Having Good Photos of Your Pet
Basics of Photographing Your Pet
Having clear, color photos of your pet from several views is one of the key aspects in helping to get your pet back home as quickly as possible if they do get out.
There are different ways of getting good, quality photos of your pet. A lot depends on the type of animal you have, the type of camera you are using, the types of poses, views and backgrounds you need, the level of your pet’s skills to sit still and your skills as a photographer.
With a few extra minutes of planning, better photographs of your pets can be achieved. So many shots of pets I have seen appear haphazard because that is how they were taken. They appear that somebody just happen to have a camera and then took a few quick shots of the pet who happen to be sitting still for a moment. First, make sure your pet is brushed, clean and dry and wearing his/her collar and tags. I have seen some photos that were taken of the pet while on vacation and the dog is all wet and dirty at the lake or beach. The photos on the lost flyers should look as close to the dog somebody may seen walking/running down the street.
Remember that the background of the subject should be in contrast to the subject. For example, if you have a black cat or a white dog, make sure the background does not match them or they will fade directly into the background and their outline and size can not be determined.
After making sure your pet is ready, take a look at the background and make sure there isn’t anything that will clash with your pet’s color or markings. For example, in one of my cases, the Siamese mix who was missing was photographed from above and the cat was all curled up inside a checkered brown and white bed. I couldn’t tell where the cat ended and the bed began. The cat was upside down on its back and none of its face or markings were visible. The combination of the clash of all the patterns and colors made the image hard on my eyes. I found myself only being able to glance at the photo. Normally, this would be a very cute photo and get a lot of laughs, but it is not functional when the cat is lost and you need to show strangers what your cat looks like. Another common mistake is to place the pet in front of an object like a tree or pole and then the object looks like it is growing out of the pet’s head or body.
If you do photograph your pet on or near a piece of furniture, make sure the fabric color is contrasting to the pet’s color, shows them clearly and does not make them fade into the fabric.
Make sure that certain items are not in the photos that may distract from the focus of the pet. For example, don’t put in other humans, body parts (like legs or arms), family valuables or other animals. Each animal should be photographed individually, and not with other animals. Typically, this problem occurs when quick snapshots are taken of animals when they are still and a camera happens to be available. For security and safety, don’t put in humans with the pictures of your pets, especially children. When searching for your pet, these photos will be posted all over neighborhoods on flyers, on poles, bulletin boards and on the Internet, and you don’t want people to know that there are children in your home and where they live. And make sure that valuables like large screen TVs, heirlooms or jewelry do not appear in photos. Finally, make sure that license plates do not appear in photos. If somebody has access to DMV records, your address is available and your house may become a theft target.
Many people ask if shooting with a flash inside or outside is best for photos. My personal preference is to shoot outdoors in diffused sunlight like fog or an overcast sky. If diffused sunlight is not available, but lots of sunlight is, then there are two additional choices. If your camera has a flash, then you have the option of shooting some nice images with the subject’s back to the sunlight and their front in shadow. The subject’s will be “back lit” from the sunlight, creating a type of mild “halo effect” and they will be “front lit” from the flash, creating a nicely lit photograph all around. If your camera doesn’t have a flash, then shoot the pet in sunlight with their front facing the sun. This position may cause the pet to squint due to the bright light, but if you use a toy or other distraction, you may catch their eyes wide open long enough to get a good shot.
The reason I don’t like the use of flash indoors to shoot pets is because of many distortions that occur from the harsh, sudden and unnatural lighting. It is very common for red eyes to occur with the use of flash. Plus, the harsh front lighting on the pet tends to cause the background to be very dark because the subject blocks all light from reaching behind them. The unnatural lighting can distort the pet’s real colors causing blues, oranges or red tinting in white areas, depending on the quality of the camera and flash. Finally, the sudden burst of light tends to scare animals and can cause them to become startled or panic.
Never use a camera phone to take quality pictures of your pets. The overall quality of those cameras is generally too low to get any good photos of your pet that are worthwhile. The focus and lighting is too low, plus there can be problems with the ability to download some photos, especially if they are large.
When photographing your pet make sure you use a digital camera. The camera can be a point and shoot type or you can use a more advanced single lens reflex camera that easily takes many shots in a row with the use of a built in motor. The reason you want to use a digital camera is so that you can easily and quickly save the image to your computer and then take the photo from your computer and place it onto a Lost Pet flyer or poster displaying your missing pet. With the use of a film camera, there is, first, the cost increase of taking multiple shots that may not be good and will be discarded. Then, there is a time delay in processing the film. Third, after you get the image, it still needs to be scanned to a computer. Fourth, when a physical print is placed on a flyer and photocopied a “loss of a generation” occurs. What this means is that each time a print is reproduced it “looses a generation” of quality and in each loss of generation, the print becomes more and more “muddy” and high contrast and distorted. This problem does not occur with a digital image. The digital image always remains the “first generation” and does not degrade or become distorted by copying it. Finally, when shooting with a digital camera, you can preview each picture as you take it and make sure the shot is clear, centralized and has good color. It is easy to delete or reshoot is necessary, and the cost is not higher.
When getting good shots of your pet, especially for a pet that is camera shy, like my dog, Dot, my personal preference is to use a camera that can take multiple shots in a row simply by holding down the shutter release button. This feature is part of a single lens reflex camera and not of a point and shoot camera. The reason for this is so that you don’t have to rely on just one shot turning out, especially if your pet has a difficult time sitting still, in addition to being camera shy. If your pet moves around a lot when you are trying to take a picture, a camera that takes multiple shots can get a series of movements and you can pick the best and discard the rest. A person can easily get several good shots of just a side view in less than a minute, in one sitting.
Another good tip to getting great shots of your pet is to give them a few minutes break in between each view (sides and front), especially if your pet is having a hard time sitting still or is getting stressed by the sound of the camera, the flash, if one is being used, or by distractions in the environment.
If you have a point and shoot camera, then my recommendation would be to take as many shots in a session to get as many useable shots as possible. A single session for just a side view may take several minutes, depending on how cooperative and comfortable your pet is.
Whether you are shooting a dog, cat, horse, bird or small animal, there are basic rules to follow that will be useful to help another person identify your pet on a flyer. First, always, always, always shoot at the eye level to the pet. If this means getting on your stomach, knees or in another awkward position for a small pet, more accurate images of the animal will be achieved. One common angle that people use for quick shots of their pets is when they stand above their pet and shoot down. This pose causes the animal’s head to appear distorted in size to the rest of the body, and the entire focus of the shot is the dog’s head. This does not show the rest of the animal’s body color, coat length or the length of their legs, tail and body. All of these attributes are important to know if your pet is lost and you need people to positively identify them. It is a cute advertising pose, but it is not functional as a photo to identify a lost pet.
All animals should be photographed with these views: both sides, a full chest view, the top side and just the head. The sides should be shot independently of each other with the animal standing, remembering to include the head, feet and tail from nose to tip. This is particularly important if your pet has unique markings on one or both sides. If your pet doesn’t know how to do a formal stand stay, an additional person may be needed to keep the animal standing and looking forward with a toy or a treat. Another helpful technique to photographing your pets if you are alone, is to use a tripod and the timer on the camera, or the camera can be place on top of another stable object like a table or stack of books. Set up the animal inside the viewfinder, maybe with the use of chalk marks on the ground, set the timer with extra time, go back to the pet, lure them into a stand with a tasty treat and wait. Obviously, it may take several attempts, but your pet will probably enjoy themselves because they are getting a lot of yummy treats, and you are there with them. For a cat, this view can be achieved with the help of a friend and a little luring especially if your pet has unusual markings or pattern on their head or spine.
For dogs, teach them to lure them into a stand. This will be helpful to show their leg and tail length and colors. For cats, to get their tail and leg color and length, this might be more easy to shoot while the cat is lying down.
To photograph your pet’s top side, this can be achieved in a couple of ways. Put the dog in a sit stay then step behind them and quickly shoot before they move. Or, if the pet will stay or if there is assistance to hold them still, put the pet between a couple of chairs, stand above them, and photograph them from there.
To shoot your dog’s front view, including their head, chest and feet, it is best to start with the pet in a sitting position, with the pet’s collar and tags still on. If the dog does not have a solid sit stay, you may need the help of a friend behind you to lure the pet into a sit and hold them there with a treat just out of the view of the camera. The best angle for the head is to have the dog looking directly into the camera because this makes the full head with ears completely visible. The front views should have single shots of just the head and then separate shots of the head, chest and feet combined, making sure that any unique feet or chest markings are visible and clear. If the pet is a male dog, make sure that the penis is hidden behind one of the legs and is not visible. Once the pet is in a steady place, just moved the camera slightly off to the side, which should hide it behind a leg.
Sometimes it is not always possible to have a friend help out to hold the pet still or to lure them, or you don’t have a tripod, or a camera with a timer, and the pet is new and basic shots should be taken as soon as possible. One simple technique is to tie the pet to a stable post just behind and below them. Use a light line in both color and weight, like a laundry line, to minimize its visibility in the photos and to prevent it from appearing to “weigh the pet down” by being to heavy and clunky for the size of the pet.
When there are multiple pets in the home, make sure that each pet is photographed separately. If a pet becomes lost, and a clear photo is needed to identify them, it can be very confusing to a stranger looking at your flyer or individual photo, to try to decipher which pet is missing. In addition, when multiple pets are in a single photo, each pet will be smaller and the colors and body styles will be difficult to tell since when more than one pet is in a photo, generally they are next to each other. This prevents their true size and shape from being easily and quickly determined.
Another technique to use in photos to help show their proper size is to try to position the pet up against or near another object. For example, if the pet is small, have them sitting in a chair, on a lap, next to a toy or on a stair can help show how small they really are. On the other hand, if your pet is small, don’t shoot them from across the room or from above since this will distort their true size. This is particularly true if your pet is a mixed breed, compared to a known purebred. The average person will recognize a Doberman or a German Shepherd or a Labrador, so 100% accurate photos may not always be necessary unless your purebred has something unusual about them. If your pet is a mix, then more accurate photos will be needed since these photos will be necessary to show a stranger what your pet looks like.
If you pet has any unique markings like tattoos or brands, then make sure that photos are taken of those marks and show where they are placed on the body. For example, if your horse has a brand on his rear, left hip, than don’t be so close that you only take a photo of just the brand. Make sure you shoot the brand far enough back to show that the brand is on the left hip. I know that all this sounds like common sense, but I actually have seen these mistakes occur in photos.
Changing the photographs depending on the type of pet.
In general, if you follow the above recommendations for photographing any type of pet, they will apply. There are a few hints to follow for specific types of animals that can be helpful to getting your pet home quicker with better photos.
When photographing horses, there are a couple of keys views that need to shown. Getting them to stand is very easy since they do it naturally, and they can easily be tied to a fence or pole. Make sure the background is uncluttered and does not clash with the horse’s color, and that there are no posts or trees appearing to “grow out of their body.” It is important to get clear shots of their head on both sides. This includes any white spots or stripes or swirls of hair and their eye color, all of which are unique to each horse. In addition, on full body shots of horses, make sure their feet and leg colors are visible since these are also unique to each horse. Finally, some horses have tails that are unique in color and length. If your horse has this, make sure this is also photographed.
When photographing small animals like birds, rabbits, hamsters or something similar, there are a couple of options to getting good photos, either by taking them out of their habitats or leaving them inside, depending on the animal’s comfort and training level. Taking them out of their habitat will offer more options for better photos with better lighting, backgrounds and angles. Apply the same guidelines discussed above for dogs, cats and horses.
Photographing small animals inside their habitats can be done with some additional creativity and patience. Try putting the camera lens just inside the door and following them around. It may take several minutes or longer for the animal to relax and feel comfortable with the presence of the camera. This technique actually will get some really nice photos because the pet will be in their natural environment and the photos will appear more natural. I would suggest avoiding the use of a flash to photograph small animals since the light burst will scare them, plus the images will turn out flat and one dimensional. Try moving the cage to a bright window and using natural light. The pet will appear much more natural and their colors will be more true. Better yet, move the cage outside to a shaded area, and then you can have more lighting options. The cage can then be moved around until the lighting is just right, or to experiment with multiple angles, like lying on your stomach or your back or shooting up or down at the cage. If the pet has unique markings or colors, it may take many shots, extra patience and moving around until these spots are photographed properly.
Even with all these tips, if you determine that photographing your own pet just isn’t possible, than another option is to take your pets to a professional photographer and let them take some great shots of your pet. They will take the necessary shots and maybe throw in some basic standing shots if you tell them you are looking for images in case your pet becomes lost. Many local community pet events will have photographers available and can take some great shots for a low price. Plus, these photographers will have assistants to help pose your pet in the proper positions.
This tip may seem obvious, but make sure that all the shots of your pets are in full color, and not something fancy and artistic like black and white, duotone or sepia tone. Personally, I love black and white photography when shooting for an artistic look with impact or for formal portraits. However, for images of lost pets, black and white is not appropriate and be detrimental even for an obvious purebred since even dogs of a single breed can have unique colors and tints that can be hidden by black and white.
Always, always, always, make sure all your images are in clear 100% focus. An out-of-focus image is worthless no matter how good the pose or coloring or background.
When is a good time to photograph your pet?
1. When the pet is new
2. When the pet’s physical appearance changes, like with a haircut
3. At least once a year no matter as an adult
4. Once a month if the animal is a baby up until they are one year old
5. If the dog is a large breed dog, then photograph once a week until they are six months old, since they will be changing this fast. After six months, go to shooting them once a month.
No comments:
Post a Comment