Photographing Pets

Photographing pets may not be what you typically think about when you think about photography but think about the number of pet owners who are devoted to their furry friends (or even their feathered or scaled friends) who consider them a part of the family. Those owners often want photos of their pets either alone, with them, or even with another pet.

Pets can be very difficult to photograph because they generally are not going to follow your directions except possibly if they have been taught to "sit". Pets require a lot of patience on the part of the photographer as well as someone who enjoys working with animals and isn't fearful of them.

How can you make a pet photograph interesting and unique? Try getting the owner to interact with the animal instead of them just sitting looking at the camera. Children interacting with a pet can sometimes result in great photographs of both. If photographing the pet alone, try to put them in a setting natural to them or that compliments the color of their coat, their breed or their personality.

To keep the pet calm and happy during the shoot try to have the pet's owner there to keep it calm. Also try to shoot the pet during the time of day that it is normally calm such as just after eating and when it's usually about to take it's nap unless you are going for an "active" type outdoor shoot for example.

Try to think of anything that might frighten the pet such as the flash and try to get the pet used to that at a distance before approaching it. Also think about any sounds that the pet might now be used to and need to be acclimated to. 

With these tips in mind, photographing pets can be a fun and rewarding experience. A photographer who establishes a reputation for great pet photography can charge a lucrative fee for their service that devoted pet owners will be willing to pay.