How to Take Perfect Christmas Pictures of Pets & How to Share Them with Family

Whether your pet is still small or has grown into an adult, taking pictures of your pets is a very tricky task. Trying to get them to sit still for more than a second is much like trying to entertain a two-year-old child for than a few minutes. You do not have to hire a professional photographer. Here are several things to remember every time you want to take a picture and capture those special times and these little suggestions will show you how to take the perfect Christmas pictures of your pet and how to share them with family. I called my cousin who is an expert in photography and this is what he told me. Being aware of what is around you before you snap the picture will enable you to take perfect pictures of your pets every time.

First thing what you need to remember when you are taking a photo is to make sure that there is plenty of light surrounding your pet. If the area in which you are taking the picture is dark, then the picture will turn out dark whether you use a flash or not. If you are taking pictures indoors, use the flash still even though there is good lighting around you. If you are outdoors, and there is still plenty of daylight, then turn the flash off of your camera. Only use the flash outdoors if it is beginning to turn dark.

Make sure that when you are taking the photo, that you place your pet somewhere that you will be able to see him clearly. If he is too far away, he will look like a blob in the photo. Arrange vivid and bold colors around your pet such as plants and pillows. You can also hang a bright colored blanket behind the subject being photographed. By doing this, this will make your pet seem to pop out from the picture. The more color you have in the surrounding area, the better subject will look in the picture. Just stay away from items, which have a diagonal or vertical print because this tends to make the entire picture have a fuzzy appearance. You want to be able to see the subject in the picture after it is taken. Using different objects in the pictures will draw more attention to the main subject in the photo. Just use a few other objects such as a plant or flower in the background. If you use too many other items, this draws the attention away from the main subject of the photo.

Close up pictures seem to be the best way to take a picture of pets. Close up pictures show every little detail of the subject. Switch your camera's flash to the off position and place it on that little flower icon that you see on digital cameras. This is called macro and by placing your camera in this position increases the color and details of the surroundings as well as the object you are taking a picture of. To make your pet seem to jump off the page in the photo, what you can do is choose a corner in your home and place a small bench in the corner and place your pet on the bench. Hang a plain white bed sheet on the wall behind the bench.

Black and white pictures seem to place the picture itself and the surroundings in a whole new perspective. Black and white pictures turn out much clearer if you use the light from the sun. It seems that if you are indoors and use a flash to take black and white pictures, they seem to look like they are faded and dull even though the picture was just taken. Use natural light from the sun for taking pictures indoors and out and try to avoid using the flash button.

You can take a moving picture of your pet too such as snapping a picture of them while chasing a ball, but most times the picture will just turn out with a big blur and you cannot even tell what the picture is supposed to be of. If you have a camera that you can set the "moving objects" button, then this will make taking a moving picture a little more easily, but the camera will need to be held as still as possible to be able to snap the perfect picture. Get the camera lens in to perfect focus first and then zoom in and take the picture. By taking the photo this way, the main subject will be seen clearly, and everything surrounding the subject in the background will look a little blurry, but will seem to be moving along a little too.

My favorite way which is a very easy way to share my pictures with family is I go on-line to Kodak.com where you can turn your pictures into an entertaining and fun photo slideshow complete with your choice of music, captions, titles, borders and more. You can then share the show simply through e-mail or the Web. Or, if you're looking for a great gift this sight also offers the option to turn your slideshow into a personalized DVD, which is an excellent way to share permanent keepsakes and treasure those precious moments for a lifetime. Be sure and make extra copies and give them as Christmas gifts.

Sources: Personal Experience