The other day, I received an email from a reader asking how I manage to take such great photos of Murphy. She said she struggles with getting good shots of her dog, and asked if I would write a blog post with some helpful hints. Obviously, I love snapping pictures of Murphy, so here are my tips for photographing your pet!
1. The best camera you have is the one you have on you.
You might have heard this one before on CNC, but it’s my most important tip for snapping quality photos of your pet. Unless they’re asleep, dogs (and most other animals) don’t sit still for long, so I always have my point-and-shoot camera or my iPhone within arm’s reach to snap a quick photo of Murphy “in the act.”
2. Use natural light whenever possible.
Flashes. Ick. They’re harsh and unflattering (even to pets!), so I avoid using the flash on my camera as much as possible and take photos of Murphy outside or in well-lit rooms of the house.
Plus, snapping a photo with the flash on makes Murphy look even more alien-like. GAH! Demon dog!
3. Get up close and personal.
Some of my favorite photos of Murphy were taken up close. I fill the frame of my camera with as much as the pug as possible, which makes my photos more interesting by capturing his unique (pug) features (wrinkles, budging eyes, etc.)
4. Get down low and experiment with angles.
Positioning myself down low on Murphy’s level helps me to better capture his doggie experience. Similarly, I like to experiment with different camera angles. I like to shoot from the side, above, below, and behind the pug”” usually, I’m pleasantly surprised by the photo that I capture!
5. Use treats. They work!
Some of the best photos I have of Murphy were taken with the help of a little bribery. Pugs (and most dogs) live to eat, so a treat in my hand always gets his attention. I also like to ask Murphy if he wants a treat, which usually receives the classic pug head tilt/very interested face (as seen in the first photo of this post).
Lunch
Today’s lunch was a falafel salad of sorts made with broken up falafel, carrots, edamame, black eyed peas, and Annie’s Goddess dressing. I just mixed it all up and added it to bed of romaine lettuce. Mmm! Good lunch.
After lunch, I enjoyed two Apricot-Pistachio Bars. I’ll share the recipe on Cookie Friday! Keep a look out for it!
Is today flying by for anyone else!?!