Tips for Dog Photography

Blog by: Sauvik Chatterjee

We all know that social media is extremely influential and if something goes viral the majority follows it. In recent times, pictures and videos of dogs have taken the internet by storm. You as a photographer might feel the urge to contribute to this trend but your photos might not look as impressive as the ones you see on Instagram. Don’t worry, here are a few tips for you to improve your photography of one of the most wonderful creatures on earth.

Eyes are the window to the soul
Focusing your camera on the eyes of a dog will give depth to your picture which could attract the attention of the viewers. You could also focus on the eyes to show an unusual eye colour or create a sense of familiarity. You can enhance this feeling by using a wide aperture (f/2.8 or lower). You should take these types of emotive pictures at the end of the photoshoot when your subject would relax
A black background will prove useful
It is not possible to shoot outdoors all the time, so you could set up a studio to take pictures of your dog. Paint a cardboard black and keep it behind your subject. Then use a spotlight to highlight the subject. This setup would create an illusion of depth which is necessary for this kind of photography. Even though it is a makeshift studio, the ultimate photograph would look professional.
Change your shooting mode

If the dog you’re shooting is active and happy-go-lucky, then shooting in burst mode would give you excellent pictures. Shooting continuous pictures of dogs of this nature would be a perfect idea because keeping them calm to take a composed picture would be tough.

Use the environment to your advantage

You might not like doing studio photography all the time. Furthermore, natural light could make your dog look more beautiful in the photographs you take. Any form of pet photography would be best in the golden hour which is the time before sunset and the time after sunrise. A cloudy day would also be a good time to shoot outdoors as it would give a pleasant glow to your photographs.

Experiment with the panning technique

For this to be successful you have to know where your dog will move. So, you have to manipulate your subject’s movements by using treats or toys. When you’ve made everything ready, press the shutter after moving your camera to the direction your dog is running. The panning technique would emphasize the pup’s movements and give textures in your photographs. You can practice this technique with other moving objects which have a certain trajectory before using it on your dog.

Natural poses are good sometimes

It’s not a good idea to force your dog all the time to pose. Every dog has their own peculiar behavior. Try to use it to your advantage as this could add a unique element to your photographs.

Make sure that the dog is comfortable

You might find yourself clicking pictures of someone else’s pet. You need to give the pup space to feel comfortable because if they’re not comfortable your shoot might get ruined. So, zooming on your subject would be a better choice than moving close to the subject. Remember to pack your zoom lens so that you don’t have to compromise on the quality of your pictures.

You should always try to analyse or gather intel about the nature of the dog you’re shooting. This would help you decide on how to take your photographs. The tips you just read here should give you the confidence to click pictures of these wonderful critters for your social media page.

Blog by: Sauvik Chatterjee

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