An Introduction to Pet Photography

Photographing your pet can be an incredibly rewarding experience. Done well, it will allow you to immortalize Fluffy or Spot - that significant member of your family - the pet that shared your food, chewed your shoes, and brought you the newspaper. The act of seriously photographing your pet will bring you both closer because the process opens you to notice the small, wonderful things that you might have missed before - the way he wags his tail, etc. This is a grand adventure.

Goal

As with anything, it's best to proceed with a goal in mind, so you know where to start. What are you trying to accomplish? Are you trying to capture your pet's playful side? Are you trying to create a funny photo using a prop such as a birthday hat? Is this an interactive portrait between your pet and your child? Sit down and put on paper this goal because it will help you in preparing correctly. Nothing is worse than spending an hour going to your favorite scene with equipment in hand and realizing you forgot a favorite toy - do yourself a favor, do not skip this step.

Setting

Now that you have decided on your goal, it's time to decide on the proper setting. Indoors vs. outdoors. Near the fireplace with an open fire in the background or in a studio. At the beach or in the woods. As you think about the proper setting, think about how your pet will respond to that setting. If you decide the public park is the perfect place, you must consider your pet's resistance to distractions. Is he/she able to resist running after another animal or person? The more you know your pet and look through his/her eyes, the better off you will be.

Preparation

Now you are at the critical preparation stage. You've set your goal, and you've decided on the appropriate setting - let's try to anticipate all that can (and will) go wrong. I use the word 'wrong' loosely - try not be too rigid and to have fun - we will talk more about that in a minute. Write out on paper every possible thing you can think of. Here are some suggestions:

• Exercise your pet - just enough so they are still alert but not hyper
• Lighting - outdoor is best, but the flash will work too - should be natural lighting
• Grooming - only if it doesn't adversely affect your pet's mood - then do it days beforehand
• Props/Toys - favorite of the pet
• Food - favorite of the pet
• Be prepared for sudden movement - shutter speed about 1/125th and use iso 400 or 800 films (if indoors)
• Watch the scene clutter.
• Have a pet at least 6 feet away from the background to reduce shadows
• Bring an assistant to help manage your pet
• Zoom Lens
• Camera, Film, Tripod, Equipment, etc.
• Etc., etc. Are you getting the idea? The first time you make out your list, the process will be a little tedious, but the beauty is that once the list is made, all you need to do is modify it slightly for the next sessions.

On Location

Whew, you've made it to the shooting location - congratulations. Hopefully, you've brought everything you are going to need, right? Right! Now, it's time for setup. Be organized; get everything laid out logically. The last thing you want to do is fiddling around with equipment when you need to be shooting pictures - an animal has a zero attention span, and you have got to be ready to snap that picture when the moment is there. How is your animal's demeanor? Is he/she super wound up? If yes, perhaps some light exercise would be in order - nothing too heavy, but just enough to help him/her calm down. How are you? Are you stressed? Relax, and go with the flow - animals are super sensitive to your mood. Give your pet some last-minute grooming - just touch-ups. If you are outdoors, how is the wind? Is it too strong? Is the sun too bright? Remember, overcast is much better for exposure. Make sure that your pet is far enough away from your background to not cast any shadows.

The Photographer's Mindset

Your mindset should be one of peace and serenity. I can't overstate that enough. Also, you must climb into your pet's mind as best you can. What are they thinking and feeling? Align your expectations properly. If you have never done this before, don't expect perfection the first time- that will raise your anxiety level and stress out your pet.

Shooting

One of the most important things to remember is to get down physically on your pet's level as much as possible. A shot from above doesn't portray intimacy. In addition, when you are at your pet's level, it's easier for you to empathize with it. If you've never crawled on the ground before, you might feel a bit foolish, but trust me, it makes all the difference in the world. Make sure that you and your handler work with each other - you have got to be in charge, but also try to be flexible - you have a lot of variables that you are managing.

Be patient, and have a lot of fun!!!