Question for pet portaits?

[blackrose89]

Where do you shoot them? In their surroundings where they are comfortable or do you try to keep them in a certain place?

Is it better to risk a busy background and have a natural happy animal? Mainly a question for indoor animals (like cats)

 

[Joey_Ricard]

I assume you are talking about your pets?

It's like a child, hard to get them to stay still and in a neutral pose. My dogs do what I tell them (for the most part), but catching a decent facial expression or head angle is just a matter of "keep clicking". Of course, with anything, if you want a nice photograph, be aware of your background.

This example is the dogs as the subjects, but also the surroundings - supposed to represent curious dogs while out in nature etc etc


Dogs at Douglas Falls by Joey Ricard, on Flickr

and that oversharpening is Flickr - not me

 

[analog.universe]

I shoot my cats wherever they're hanging out in the house. I've had good results in the morning when the sun comes in... Depending on the day, they're either sunbathing or playing when I wake up, so I'll use a long lens and short DOF (to minimize background annoyances) and wait for them to walk into some interesting light.

I've also gotten good results setting up strobes pointed at the ceiling and then getting close to them on the bed for shots. They've got to be in the mood to hang out for this to work though, sometimes they don't want to listen to the flashes recharging I think.

 

[Ron Evers]

If you want a cat in a particular spot, chances are it will not want to be there. Best to shoot them on their terms, where & when they allow you.


1.

2.

3.

4.

 

[blackrose89]

Lovely cats Ron!

 

[blackrose89]

Is there anyone here who does pet portraits as a job? I'm just wondering how that would work. I've seen some pet photographers online who photograph when they're comfortable and content, but it seems like it'd be difficult to get them comfortable in the first place with a stranger photographing them.

 

[fsquare]

duhhh set up some studio space for them lol

 

[gsgary]

I shoot quite a few mostly with studio lights at dog shows
My dog, had to do a quick shot because he had had his hair done

and one at a dog show

 

[Overread]

Working with pets is like working with adults or children in that you, the photographer, have to understand your subject. You've got to go in there confident, calm and with the best methods you have to help control and direct, whilst also preserving a more relaxed and natural appearance of things.

For adults this might be a few jokes, for children it might be sweets or a squeaky frog toy, for pets it might be bacon bits, squeaky toys etc.... General familiarity with animals will help you a lot, of you know how to conduct yourself around dogs, not just your own but others as well, then that will help you a lot. Further when taking photos of other peoples pets, remember you won't be there alone, their owners will most likely be present at the shooting so take full advantage of that fact = position the owner so that the dog looks in the right direction, have them call out or use a favoured toy etc....

Different animals will be very different in how they react and sometimes you might well find you have to take longer in order to get the shot - you've got to play things by their rules.

 

[gsgary]

With dogs you have to be quick, the collie shoot lasted no more than 2 minutes about 10 shots and on to the next dog while my partner was printing them out, also the shot above has no PP shot in medium jpg

 

[MTVision]

I just set up a little studio area and my cat can't help but to come and get her pictures done

 

[jmtonkin]

I'm glad you posted this thread...I'm looking to volunteer at the Humane Society to take pictures for them. Better Pictures = Higher Adoption Rate. My biggest concern with it is the lighting. I don't have any studio equipment at all and I don't want to mess it all up for them either.

 

[Dao]

One of my wife's pet
And a card board as the background.

 

[cgipson1]

With cats.. you can use a teaser. With practice, you can pretty much control what that cat does by moving a teaser in different directions... such as toward you, to get the cat to look at you. This is a common technique used at cat shows...

I used a teaser in both of the shots below:

 

[Nikon_Josh]

With cats.. you can use a teaser. With practice, you can pretty much control what that cat does by moving a teaser in different directions... such as toward you, to get the cat to look at you. This is a common technique used at cat shows...

I used a teaser in both of the shots below:

Loving the second shot... that your cat? What breed is he/she?