With National Love Your Pet Day just around the corner, Animal Friends is sharing top tips on taking the perfect picture of your pet, so you can really show the love!
And they call it puppy love – take pics like a pro this National Love Your Pet Day
5 Top Tips for the best pet pics - photography hacks from a pro
How to get insta-worthy snaps of your pet this National Love Your Pet Day
Spread the love with PAW-fect photos on National Love Your Pet Day
As a nation of pet lovers, it’s no surprise that our phones are jam-packed with pictures of our photogenic furry friends. Proud pet parents often find themselves looking back over the wealth of images they have stored away, with 32% of UK owners keen to turn their much-loved pets into ‘pet-fluencers’.
According to a 2023 survey, 57% of UK social media users followed pet influencers, solely because it cheered them up. So, with National Love Your Pet Day just around the corner (February 20th), what better time to sharpen up your photography skills and share the love for your furry friend like a pro!
Ben Hanson, photographer at Animal Friends Pet Insurance shares his top tips for capturing simply pawfect snaps using just your phone!
Make the most of natural light
Lighting will make or break your photography, so it’s important to get this right. Ben explains:
“Natural lighting is ideal, and with the sun not due to set until 5:40 pm by the end of February, why not try placing your pet next to a window, moving any furniture you need to help achieve the perfect shot?
“That being said, candid shots can make for great pet photos, so if natural lighting is poor, why not just switch on your room's main lights and capture your pet being themselves? This can help highlight your unique pet as the main focus of the photo!”
Get on their level
If you’re looking to improve your photos, perspective is a great place to start, as Ben suggests:
“Instead of taking a photo from above, if you’re able to get down onto your pet’s level this can result in more creative looking shots. Try crouching down or lying on the floor to change perspective. This can help capture precious portraits of your pet, especially if you can focus the camera on their eyes.
“Another tip is to make use of their play tunnels if you have one. Place your phone at one end of the tunnel to capture them at the other end. Tricks like this can add real depth to your photography.”
“If you’re looking for more of a challenge, use rainy days to your advantage. Get outside and take a photo of your dog’s reflection in a puddle (if they’ll cooperate that is) and flip the photo. After some practice, this is a brilliant style to inject some playfulness into your photos.”
Use treats to your advantage
But how can I get my pet to stay still for long enough? Ben shares his advice:
“While our pets can be extremely photogenic, it’s not always the simplest task to keep them still. This is where treats or toys will come in handy. If you can, get someone else to keep them engaged and distracted by holding their treats or toys in their eyeline but just out of reach. This will improve your pet’s attention span, meaning you can focus on photography and not multitasking.
“However, if you are alone, try to hold a bribe in one hand and snap the photo using the other. Ensure you hold these where you’d like your pet to look to guide them but do this behind the camera, so it doesn’t get in the way of the photo.”
Make your pet the center of attention
Even though your focus is on your puppy or kitten, the background is also just as important, Ben reveals:
“Getting the background of your photo right is a key element when it comes to improving your photography skills. Backgrounds can work nicely, but a messy or busy background will distract from your photo’s subject so try to get your pet against a soft background. If your phone has portrait mode, this does a great job and blurring the background too.
“If your pet is sleeping or you’re unable to change the background, get in close so it becomes unnoticeable, enabling your pet to be the main focus!”
Level up with editing
Once you’ve narrowed down and selected your favorite shots, it’s time to elevate them with some easy editing, as Ben recommends:
“Most phone cameras include tools to straighten crooked framing which can help your photos look much more professional. Also, use the cropping tool to eliminate any unwanted background elements.
“Then enhance the existing color and adjust exposure levels to really make your pet stand out! If you want to have a bit more fun here, have a play around with the different filters available on your device or apps until you’re happy with the final result.”
No matter the final result, capturing a special moment with your pet on camera and sharing the love is bound to bring a smile to many this National Love Your Pet Day.
Through all the snapping, don’t forget to keep it fun and relaxed for all involved, and enjoy making wonderful memories with the furry love of your life!
