Tips To Take Perfect Pet Photos
THE struggle to take perfect photos of pets is real. When do they ever sit still for the camera? Never.
Treats and patience can help but there are a few little tricks the professionals have up their sleeve to capture our furry friends in artful portraits.
Quest Community News asked Gabrielle Rundle-Thiele of Tails of Time Pet Photography in Brisbane for tips to help readers sharing pet and wildlife photos at #SnapBrisbane, #SnapMoreton and #SnapLogan.
She said many of us make the mistake of photographing pets as we would a person or landscape - from our own height.
Silly costumes call for a photo opportunity. These three must be off to a howl-o-ween pawty. Picture: Justin Lloyd.
“As a pet photographer, I spend a lot of my time laying on the floor. You can’t always shoot from above and the best photos are often at the pet’s level,” Ms Rundle-Thiele said.
Photograph pets and wildlife in their natural surroundings, she said.
“An animal on its own can look stark so have backdrops such as brick walls, trees, fences and staircases to add interest and variety.”
She also suggests choosing settings to suit the colour of the pet or wildlife.
Ruby the Red Heeler isn’t scared of having her photo taken or snakes in long grass. Picture: Olivia O’Connor.
“The light, the colour of the pet, the desired effect and whether you are taking portraits or action shots will all determine the camera setting to use,” Ms Gabrielle Rundle-Thiele said.
“As a general rule, I won’t photograph animals at a shutter speed of less than 1/500 because they are constantly moving around and it’s important to freeze the action without any blur. “
Beautiful landscapes and a beautiful big travel budget help to make beautiful wildlife shots.
Best time to snap
The best time for taking animal shots is the two hour window just after sunrise or just before sunset.
“When shooting outdoors, you have to be aware of the direction of the light. Any light coming from the side will not be flattering, and causes one side to be overexposed and the other in shadow.
“Aim to shoot with the sun over and behind your shoulder, with your subject facing towards you,” she said.
Dusty the keplie is too busy minding hay in the bush to be one of those flashy city pupfluencers.
The cat is scarier than the spider.
The eyes have it
So what part of your pet should you focus on?
The eyes are the most expressive part of any animal’s face so if you want to create really engaging portraits, focus on the eyes and facial expressions.
Another tip is to relax. Animals are little emotional sponges so and if you are stressed and anxious, they will sense it and become stressed and anxious too.
And be quiet. There is no quicker way to confuse a dog or wig out a cat than to bark commands at them. Cats will disengage or even leave the room, and dogs will become confused and distracted.
You can tell a lot about a cat by its eyes and that means this one must be crazy.
Now armed with these tips, get on board with #SnapBrisbane, #SnapLogan and #SnapMoreton and share photos of your pets.
All you have to do is snap, write a few words about your pet and where in your community it was taken, hashtag (#SnapBrisbane, #SnapLogan or #SnapMoreton) and post it to Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.
It helps when you are a pure bred Russian Blue show cat to make a pretty photo.
Quest Community News is showcasing the best photos through online galleries, newspaper covers, features and social media during the next few weeks
The campaign includes Snap Day on November 14 with a 24-hour photography blitz to highlight local places and faces.
So share your pet and wildlife pics this week but also get snap-happy and post your favourite people architecture, streets, cafes businesses and more.
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