Get in front of a window or go outside (in the shade) for your session. Flash gives animals awful, creepy, green glowing eyes which is not how you want to portray a friendly, family pet.
This image was taken with my camera phone. In the first image, I had my flash on (YUCK, no detail in the face and green glowing eyes). I took the second image in the exact same location but turned him to face the window and filled him in the frame… what a huge difference! You can now see those beautiful amber eyes.
It’s so much easier to make eye contact if you are at eye level with the pet. Remember “The eyes are the window to the soul” and really helps the viewer make a connection to the pet through the photograph.
This image was taken in the shade on a bright sunny day. Be careful not to use a tree as shade unless it is full shade. Often a tree will give dappled light and you don’t want speckles of light detracting from the pet’s beauty.
If you have a dog or a cat that just won’t stay still, put them in something. Yes, most likely they will climb out, but you have a good chance of catching them right before they do.
In this shot I put the kitten in a bucket and attracted his attention with some feathers before he had a chance to jump out.
If the animal is small enough, you can use an assistant to hold them in their hands while you take their picture. Even if they aren’t small, you can have someone hold them in their lap.
This image was taken indoors in front of a big window (but not in the direct sunlight).
I always have squeaky toys on me when I photograph dogs (and feathers & bells on a stick when I photograph cats). It helps to get them to look at you and perk their ears up. Sometimes you can even catch an adorable head tilt! If they are deaf or blind, usually treats will do the trick to bring their focus towards you.
In this image, I put the dog up on something (helps to keep them still and then I used a squeaky toy to get her ears to perk.
Do your best to find a simple background or get in nice and close so they fill the frame and the focus is on them.
This image was taken on a bright sunny day in my bedroom using window light only.
Some dogs and cats move very quickly and it’s not always easy to time exactly when they are going to look at the camera or do something irresistibly cute … so be prepared to press that shutter button at any time. The nice thing about taking a picture of your own pet or foster pet is that you have plenty of time. Don’t rush the picture. Wait for good lighting and a time when your pet is most relaxed. If you work during the day and it’s too dark before you leave or when you get home, wait for the weekend. If photographing outdoors, I like to shoot about an hour after sunrise or an hour before sunset. When the sun is really high in the sky it creates hard shadows on your pet and you also can’t find as much shade. When shooting indoors, you can photograph almost anytime during daylight. Just remember to be in front of a bright window, but not in direct sunlight.
