10 Tips For Photographing your Dog

Trying to get a great photo of the pooch to hang on your wall or share with your friends on facebook? I’m a long time dog lover and an avid fan of photographing them. Here’s a couple of pointers that could help you although there’s no substitute for having a well trained dog!

10 Tips For Photographing your Dog

1. Be Fast – C’mon, you have a digital camera, snap away, don’t just stand there messing around trying to get rover positioned perfectly, take the freakin picture already!
2. Get her to sit – 99% of the time, a sitting dog (or lying) makes for a much better shot than if they are standing or walking around
3. Remove distractions – Get rover to sit in a place where he won’t be bothered by a bird buzzing him, squirrel running by or other things that will definitely drive him nuts
4. Talk to her – Once she’s sitting nicely and you are ready to roll (you are ready with her positioned within the viewing frame right??)  to to the pooch as you would normally so she feels comfortable. For added effect, just before snapping, mention a “hot” word like “are we gonna go to the PARK” to get that anxious look for the shot
5. Cookie! – If all else fails, keep some treats in your pocket, if you can get the dog to sit then try one handing the camera and hold the treat high above the camera so she looks right at it
6. Multiple Dogs – Unless you have a couple of dogs that are very well trained, trying to photograph 2 or 3 dogs in one frame, all sitting nicely is very tough to do… good luck with that one! Note, this is easiest to accomplish indoors or in a very familiar environment – see photo below as an example.
7. Get Rid of the leash – Again, some training required, however, you’ll need to take the leash off. Photos with a dangling leash from the collar simply look bad.
8. Be Still – Be sure to snap several frames if possible and limit your movement. Chances are that if you move around fast the dog is naturally going to try and follow you around. Make very slow, deliberate movements and act casual when snapping. Try slowly getting to different angles like a crouch, hold the camera high, and move to the side. If you move slow she’ll hopefully stay positioned for you
9. Select Your Spot Wisely – Having a well trained dog will really help, but try and get him to sit in a spot where you can leverage a cool and relevant backdrop like a sign (a no dogs allowed sign in the background of a dog photo always brings a chuckle)
10. Be Patient – Take your time and take lots of pics. You’ll likely never get that prized photo the first shot so keep your camera / cameraphone handy and be prepared to snap at any time. Like many shots, lighting is crucial so setting the photo in the evening when the sun is low and the light is awesome will help you out and the dog might be a little tired and relaxed by then as well

10 Tips For Photographing your Dog