How to Photograph your Pet

Article written by Steven Wandy

One of the most popular reasons that people get cameras is to take pictures of those they love. Be it family members or favorite pets, we all love to “shoot” them. Taking pictures that you are proud of, whether it is of your little toddler or your beloved pooch or feline can be a very frustrating experience BUT is incredibly gratifying when you get that one great shot.

To see a regular updated gallery of Max go to this link: http://www.pbase.com/swandy/max&page=all

I generally have both of my current cameras – our beloved G7 and a DSLR – sitting on a shelf, loaded with batteries and memory cards on either full AUTO or P mode. I realize that these modes are not the most creative, but I have learned – from raising two children and now with Max – that getting that great shot is sometimes more a matter of timing rather than how good you can control your camera settings. This way I can just grab one of the cameras and start shooting.

When I have the time to think about what I want, I always prefer some version of aperture priority mode (referred to as Av mode on the G7). This allows me more control of what will be in focus due to the changes of Depth of Field. I feel that you can get better portraits (and that is what pet photography is all about) when you can control what is in focus and what isn’t. Just remember – if possible – you want the eyes to be sharp. Many good portraits/shots have been ruined by out-of-focus eyes. That is the first thing that people look at when shown a portrait.

I also tend to prefer natural light than flash when photographing both people and pets. (One of the reasons that I love the G7 is its Image Stabilization. This allows me to shoot handheld at much slower shutter speeds. Of course, it also assumes that my subject is not moving.) This is just a personal preference and I have seen many wonderful portraits using flash setups. However, most of the really good ones are using multiple flash heads such as are used in a portrait studio.

If you must use a flash – for example because of insufficient indoor lighting – the one on the G7 does get the exposure right most of the time. However, the results are generally rather harsh and not very flattering as it the case for 99% of the built in camera flashes. One of the big advantages of the G7 is it is one of the few point and shoot cameras to have a hot shoe. This will allow you to utilize one of the larger Canon flashes that allow for bounce flash would work much better.

Even the 220EX Flash (the one that I purchased) gives better results than the built in one. It is more powerful which will allow you to get further you’re your subject and still get good exposures and since it is raised above the camera it tends to avoid the dreaded “red eye” (or actually yellow eye in pets) that built in flashes tend to give. If you really wish nice results, the larger flashes from Canon (the 430EX and 530EX) have tilting heads, which allow you to bounce the light off a wall or ceiling.

Another technique, one that I have not tried yet with the G7, is to put something over the built-in flash to defuse its light. I have utilized opaque tape or white paper on other small cameras in the past. Obviously if your only flash option is the built in one, just use it. Getting the shot is much more important than no shot at all.

Posing of an animal, especially a young one, generally causes problems. They don’t wish to sit still!!! When Max was younger, we would put him on a chair. He was afraid of the height and would not jump off. (Unfortunately that does not work any more.) I have found that younger animals will tend to sit still longer if you give them one of their toys to hold or lean on. Also, having a second person to get the animal’s attention is very often useful.

This is a technique that many studio photographers use to great advantage when photographing children and pets. One technique that I sometimes use with Max is to have him sit near (or actually on) me. With the image stabilization on the G7 (and very often the 3200 ISO Mode) I can hold the camera in one hand and take a series of shots. They don’t always work, but occasionally I get that one really good one.

Another good technique is to use the multiple exposure drive mode on the G7. This allows you to shoot off multiple shots in quick succession – I think at around 3 frames per second. This makes it much easier to capture that fleeting expression – or at least avoid the ones where your pet has his or her eyes closed. (In Max’s case we are still trying to see a picture where his tongue does not stick out.) Most people think of this type of setting being used for action shots, but for moving subjects (or at least not sitting perfectly still ones) it works wonders. It gives you the chance to check the expressions – yes pets have them also – and pick the one you like the best.

Another thing to remember when using any zoom lens – but especially true with a P&S camera like the G7 where the zoom is not as responsive as a DSLR where you just rotate the lens barrel – get the shot and worry about cropping later on. Many times I have taken shots that were not composed as I would have liked but they were saved or improved by judicious cropping afterwards. Remember, the G7 is a 10 mega pixel camera. That gives you plenty of room for some serious cropping later on.

Picture Max 8 Final cropped picture of Max

Just remember – have a lot of patience and don’t get too frustrated. It’s all worth it when you get that one wonderful shot.

Steven Wandy