is acting naturally!
Position the pet slightly off center in your picture.
Have somebody else help you when taking pet pictures: they can catch the pet’s attention by whistling or calling their name or squeaking their favorite toy.
Try taking pictures at the pet’s level rather than standing up and looking down at them. This can give a completely different and fun perspective to the photo!
Try catching their personality in the picture: catch them in action, sometimes these are the best shots!
