5 Tips for Taking the Best Pet Photography

Photography Tips

best pet photography One of our favorite Instagram activities is searching through hashtags like #PetsofInstagram. We’ve lost hours looking at photo after photo of adorable animals—many of which have their own Instagram accounts. And why not? Fur babies make amazing models and it’s important to preserve our memories of them for years to come.

So, whether you’re thinking about starting an Instagram account for your precious pet, or simply want to take better furry family photos, the following tips will help you take the best pet photography.

1: Get your timing right

The moment Muffy strikes a perfect pose is when you need to be ready to snap that picture. This might mean creeping up like a ninja or waiting until Muffy closes her eyes, but once you capture that shot, it’ll all be worth it. And don’t worry if you weren’t able to get it—pets provide a seemingly endless array of photo opportunities, you’ll get the next one!

2: Take lots of pictures

Even if you think you got the perfect picture, take another five just to be sure. You might even want to try the same shot from different angles. The great thing about digital photography is you can instantly go through all the pictures and delete anything sub-par so don’t be afraid to keep clicking!

3: Avoid using flash

Unfortunately it’s difficult to take clear photos of pets with dark-colored fur. Using flash, however, only exacerbates the problem because A) the flash can interact with your pet’s eyes, giving them an eerie glowing look and B) pets don’t love a bright light flashing in in their face.

Here’s a handy smartphone camera trick for taking pics dark-colored pets without flash: As you’re lining up the shot of your pet, tap where their face is on the phone’s screen. This will allow the camera to automatically center the shot and adjust the lighting on your pet’s face—highlighting it for the picture.

4: Make use of treats and toys

If your pet is completely disinterested in having its photo taken and refuses to look at the camera, then it’s bribing time. Show them a treat or their favorite toy, and use it to get them to look in the direction you want.

5: Use burst mode

You never know when Mittens or Rex is going to strike the perfect pose so making effective use of burst mode can help you take the perfect picture—particularly when the pet is in motion. This method can result in some really funny or cool shots depending on what you capture.

You can also take your pet pictures and turn them into incredible photo keepsakes like pillows, playing cards, and even Christmas ornaments. Just remember to scan in your old photos of the pets you’ve had in your life—these can be turned into touching memorials.