7 pet photography tips for taking better cat and dog photos

A happy pet takes happy photos! Okay, so it might be a little obvious, but great photography hinges on your furry friends relaxing and having fun during the shoot.

Whether you’re dressing them in an adorable outfit or trying to capture their cutest face, there’s nothing more important than putting your pets at ease. You should move slowly and calmly, remain patient with them, and ultimately make sure they’re having just as much fun as you are.

Great pet photography will always involve experimenting with different angles and perspectives. While there’s nothing wrong with taking photos from above, our favourite pet photos are usually taken down at their eye level and let us see things from their perspective instead.

This is particularly effective when taking pet photos outdoors. Simply position them before a scenic background, crouch down to their level, and your great pet snaps will show people how they see the world!

Let’s get one thing straight: there’s no such thing as the perfect pet photography camera settings. For example, your camera exposure will depend on the lighting and weather, while your F-stop will depend on the style of photos you actually want to take.

Every pet photographer using a digital camera will need to experiment with ISO, aperture and shutter speed to find the perfect settings. However, using ISO 200, F11, 1/200 sec is a strong enough place for beginners to start, and you can simply make adjustments from there depending on your surroundings.

If you’re taking pet photos with an iPhone camera, then we highly recommend trying out the amazing new Pet Portrait Mode. It’s super-easy to use, and blurs the background slightly to focus more on your adorable pet!

Although there’s nothing wrong with posing for portraits, sometimes the best pet photos are taken when they’re running around with excitement. Of course, giddy cats and dogs are almost impossible to keep up with, but using burst mode and continuous focus makes it easier to snap all the running, jumping and playing.

In short, burst mode lets you take multiple photos in very quick succession, while continuous focus stays focused on your pet as they move around. Even if they’re not wildly running about, these settings help when your pets keep blinking or looking away from the camera!

Natural light really is a photographer’s best friend (as well as their pet, of course). Unless you have access to a pet photography studio packed with soft box lights and LED strips, you’ll need to make use of natural light by either snapping outdoors or near windows.

Not only will this make your pet photos look more natural, but this is also the easiest and cheapest lighting option out there. You’re usually best off snapping early in the morning or late in the afternoon, as the light is typically much softer and the shadows less obstructive.

From their favourite squeaky toys to tasty treats, you’ll need to have a few tricks up your sleeve to actually get your pet looking at the camera. After all, pets are easily distracted and always seem to make things awkward at the worst possible moment.

However, it’ll all be worth it, since those big, round, adorable eyes of theirs should be the main focus of your pet photos. Whether they’re looking up at you or glancing sideways, focusing on the eyes is always the best way to capture your pet’s unique personality.

The best pet poses always feel as natural as possible, as this again will help capture their distinctive character. Instead of forcing your pets to pose for you, you’ll capture great pet photos by simply encouraging them to do what they love - whether that’s lazing in the sun or energetically chasing a tennis ball!

You know your pet better than anyone, so the best advice we can give is to set up a photoshoot tailored to their personality. You’ll know what type of photos you’re likely to take, so simply prepare the perfect camera settings, backgrounds and props in advance!