7 Tips for Shooting Great Dog Images

Many dog lovers and owners love to take pictures of their dogs. And why not? Dogs and puppies are so cute and adorable. However, because of lack of experience and skill, some dog owners don't take great dog images. Here are 7 photography tips to help you take quality dog pictures.

1. Get close to your dog.

This may be the amateur photographer's most common mistake: not taking enough close-up shots. Close-ups are usually much better looking than shots from a distance. Most excellent dog images include a lot of detail. To get this kind of detail, you will have to move close to your dog before shooting the photo.

Another advantage to taking close-up shots is you will reduce the background clutter.

It's okay to take pictures of your dog from a distance. You might want to do this if you want to show how small or big your dog is. But as you experiment with close-ups, you'll find that they are usually better looking photos.

2. Get down to your dog's level.

Some dog pictures have unnatural angles because the pictures were taken at a person's level instead of the dog's level. If you kneel or lie down, you'll have a more natural look for your dog images. This method also works when taking pictures of children.

3. Shoot with enough light.

Proper lighting is one of the most important aspects to shooting a good picture. If the sun is out, try taking pictures outside. If not, make sure and use a strong flash in a well-lighted room.

4. Take many pictures.

The more pictures you take, the better chance you have of taking an excellent photo.

5. Include people in your photos.

This is a great tip that will provide variety to your dog photos. You can get some great spontaneous dog images by shooting pictures of kids playing with your dog. Also, if your dog is well-trained, you can try some posed shots with your dog and other people.

6. Use dog toys to take playful shots.

Many dogs have a favorite dog toy. Make sure to bring that toy to your dog photo session. Your dog will be more active and you'll be able to take interesting action shots.

7. If your dog can do tricks, by all means, capture the tricks on camera.

Whether it is sit, shaking hands, catch, or roll over, dog tricks are great photo moments.