Ten Tips To Better Pet Photography

The first question most animal photographers ask me is what kind of camera should they use for animal photography, film or digital? Bottom line, most of the camera skills needed for great animal pictures have nothing to do with the camera you use, but with the skill and vision of the photographer behind the lens. But if you want to understand the differences between digital media and film, access the article titled, Digital, Is it Good Enough for Animal Photography? in the archives.

If you want to study my TOP TEN tips for great animal images regardless of the camera you are using, here goes:

1. RELAX. Before you begin to make photographs, concentrate on slowing down. Take some deep relaxing breaths. Look thru the viewfinder and make that little window your whole world. Keep your mind focused on the present moment and only that moment.

2 READ. Read your manual and study it. The manual is your best source of information on your camera.

3. SET THE SHUTTER SPEED. Animals move, so you need to stop the action to produce crisp images. Set your shutter speed to 1/250 of a second or faster.

"Set your shutter speed to 1/250 of a second for crisp action stopping shots."

4. MOVE IN CLOSE. For pictures with impact, move in close and fill the viewfinder with your subject. This will also help to crop out clutter around your animal. To move in even closer, use a long lens and shoot with a wide aperture.

"Always focus on the eyes."

5. FOCUS ON THE EYES. Always focus on the eyes. One of the best camera positions for small animals is to lie flat on the ground, weight on your elbows with your camera propped up to your eye.

"With small pets, lie on the ground and prop the camera on your elbows to get the correct perspective."

6. KEEP IT SIMPLE. Keep your pictures simple. Concentrate on one idea and one idea only. Do you want a photo of the flowers around your pet, or your pet? Decide. It is usually impossible to capture two ideas in one photo.

7. AVOID HARSH LIGHT. Shoot early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid the harsh glare of noon day sun.

8. ANTICIPATE ACTION. You know the cute things your pets do that you want to capture on film, so get set up, put your camera on auto focus, and be ready to push that button when the action starts.

9. USE PROPS. To capture dynamite expressions, use props. Try a battery-operated toy, a bright cloth flapping in the wind or a whistle. Be ready! Props only work until the animal acclimates to the props, so you have to work quickly and have other props in reserve.

"Collect good props and keep them handy to help grab the attention of your animal subject."

10. KNOW YOUR FLASH RANGE. Memorize the flash-to-subject distance range for each film you use, and stay within the range.