Photographing your pet

October 25th was Pit Bull Awareness Day. Carmen Machado, a former A Softer Image photographer, volunteered to write a guest post in honor of the day, and since she and I both have pit bulls I was stoked. Last Friday was a post about the history of the breed, and today we’ve got lots of PICTURES! Thanks, Carmen, for writing these posts and for sending along such great photos of Oliver!

1. Familiarize your pet with the camera and equipment.

If your pet is doing something incredibly awesome or adorable and you whip out your camera for the first time, they might be startled or upset by the presence of this new and strange device. Take some time to familiarize your pet with your camera and flash – take sample pictures, set off the flash and see their reaction. Try setting up the tripod. If your pet seems hesitant, reward their tolerance of the camera with a treat or toy, so that they associate the camera with snacks and fun.

You can get some super cute “nose up in the lens” shots as they explore.

2. Try exploring a new place.

There’s nothing like watching your pet explore a new place or object for the first time. Capture it! Take your pet to the beach or a new park, or give them a new toy. It’s a great way to capture their body language and actions as they learn and adapt. And there is almost nothing cuter than an excited pet.

Recently, I took Oliver to the beach for the first time. He stared at the ocean for a long time, and then began to frolic in the water, biting the waves, chasing seaweed and driftwood, and generally having an amazing time. It was a really lovely period of discovery and simultaneous contemplation and unabashed joy, and I got some of my favorite photographs of him that I’ve ever taken.

3. Bring a friend.

If you have a large or rowdy pet, it might be useful to have a friend (someone who’s familiar with your pet) come along with you, especially if you’re going to explore a new place. It can be hard to juggle a camera and an excited 70-lb dog on a leash. Also, having a friend along gives you the opportunity to have some good pictures taken with you and your pet.

When Oliver and I went to the beach for the first time, my friend Sarah came along and helped take the photos of us splashing around in the surf (somewhere where I couldn’t have safely taken the camera anyway). When I wanted to get shots of Oliver looking at the sea, I had Sarah hold his leash while I took pictures. I’ve also gotten loads of great pictures from my boyfriend and Oliver interacting, which made for some dynamic and downright adorable photographs.

4. Take different kinds of shots.

Textures are always beautiful and interesting, so getting superclose to your pet’s fur can be a great way to get a nifty shot. Similarly, a pet interacting with an environment can also be visually rewarding. In the same way that you should get close up, medium, and long shots of human subjects, treat pets as though they’re paying you to shoot their portrait. Take a variety of shots. If you’re working digitally, it doesn’t matter how many you take! You can always delete pictures that don’t work later.

5. Always have the camera close.

Pets are adorable when they’re asleep or gnawing on their favorite toy, but sometimes getting up for the camera disturbs the behavior and makes them stop to see what you’re doing. How many times have you implored your adorable dog to go back to sleep so you can get that sweet shot?

I tend to find that I notice Oliver doing cute things when I’m working on my computer and he’s lying down or doing things on my bed. Therefore, I do my best to leave my camera on my desk as often as I can, hoping to catch that shot without him opening his eyes or diverting his attention.

6. The mundane habits can sometimes be wonderful.

While getting shots of a pet’s excitement at something new can be fantastic, sometimes having them do the same old, same old can be good in its predictability. You’ve watched your neurotic cat run like a madman after that little swishy bird toy for six months, but have you taken a picture? And yeah, your lazybones dog is constantly sleeping – but do you have a good photograph of him doing so? Your pet’s personality is in their routines and habits. Catch it on film!

7. Pets have expressions, too!

I call Oliver “Mister Serious” because of his tendency to look unbelievably pensive, but occasionally he cracks a famous pit bull smile. It took a few tries, but when I managed to get a picture of him smiling, it was amazing how much of his personality shined through. Try to capture a variety of expressions – your cat looking startled, your dog grinning, your hamster looking mightily confused.

8. Have fun!

You love your pet and your pet loves you. Use the camera as a way to add another dimension to your already close and wonderful relationship. Plus, when Christmas rolls around, you’ll have plenty of shots to choose from to include in the Christmas card.