One of the comments I hear all the time invariable sounds something like this – “I’d love to have a picture of my dog but she’ll never sit still for the picture.” When I hear this it allows me to start a conversation with the pet parent and let them know there are lots of ways to work with their dog to achieve a happy outcome for everyone. Think back to the last time you had your own picture taken. Did you like it? Did you feel weird, awkward? Probably not. And you knew what the camera was, you knew the strobes weren’t going to hurt you. Your dog doesn’t know any of that. With that in mind, here are 3 quick tips which should help you have some more success at home if you’re trying to make images of your pet.
1. Patience – Has your pet ever worked on your schedule? Why would they start today? Have patience, and understand that 30 minutes spent today, or an hour spent today, will contribute to yielding an image of your dog you’ll have for your lifetime.
2. Positivity – When the camera comes out, it should always be positive. Your dog can learn with the camera comes out, good things happen….be it treats, rubs, reinforcing language, the camera can be a good thing.
3. Lighting – You don’t need to invest in crazy lighting setups or flashes to get good images. Natural light images are some of our favorites. You can use a window and the light diffused through the window. Go outside in the yard about an hour before sunset to capture the best light of the day. Keep in mind that the noon-time sun is a harsh light and will likely give you harsh shadows on your image.
I hope these tips help you and your four legged friend achieve some success at home with your images. We are big fans, obviously of making as many images as you can with your pets, because there are no do-overs. The window for making images is short, shorter than we’d like it to be, so get out there with your pet and make some great images.
Of course, if you’d like to actually be IN the image with your pet, or want us to help out with you, drop us a line and we are happy to talk with you about how we can work together to make great images.
Until next time….you can follow us on Facebook and Google+
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