Pet Photography
Photographing your pet is often an incredibly rewarding experience. Done well, it’ll allow you to immortalize Fluffy or Spot and that significant member of your family and the pet that shared your food chewed your shoes and carried you the newspaper.
The act of genuinely photographing your pet will bring you both closer because the method opens you to note the tiny, breath-taking things that you may need to be missed before and the way he wags his tail, etc. this is often a grand adventure.
Introduction
Photographing your pet is often an incredibly rewarding experience.
Done well, it’ll allow you to immortalize Fluffy or Spot – that significant member of your family – the pet that shared your food, chewed your shoes, and brought you the newspaper.
In fact, the act of seriously photographing your pet will bring you both closer because the method opens you to notice the tiny, beautiful things that you may need to be missed before – the way he wags his tail, etc. this is often a grand adventure.
Goal
As with anything, it is best to proceed with a goal in mind, so you recognize where to start out. What are you trying to accomplish?
Are you trying to capture your pet’s lively side? Are you trying to set up a funny photo using a prop like a birthday hat?
Is that an interactive portrait between your pet and your child? Sit down and placed on paper this goal because it’ll assist you in preparing correctly. Nothing is worse than spending an hour getting to your favorite scene with equipment in hand and realizing you forgot a favorite toy – do your self a favor, don’t skip this step.
Settings
Now that you have selected your goal, it’s now time to decide the right setting. Indoors vs. outdoors.
Near the fireplace with an open fire in the background, or in a studio. At the beach or within the woods. As you think that about the right setting, believe how your pet will answer that setting.
If you choose the public park is the perfect place, you must think about your pet’s confrontation with distractions. Is he/she ready to resist running after another animal or person? The more you recognize your pet and appearance through his/her eyes, the better off you will be.
Preparation
Now you’re at the critical preparation stage. You’ve set your goal, you’ve selected the appropriate setting:-
Let’s attempt to anticipate all which will (and will) go wrong.
I exploit the word ‘wrong’ loosely – try not to be too rigid and to possess fun – we’ll talk more than during a minute. Write out on paper every possible thing you’ll consider.
Here are some suggestions:
- ∑ Exercise your pet – just enough, so they are still aware, but not hyper
- ∑ Lighting – outdoor is best, but the flash will work too – should be natural lighting
- ∑ Grooming – as long as it doesn’t adversely affect your pet’s mood – then do it days beforehand
- ∑ Props/Toys – favorite of the pet
- ∑ Food – favorite of the pet
- ∑ Be prepared for sudden movement – shutter speed about 1/125th and use iso 400 or 800 films (if indoors)
- ∑ Watch the scene clutter
- ∑ Have pet a minimum of 6 feet away from the background to scale back shadows
- ∑ Bring an assistant to assist manage your pet
- ∑ Zoom Lens
- ∑ Camera, Film, Tripod, Equipment, etc.
- Etc., etc. Are you getting the idea?
The first time you make out your list, the method is going to be a little tedious, but the beauty is that once the list is formed, all you would like to try to do is modify it slightly for subsequent sessions.
On Location
Whew, you’ve made to shooting location – congratulations. Hopefully, you’ve brought everything you’re going to need, right?
Right! Now, it is time for setup. Be organized; get everything laid call in a logical fashion.
The last thing you would like to be doing is fiddling around with equipment once you need to be shooting pictures – an animal features a zero span, and you’ve got to be able to snap that picture when the moment is there.
How is your animal’s demeanor? Is he/she super wound up? If yes, then perhaps some light exercise would be so as – nothing too heavy, but only enough to assist him/her settle down.
How are you? Are you stressed? Relax, and accompany the flow – animals are super sensitive to your mood. Give your pet some eleventh-hour grooming – just touch-ups. If you’re outdoors, how is that the wind? Is it too strong? Is that the sun too bright? Remember, overcast is far better for exposure. Confirm that your pet is way enough faraway from your background so on not cast any shadows.
The Photographer’s Mindset
Your mindset should be one of peace and serenity. I can not overstate that enough. Also, you would like to climb into the mind of your pet as best you’ll. What are they thinking and feeling? Align your expectations properly. If you’ve got never done this before, don’t expect perfection the primary outing – which will raise your anxiety level and can stress out your pet.
Shooting
One of the most important things to remember is to get down on your pet’s level, physically, the maximum amount as possible. An attempt from above doesn’t portray intimacy. Additionally, once you are at your pet’s level, it’s easier for you to empathize with it.
If you’ve never crawled around on the bottom before, you might feel a bit foolish, but trust me, it makes all the difference within the world.
Make sure that you and your handler work with one another – you’ve got need to be responsible, but also attempt to be flexible – you’ve got tons of variables that you directly are managing.
Be patient, and have tons of fun!!!
