i am dog sitting a pomeranian tomorrow and i am using her to get a start on my pet photography. what are some tips to get very good pictures? they would all be outside. :) thanks in advance!
Keep the Eyes Sharp-Having sharp eyes is important in any kind of portraits photography. As they say, “Eyes are the Window to the Soul” and pets eye can be very expressive. So make sure to focus on your pet’s eyes and keep the tack sharp
Go to Them -so instead of forcing him to come to you go to him. Most important is to get down to his level; We all know how a dog looks when viewed from above, this is the way we always see them. Show us the way they see world! Sit on the floor or lie on your belly and remember to shoot from HIS eye level or below.
Be Patient- Pet photography requires a lot of patience. No matter how excited your furry friend is, if you are patient enough, he will end up by relaxing and you will have the opportunity to get a decent shot.
Experiment- Take your time, try different approaches, angles and compositions
Action Shots-Toss a ball and try capturing some stop-action shots with a fast shutter speed. It may take several tries (much to your dog’s delight) to get a really good shot of the ball and the dog as they are about to become one. Another technique to try is panning. This uses a slower shutter speed, about 1/30 of a second.
Keep your elbows tucked into your sides and swivel on your hips as you follow the running dog with your camera, taking several shots in continuous mode. The background will be very blurred and streaked while your dog is in focus – this technique results in a wonderfully exciting sense of speed.
Some tips: If you’re looking for action shots, have your photo shoot before the daily walk/run. If you want a serene portrait, make it after the run.
-Making noises such as whistling between your teeth etc. can be good for getting their attention but will probably result in ears being pricked up so beware of this if you’re going for that ‘classic’ Cocker look with the ears down.
-Also try to ensure the dog is not panting heavily, tongues hanging out is not the most attractive look
-Try positioning the dog in some flowers or greenery and photographing them looking out at you – these photos can be very effective.
- have some treats ready. If the dog knows the 'sit and stay' command you can hold the treat out and snap a good photo...
I am glad to see that you realize this as "something of great importance", as it truly is, but what concerns me is that you are putting this couples most cherished wedding memories at great risk. Don't do it! The job of a wedding photographer should not be taken lightly. It takes a tremendous amount of experience and knowledge to be able to deliver a quality job. Unlike portrait or engagement photography, you do not get the chance to redo it if the images do not come out...there is only one opportunity to get these images right and it takes a tremendous amount of knowledge and coordination on the photographers part to make it happen. It is my opinion that no one should ever take on a wedding job until they have been a second shooter at a few weddings to gain experience and become familiar with the flow of the day as well as any issues that may arise. If you are looking to break into the industry you should consider joining one of the wedding photography forums. I know the DWF has a mentoring forum where you can learn from your peers. I really do hope that you reconsider or at least tell the couple your concerns and perhaps offer to shoot the wedding for free to gain experience, that is, if they are willing. Good luck!
Do a few close ups on the dog and if he/she is doing something cute and funny just take a picture of it. :) That's how I did when I first started on pet photography.
Get down low and stay there. You have to be on their level to take good pictures.For at least the first 15 minutes, the dogs will be all over you because you're on the ground (at least that's what mine do). Just wait it out -- eventually they will get used to you being there, and once that happens you can get some great shots.
If your camera has a burst mode, use it. It's often difficult to focus on a moving object (dog) and get a good photo with just ONE shot. Set your camera to take multiple shots at a time and you're more likely to end up with a winner.
Pay attention to the background. Is there a bunch of clutter? If so, clean it up if you can. Better to do all you can to get the perfect photo BEFORE you sit down in front of the computer. I used to be careless about this and just say, "ah, I can always Photoshop it...." which in most cases was true, but Photoshop gets to be SUCH a hassle. Much easier to take 30 seconds to get the trash out of the background than to spend 30 minutes cleaning it up in Photoshop.
If there are things in the background that you can't clean up (telephone wires, an ugly car, etc.) just reposition yourself or slightly adjust the camera angle so that it's no longer part of the background. If your camera/lens has a wide aperture, use that to help blur the background. Remember to set your subject as far from the background as possible to get good background blur.
Make sure the sun is not too high in the sky. Right in the middle of the day, there is NO escaping those harsh shadows -- unless you have a shady area to shoot in. Evening, right before sundown, usually gives the best lighting.
That last one was originally an "outtake" and thank goodness I didn't delete it... it's turned out to be one of my all-time favorite pictures of my girl!
May I ask what kind of camera you're using?
Add:
Some more good photos to capture would be right after coming inside, when she's tired. Try to get her to lie down near a window or room that gives you plenty of natural light. You'll want to use a slower shutter (definitely not the "action" setting) so that you can avoid using the flash. In order to get good photos this way without any blur, just set the camera on the ground. Or, again, use the "burst" mode while trying to keep your hand as still as possible -- hopefully one out of three will come out clear. :) Get as close up as possible. To avoid having her get up, just inch closer and closer, taking a few shots each time. Much like the "sit and wait" technique I described before.
In cased you missed the key most important part of pet photography -- it's PATIENCE! Dogs don't pose for you (unless you have a very special dog :)) and they don't stay still for too long, so you just have to stick it out and keep on shooting until you get something you like. Practice makes perfect, and eventually you'll get to know your camera AND subjects well enough that getting good shots of them will take only minutes instead of hours.
When all else fails -- hold up a treat or a toy and just start shooting.
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Keep the Eyes Sharp-Having sharp eyes is important in any kind of portraits photography. As they say, “Eyes are the Window to the Soul” and pets eye can be very expressive. So make sure to focus on your pet’s eyes and keep the tack sharp
Go to Them -so instead of forcing him to come to you go to him. Most important is to get down to his level; We all know how a dog looks when viewed from above, this is the way we always see them. Show us the way they see world! Sit on the floor or lie on your belly and remember to shoot from HIS eye level or below.
Be Patient- Pet photography requires a lot of patience. No matter how excited your furry friend is, if you are patient enough, he will end up by relaxing and you will have the opportunity to get a decent shot.
Experiment- Take your time, try different approaches, angles and compositions
Action Shots-Toss a ball and try capturing some stop-action shots with a fast shutter speed. It may take several tries (much to your dog’s delight) to get a really good shot of the ball and the dog as they are about to become one. Another technique to try is panning. This uses a slower shutter speed, about 1/30 of a second.
Keep your elbows tucked into your sides and swivel on your hips as you follow the running dog with your camera, taking several shots in continuous mode. The background will be very blurred and streaked while your dog is in focus – this technique results in a wonderfully exciting sense of speed.
Some tips: If you’re looking for action shots, have your photo shoot before the daily walk/run. If you want a serene portrait, make it after the run.
-Making noises such as whistling between your teeth etc. can be good for getting their attention but will probably result in ears being pricked up so beware of this if you’re going for that ‘classic’ Cocker look with the ears down.
-Also try to ensure the dog is not panting heavily, tongues hanging out is not the most attractive look
-Try positioning the dog in some flowers or greenery and photographing them looking out at you – these photos can be very effective.
- have some treats ready. If the dog knows the 'sit and stay' command you can hold the treat out and snap a good photo...
I am glad to see that you realize this as "something of great importance", as it truly is, but what concerns me is that you are putting this couples most cherished wedding memories at great risk. Don't do it! The job of a wedding photographer should not be taken lightly. It takes a tremendous amount of experience and knowledge to be able to deliver a quality job. Unlike portrait or engagement photography, you do not get the chance to redo it if the images do not come out...there is only one opportunity to get these images right and it takes a tremendous amount of knowledge and coordination on the photographers part to make it happen. It is my opinion that no one should ever take on a wedding job until they have been a second shooter at a few weddings to gain experience and become familiar with the flow of the day as well as any issues that may arise. If you are looking to break into the industry you should consider joining one of the wedding photography forums. I know the DWF has a mentoring forum where you can learn from your peers. I really do hope that you reconsider or at least tell the couple your concerns and perhaps offer to shoot the wedding for free to gain experience, that is, if they are willing. Good luck!
Try Trick Photography Special Effects : http://photography.findpolo.com/
Do a few close ups on the dog and if he/she is doing something cute and funny just take a picture of it. :) That's how I did when I first started on pet photography.
Get down low and stay there. You have to be on their level to take good pictures.For at least the first 15 minutes, the dogs will be all over you because you're on the ground (at least that's what mine do). Just wait it out -- eventually they will get used to you being there, and once that happens you can get some great shots.
If your camera has a burst mode, use it. It's often difficult to focus on a moving object (dog) and get a good photo with just ONE shot. Set your camera to take multiple shots at a time and you're more likely to end up with a winner.
Pay attention to the background. Is there a bunch of clutter? If so, clean it up if you can. Better to do all you can to get the perfect photo BEFORE you sit down in front of the computer. I used to be careless about this and just say, "ah, I can always Photoshop it...." which in most cases was true, but Photoshop gets to be SUCH a hassle. Much easier to take 30 seconds to get the trash out of the background than to spend 30 minutes cleaning it up in Photoshop.
If there are things in the background that you can't clean up (telephone wires, an ugly car, etc.) just reposition yourself or slightly adjust the camera angle so that it's no longer part of the background. If your camera/lens has a wide aperture, use that to help blur the background. Remember to set your subject as far from the background as possible to get good background blur.
Make sure the sun is not too high in the sky. Right in the middle of the day, there is NO escaping those harsh shadows -- unless you have a shady area to shoot in. Evening, right before sundown, usually gives the best lighting.
These were taken right as the sun was setting:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zoebethphoto/24507362...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zoebethphoto/24407921...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zoebethphoto/24499159...
That last one was originally an "outtake" and thank goodness I didn't delete it... it's turned out to be one of my all-time favorite pictures of my girl!
May I ask what kind of camera you're using?
Add:
Some more good photos to capture would be right after coming inside, when she's tired. Try to get her to lie down near a window or room that gives you plenty of natural light. You'll want to use a slower shutter (definitely not the "action" setting) so that you can avoid using the flash. In order to get good photos this way without any blur, just set the camera on the ground. Or, again, use the "burst" mode while trying to keep your hand as still as possible -- hopefully one out of three will come out clear. :) Get as close up as possible. To avoid having her get up, just inch closer and closer, taking a few shots each time. Much like the "sit and wait" technique I described before.
Some examples of indoor "resting" shots --
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zoebethphoto/23146160...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zoebethphoto/46668901...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zoebethphoto/41280894...
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zoebethphoto/39133208...
These types of shots work great outside too --
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zoebethphoto/25967102...
In cased you missed the key most important part of pet photography -- it's PATIENCE! Dogs don't pose for you (unless you have a very special dog :)) and they don't stay still for too long, so you just have to stick it out and keep on shooting until you get something you like. Practice makes perfect, and eventually you'll get to know your camera AND subjects well enough that getting good shots of them will take only minutes instead of hours.
When all else fails -- hold up a treat or a toy and just start shooting.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zoebethphoto/25365465...
To photograph outside you may want to use a sun filter.
if you put this in the photography section you'll get better answers.