Pet Photography
Who doesn’t want to capture fun and creative portraits of our four-legged friends? We know we love it. In fact, pet photography may just be the most popular form of photography there is. Think of all the smartphone snaps of yawns, big stretches, and funny moments we all take of our cats, dogs, chinchillas, and beyond.
Quick snaps aside, you know what really ups the quality of our pet portraits? Lighting. Just as with any form of portrait, lighting unlocks possibilities that can be impossible without it. But what lighting system should we use?
Photographing pets is something you likely do daily, whether it be with a phone or a dedicated camera. I don’t know about you, but I have thousands of pics of my pup filling up my photos app. After all, pets are part of the family, and we want to capture them in the best possible light. In this quick guide, we’re going to look at 10 ways you can improve your pet photography with practical creative tips and techniques as well as gear.
1. Get to your pet’s level. If there’s one trick to make your images more engaging, it’s to physically shoot
Anyone who has dabbled in pet photography knows that it can be a rewarding yet challenging experience. While pets are considered to be part of the family, they’re still animals who walk to the beat of their own drum and do things at their own pace. Even the best listeners can be easily distracted or have trouble sitting still for more than two seconds. If you’re considering trying your hand at photographing our fuzzy friends, we’ve put together this helpful guide for you. In this guide, we’re going to cover the essentials for those with a
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In honor of National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day, our team headed to Animal Care Centers of NYC’s (@ACCNYC) new facility in Queens to take dog headshots. Gabe and Sam share how to get a pet's attention, how to pose them, what kind of lighting to use, and more.
0:00 - Intro
0:52 - Treats & Toys
2:43 - Backgrounds (Indoors & Outdoors)
3:31 - Posing & Action Shots
4:56 - Cameras & Lenses
5:59 - Lighting
7:26 - Bonus Tips
8:44 - More from NYC ACC
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In Part 6 of The Art of Photography series, dog photographer Kaylee Greer discusses the art of pet photography. Greer deconstructs her images, describing how she got the shot, and discusses everything from angles to camera settings to posing our furry friends.
0:00 - Introduction
4:19 - Image 1 Breakdown: Light and Color
12:38 - Image 2 Breakdown: Gestures and Settings
22:35 - Getting the Dog Comfortable with You and Your Equipment
25:59 - First-Timer Pet Photography Tip
27:48 - Image 3 Breakdown: Water Splits
33:33 - Image 4 Breakdown: Scale
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How central is your personal drive and unique creative vision to the pictures you make? If these characteristics strike a chord or are traits to which you aspire, then you won’t want to miss our inspiring chats with photographers Ashok Sinha and Anabel DFlux. We caught up with both of these accomplished creatives earlier this year at B&H’s 2023 Depth of Field Conference.
Above photograph © Ashok Sinha
We begin with architectural
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Dive into the magical, colorful world of dog photography with award-winning pet photographer Kaylee Greer. Greer teaches you to interpret dogs’ body language to help you capture their personalities. She also discusses and recommends the best lenses and camera settings to use for your shoot.
0:00 - Introduction
2:54 - Greer’s Start and Career
15:11 - The Lead Up to the Photo
17:37 - Speaking Dog: Dog Body Language Signals
35:24 - Get Low
41:48 - Sit and Stay
51:31 - Capture the Eyes: Focus Points
55:54 - What to Bring to a Photoshoot: Treats,
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Humans and pets have shared a deep bond for centuries, yet our animal companions are now considered more a part of the family than ever. So, it’s no surprise that pet photography is a blossoming niche, and a perfect subject for this week’s podcast—especially since it’s National Pet Month!
Above photograph © Nancy Borowick
We start by chatting with pet photographer Karen Hoglund, who alerted us to her work in response to Allan’s musing about using the hashtag “kittens” to generate traffic on social media. After noting that #kittens only yields
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Get ready for a crash course in professional pet photography. Watch and learn as Sigma Ambassador Anabel DFlux shares her approach to photographing pets. She lets us know which lenses she uses, the settings she chooses, and other helpful tidbits. By the end of the video, you’ll be ready to put your new pet photography skills to use.
0:00 - About Anabel DFlux
1:36 - The Camera
5:50 - The Lenses
16:31 - Additional Gear
19:49 - Camera Settings, Depth of Field, Nailing Focus
28:12 - Panning
29:21 - Metering
32:52 - Portrait Tricks
38:07 - Candids
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The Pet Photographers Club co-founder Kirstie McConnell joins us for an introduction to gear for pet photographers. Learn about camera bodies and lenses while figuring out what works for you and how to get started with your pet photography.
0:00 - Introduction
4:30 - Camera Types: DSLRs vs. Mirrorless
21:10 - Autofocus
32:38 - Lens Options
51:27 - Super Telephoto Lenses
59:06 - Prime Lenses vs. Zoom Lenses
1:04:08 - Reviewing Pet Images
1:16:12 - Final Thoughts
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Have you ever tried to get pictures of your pups only to have them run off? In this video, Carmen Gonzales shares some tips and tricks to fix those issues. She'll show you how to get your furry friends to relax when working with you, as well as how to get them to listen and behave.
0:00 - Introduction
5:53 - Gear
8:42 - Process of Photographing the Pup
14:25 - Toys and Tricks
16:02 - Know Different Dog Breeds
17:15 - Tips on Getting Started
18:41 - Location Scouting
20:36 - Lighting
23:10 - Portraits and Action Shots
25:36 - Breaking Down
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An expert on photographing dogs, Elias Weiss Friedman can hold the attention of multiple dogs in one image. In this video, he shares his dog-photography knowhow, including which lenses to use, the proper angle from which to photograph, ideas for posing, and other creative points.
0:00 - Introduction
0:14 - Tip 1
0:38 - Tip 2
1:27 - Tip 3
1:50 - Tip 4
2:30 - Tip 5
3:18 - Final Thoughts
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Adam Goldberg shares five tips for photographing pets in the studio, from camera settings to unique composition.
Do you like animals? Do you prefer them to humans? What are your own favorite tips for pet photo shoots? Let us know in the Comments section, below!
Whether you want to photograph your pets, pamper them, study them, or memorialize them for eternity, B&H has a wide array of gifts that will appeal to animal enthusiasts. Let’s have a look at a few possibilities.
Fisheye Lenses
Not for fish, but perfect for taking fun pictures of your dog, cat, or bunny rabbit. Extreme wide perspectives from a fisheye lens create pet portraits with exaggeratedly long noses and elongated whiskers. They are also great for capturing action shots, like a dog in mid-frisbee jump. Check out these screw-on
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Pets play an important role in every family, whether as a best friend or even as a furry child. However, photographing pets is not such an easy task to accomplish! Alessandra Sawick presents her dog photography guide, including best practices for posing dogs, location scouting, pet portrait gear, and more.