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Tips for making great photos of your pets

K9 CORNER:

July 09, 2012|By HELEN PALMER | Contributing columnist

Hooray! We are going to have a reprieve from this extremely hot weather and what better way to celebrate the change than to take your dog or pup out and let him play with the children. It will still be warm enough to turn on the sprinkler so the youngsters can run through the water as they play, and what good action shots you will have to take pictures for future enjoyment.

If your children are grown, perhaps your grandchildren can be enticed to come over and play. If they are not available, try the neighborhood youngsters. Even pre-teens might find it fun to toss balls through the wave of water for your pup to chase, affording you a chance to catch your dog in action.

In order to get the best outdoor shots it is recommended you choose a bright but cloudy day so the lighting is not harsh. Brilliant sunshine has a tendency to “melt” the fur instead of bringing out the texture and muddle the dog’s expression as he gallops after the children or after the ball.

Stay close to the action and cut the background to a minimum as it will distract from the subjects. If there are brightly colored flowers in the background, focus on the area of action and blur the background.

Try to focus on the dog’s head and eyes as he runs on a diagonal toward you. By planning how you want your picture to turn out, you can place yourself in an ideal spot for the “perfect shot.”

If you get one good shot, don’t stop. Taking many pictures as the action continues will give you more choices. You might want to plan two or three places in the yard to get the best angles. In fact, the lighting will change as you watch the play even on a cloudy day.

One thing you need to remember is that you will need a special camera for action shots or at lease high speed film to capture the movements without blurring the subjects as they run.

Also, be aware that puppies will tire fairly quickly, so don’t put off watching for the perfect pose and getting it on film or camera. More mature dogs will be able to sustain their enthusiasm so you can take a moment to enjoy the activity before aiming your camera at the target area.

Another suggestion for that perfect picture is to get down on the level of the dog’s shoulder, which can mean lying on your stomach to take the picture of a toy breed, sitting on the ground for medium-size pups or sitting on a low stool for the larger animals. If the children are small, taking their pictures from a low stool will get them fully in the action shot.

If young people are playing ball with your dog, you may want to stand up to include them as the main subjects and your dog as secondary.

Good luck and have fun!

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