How to photograph pets. Reflections on animal photography Can the same results be achieved with a compact camera?

To make professional-looking animal portraits, you don't need mountains of professional equipment - the most important thing is patience and perseverance. But, nevertheless, it can be difficult to achieve outstanding results. Even pets often behave unpredictably and cannot be easily controlled - and if you manage to catch them to sit still - they will look depressed and tense. Photos of animals obviously carry a charge of positive emotions. Such stories almost never fail. Here are some tips for those who want to make sure they win every time!

Introduction

A formal portrait usually requires a background to eliminate an unattractive background. While you can build a backdrop with sticks and canvas or a curtain, it's worth considering getting a professional backdrop such as Lastolite with a flexible frame. Such a background is convenient in that it can be rolled up and put in a bag - in the same way that reflectors are rolled up.

If you are photographing larger animals, you will need a larger background - for photographing large dogs, a background about 2 meters long is required. As a background, you can also use the interior of the house in which the shooting is made. In particular, you can get very good, natural results if you photograph an animal lying in its favorite chair - but try not to include too much detail in the frame. Informal portraits are best shot outdoors using natural light.

LIGHTING

For formal studio portraits, two studio flashes are usually sufficient. Put the flashes in umbrellas and set them at an angle of about 45 degrees on the sides of the camera. If you are photographing a small animal, you can get by with just one flash. Put the initial settings on the flashes - 1/60s and f/11. Another benefit of using flashes is that you will get attractive sparkles in the animal's eyes - without them, the eyes will look dull and lifeless - especially if they are black. However, it must be remembered that most animals - especially cats - get the green-eye effect if you use direct flash. To avoid this, bounce the flash light off a neutral-colored ceiling or wall, or use a silver umbrella. After a series of shots, you yourself will come to the fact that the best photo is the one taken at the moment the flashes first fired. Immediately after this, the animal will be alert, the ears will be on top, and it will try to understand what is happening.

If the weather is nice outside and you want to use the natural landscape as a backdrop, try not to shoot in the middle of the day - the lighting is too harsh and creates too much contrast. You run the risk of underexposing shadow areas, or overexposing the highlights of the scene. In this case, you can use some kind of white sheet to bounce the light into the shadow areas, or you can use a portable flash to brighten the shadows and even out the contrast.

MOVING BEAST!

If your camera is equipped with AI focus mode, you will be able to follow the camera to a moving object and keep it in focus. Choose a central focus point and "lead" the animal. Experiment with different shutter speeds to see what effects you can achieve. Long exposure shots will produce blurry images that accentuate the effect of speed. A fast shutter speed will help freeze the animal in flight. When photographing horses jumping over obstacles, focus in advance on the obstacle itself and press the shutter button when the animal starts to jump. It takes a little practice to accurately guess when the shutter button is pressed - the animal looks most athletic when it is off the ground in a jump, or is already halfway over an obstacle. It is better not to photograph the moments when the animal lands, or immediately after the jump, when it gets back on its original course. If your camera is capable of capturing a series of frames, you can try to get interesting sequences of images of an animal in a jump.

RODENTS

Animals such as hamsters and ferrets present a completely different problem - when they move, it is extremely difficult to keep track of them. You can either take pictures of them in a cage, or you can try to sit them on some surface and try to take a picture in time. It's best to use a telephoto lens (perhaps zoom) to fill the frame with your subject and also to keep you at a reasonable (and safe!) distance from the animal. The AI ​​focus mode on my EOS 5 with the 90mm Macro lens helps me shoot, as well as a lot of patience. I must admit that I rarely manage to get good shots during such shootings. A piece of food will help keep this beast in place for just one nanosecond - if you do not immediately hurry up, the animal will run away, and you won’t even have time to blink an eye. An energetic assistant can be used to catch fugitives.

DOGS

Be sure to consider what kind of dog you are shooting, as well as its physique. For example, long-nosed dogs look best in profile, or three-quarters. For a portrait of Spaniels, Collies and Labradors, you can use an old barn or farm yard as a background. It is quite easy to design an environment for the dog in which it will look natural. Straw, hay, a pair of old boots, or an old-fashioned raincoat can all be used to give the impression of a rural setting. Or immediately try to find a suitable ready-made location for shooting nearby.

The most successful photos of dogs are obtained precisely because of the expression of the muzzle, or because of the interesting action performed by the dog. You can get great photos of dogs that run, jump, swim - in general, they are active. When you get everything exactly the way it should be, the results will be truly impressive. But get ready to take many meters of film for experiments.

CATS

Although they are much more difficult to manage, cats are easier to photograph than dogs - they are much more likely to assume natural poses, they have many interesting tricks in store, and - if they can be seated - they will sit still for much longer. You will get good results if you photograph cats and small dogs from eye height (often this is also the easiest), so put the animal (or its basket) on a stool or something similar.

Cats are most relaxed in their cat houses. If you need to move the house, they will quickly calm down and lie down back. Either photograph them where they are at the moment - curled up in a chair, or sitting on the windowsill (by the way, photograph them from the other side of the window - you get a completely separate photo).

Because most cats are small animals, you will need a telephoto lens to fill the frame. When photographing animals, it is good to use an open aperture so that the background is out of focus and the subject is separated from its surroundings.

Horses

First, you need to take pictures with careful preparation. You should clean the horse well, comb the tail and mane, wash the hooves. Now start looking for the right place to shoot. It is important to choose the right background, surface and lighting. The background is motley, it is good if it is grass, a natural habitat. The surface on which the horse will stand must be level. The best lighting is natural. Ideally, the sun, to which the photographer should stand with his back. If it shines in the muzzle of the horse or in its tail, the shadows will lie in the wrong place. The distance from the horse to the photographer is about six meters.

Secondly, you need to correctly place the animal. If it is necessary to make a portrait of a horse, then it must be addressed as a person! The distance here can be less than 6 meters. Photographing a horse with a foal is especially nice!!!

Conclusion

Always pay attention to the background. Unlike nature photography, where camouflage can be the most important part of the composition, contrast is very important in animal photography - you don't want your main character to blend into the background in a portrait. In terms of exposure, it is very important to think about the skin and fur of the animal. Dark fur absorbs light, so when photographing animals with dark fur, you may need to apply exposure compensation or bracketing. Take pictures of animals more often, it's interesting!

by Dmitry Lipatov

For some reason, it seems to many that photographing pets is easy and simple. But anyone who has ever tried to photograph such an unpredictable creature as a cat or a dog knows that nothing is easy about this event. Let's take a look at some of the tips and tricks the pros recommend so you can get your perfect shot.

1. Rest

An animal absorbs the emotions of its owner like a sponge: if you are stressed or worried about something, the pet senses it and becomes tense and anxious. In a stressful state, he will show you in full force with flattened ears, unhappy eyes and a “sad” tail. All of this doesn't fit well with a successful photo shoot, unless you're pursuing the idea of ​​showing the viewer how bad your cat or dog is feeling. Take a deep breath, let go of your sorrows, try to rest yourself and rest your pet before shooting.

by Elke Vogelsang

2. All focus on the eyes

The eyes are the most expressive part of an animal's face, so if you want to create really interesting portraits, focus on the eyes and facial expressions. To get your puppy's attention, try whining softly. You will attract him and get a curious muzzle in the frame, which looks directly into the camera and it seems that literally now it will say: “Woof!”

3. Get rid of unnecessary items

by Akimasa Harada

Before taking a photo shoot, look around and check that everything is in its place. Get rid of objects that can become distracting from the main subject. You should not have clothes lying on the floor or some empty plastic bottles on a green lawn - you don’t want to see all this in the pictures too, do you? If an interior element does not serve in some way to enhance your image, it should either be removed altogether or moved to the right place.

by Akimasa Harada

The laconic environment produces a more aesthetic impression and definitely reduces post-processing. No one should see a merry puppy fading into the trash in the background.

4. Own among strangers

by mario forcherio

While a few shots at human eye level can look good and even cute, you can find really interesting scenes and angles if you get down on your knees and immerse yourself in the world of an animal that has its own niche.

Even though each type of animal has its own level, you still need to crouch, bend over or even crawl to become part of it. Another interesting step can be when you raise your pet to your level, for example, sit down or put him on a stool or other elevated position.

5. Be flexible

If you've ever watched a professional pet shoot, you couldn't help but notice that the photographer can not only bend and crouch, but also crawl and twist, just to get the most favorable angle for their photo. And it is not surprising that even after an hour of such a photo session, the muscles can hurt like you ran 10 km. Watch the animal, pay attention to how it reacts to certain of your movements. Choose your optimal position, which will not cause anxiety or unwanted reactions in your pet.

6. Always go where the best light is.

by Akimasa Harada

Everything in photography, especially when it comes to pet photography, where it is very important to be able to prevent unnatural reflections in the eyes of the animal. Avoid photographing indoors or on very cloudy days. Bright but diffused light is the easiest way to create flattering portraits, so look around your surroundings before you start shooting, there might be a spot with brighter but diffused light just around the corner. Move there without delay.

by Kemal Selimovic

7. TFP - not suitable

A very common "fee" for posing among novice photographers or models is time per photo, which is completely unsuitable for furry subjects. The animal must have some motivation to give you as much attention during the shooting as required. Be sure to determine what your dog or neighbor's cat, whose owner you persuaded to rent it for a photo shoot, loves the most. It doesn't even have to be a treat.

by Akimasa Harada

Many animals will be happy to do your favorite thing - photographing, in exchange for their favorite thing - the game. Are you motivated as a photographer? Your subjects should be just as motivated as the models. Reward them, your photo shoots should be fun.

8. Create a concept and theme for the shot

by Pavel Shapovalov

The most interesting photographs are obtained when the animal is shown in the context of its life. Think about the subjects of the pictures in advance. What would you like to capture? It could be a cat looking into a bag of groceries in the kitchen (concept: intentions, desires), a dog looking longingly out the front door into the street, as if looking out for a friend or owner (longing), the arms of a child that are wrapped around the neck of a loved one. animal (connection, feelings, manifestation of friendship). If you try to say something with your images, they will speak to the viewer on a deeper emotional level.

9. Calmness, only calmness

There is no quicker way to discourage the desire to work with you than to hear loud and scattered commands that will confuse the dog or cause the cat to turn around and leave the room you are in. Your loud voice can cause animals to be confused, frightened, or disturbed, and tend to take the path of least resistance - retreating from the scene.

by James Stewart

Try to communicate with animals as they do with each other - i.e. non-verbally. Use hand signals: pat the floor with your palm to draw attention to the spot. Dogs are well aware of such human actions. If you need to give the command "sit" or "down", do it in a low voice, literally once, well, maximum twice. Say the pet's name. The more often they hear it, the more they become prone to joint actions and will try to adapt to the waters of you, as they perceive everything that happens as a game aimed at their own entertainment.

10. Move slowly

If you are already adept at documentary photography and can capture the perfect angle of your pet on the fly, then you can do anything! Well, otherwise, just try to slow down the usual rhythm and movements. Even when moving around the animal, do it slower than you would like. This is especially important for cat photographers. Cats tend to radically change their behavior or “facial expression” if they suddenly catch an unusual movement around them. To prevent the animal from "ruining" your compositional scene, walk around it on tiptoe.

And the most important advice for pet photographers is as follows: everyone who shoots animals, moving on their knees, bending, moving strangely in space, looks comical. Humble yourself! Even if you look funny from the outside, your photos will be a tangible consolation prize for you!

Unlike animals, stars stay in one place for several minutes rather than trying to fade away. Therefore, in order for the photos of these important family members to look professional and worthy of hanging on the wall next to the photos of grandparents, only the camera settings are indispensable. Animals require a special approach. In this article, Josh Norem, a volunteer at a local animal shelter, shares his experience of photographing animals.

How to encourage your pet to cooperate?

There are many tricks, but in the end it all comes down to patience and waiting for the right moment so that when it comes, you will be ready to click the camera shutter. Ideally, it would be nice for you to have an assistant to guide the animal to look at you, but the cat or dog will not look at you, but at him. This is where his help lies. The helper can draw the attention of the animal and stand next to you, so the animal will look in your direction.

If you don't have an assistant, try using your phone with apps that make sounds that attract the animal's attention. I use the free Human-to-Cat Translator and Dog Squeaky Toy apps on my iPhone. The strange noise that the phone generates will sometimes be enough for a cat or dog to look at you for a short time, and you need to be ready to take a picture at that moment. This way you can capture the composition by focusing the camera on his eyes.

At the local animal den where Josh volunteers, there are usually play sessions when photographing cats. It is important that they look fun and energetic, although this is not always possible.

What equipment to use for photographing animals?

In order to take pictures of pets, you do not need to have special photographic equipment. The only thing is, if you are shooting indoors, you need to have a flash. If you don't have good natural light indoors, the flash will fill in the shadows and it also helps to "freeze" the subject in motion. Many of my photos come out crisp and sharp thanks to flash, a steady hand, and good lenses.

The golden rule when using flash
Never fire your flash directly at your subject, at least not without a diffuser. If you shoot with a direct flash, your animal will look terrible, under any conditions. And there will also be terrible hard shadows behind him. Such photos will be ugly. Point your flash at the ceiling so that the light from it hits the subject in a bounced and soft way. The light in the photo will look natural, even if the room has high ceilings. Avoid using the camera's built-in flash, as the light from it will hit the animal's eyes directly and the result will look terrible.

Which lenses are best
Speaking of lenses, it can be noted that the lens is important. You will see a noticeable difference between a kit lens and a premium 1000 bucks lens. For shooting animals indoors, a 50mm prime lens is most suitable, lenses with a focal length of 50mm usually have good aperture.

Regarding specific equipment, I use a Nikon D800 camera with three Nikon Nikkor "Pro" series lenses, and an SB-900 flash. I usually shoot in aperture priority mode. On flash, in 99% of cases I use TTL mode. The SB-900 flash, in the "auto" mode, reads the mode and cameras in order to correctly set the light output. This makes it extremely accurate and very easy to use.

With flash, it is easier to get small white highlights in the eyes of the subject, they attract attention and make the eyes of the animal more alive and interesting.

What to look for when photographing an animal

There are basic principles, following which you can get photos more interesting.

Rule 1. Always focus on the eyes
If the eyes are out of focus, the picture was taken in vain, period. How to focus on the eyes? Choose the focus area manually. Don't focus automatically, don't let your camera control the focus, because autofocus usually works on the closest point to the camera, i.e. on the animal's nose. Change the focus settings from "Auto" to "Single Point". If you don't know how to do this, check your camera manual. It is important that the focal point falls on the eyes of the animal.

Rule 2. Frame composition
Pay attention to the rule of thirds to correctly compose the frame. If this fails, you can crop the photo so that the eyeball is in the top or bottom quarter of the frame. In addition to focus and composition, you need to worry about your exposure. If the exposure is too dark or too bright, adjust it using the compensation.

And the last tip, photograph the animal by lowering the camera to the level of his eyes. This will add intimacy and an unusual perspective. If you get good focus and exposure, you are very close to getting a good photo. All that's left now is practice and a bit of luck.

Photographing animals at eye level, usually done lying on the floor. From this angle, an unusual perspective opens up, which allows you to see new details that are not visible from the usual angle of the human eye.

How to take close-up portraits of animals

In order to take a close-up of your pet and get a blurry background, you need to set the camera to aperture priority mode and open the aperture in the lens as wide as possible. For a fast lens, this value will be F / 2.8, for a super fast lens - an open aperture can be F / 1.4, and on a kit lens it is usually F / 3.5.

Next, you need to get closer to the animal, and follow the background so that the distance from the object to the background is several meters. (The further the subject is from the background, the blurrier the background will be in the photo; and the closer the animal is to the background, the more the background will be in focus. A fast lens will take care of the rest.

But be careful, because the lens is fast, only the eyes may be in focus, and the ears and nose may be blurred. Sometimes it looks nice, and sometimes not so good. Therefore, adjust the aperture to a value that will give a result that suits you (so that the details you need fall into the field of sharpness). If you want to sharpen not only the eyes, but also the nose of your pet, close the aperture by one or two values ​​(for example, go from F / 2.8 to F / 4) or step back a little to zoom out the animal.

How to photograph an animal in motion

The art of capturing animals in motion is the fast shutter speed and fast autofocus of your lens, which will catch a fast-moving animal in time. I set the focus mode on the camera to continuous tracking. In this mode, the autofocus motor is active all the time and it follows the movement of the subject. To do this, simply hold the shutter button halfway down.

The second speed setting is a fast shutter speed, which requires good lighting for a good exposure. If you are shooting outdoors in bright sunlight, then there will be no problem with a fast shutter speed, but if it is dark or cloudy outside, then you need to increase the ISO to compensate for the lack of light. Alternatively, you can switch the camera to shutter priority mode and set it to 1/500. Then see how the photos turn out. Next, set the shutter speed to a shorter one, as long as you have enough light in the photo. Photographing animals in motion requires patience, fast shutter speeds, and lots and lots of practice.

Can the same shooting results be achieved with a compact camera?

All the tips above applied to SLR cameras. But what can be said to the owners of soap dishes and supersums? Soap dishes do not have an autofocus zone setting, and they also have a long shutter time, the shutter may fire a couple of seconds after pressing the shutter button. Also, most soapboxes will automatically use the built-in flash, which will have a terrible effect on photographs.

My advice: turn off the flash and set the camera to burst mode so you can take many photos at once. Use portrait mode if your camera offers it, and if you can control your aperture, set it to the lowest number.

conclusions
Of course, the more options your camera has, the better, but you don't need an expensive camera to take good photos of animals. But a good lens will help you get pictures with good clarity, detail and pattern.

Everyone who has a pet dreams of having beautiful and, ideally, professional pictures in their home photo gallery. There are two ways to solve this issue: order an expensive and, most likely, high-quality photo shoot from a professional animal photographer, or get your camera and approach it with the greatest possible desire to learn this craft.

So, ? Here are just a few important points, by completing which, you are very likely to get an excellent photo card as a keepsake.

1. Seize the moment!

If your camera is not at hand, and you really want to take a picture, then use the camera built into your mobile phone. Modern mobile phones are often equipped with quite acceptable cameras. The quality may suffer, but you will always have a touching moment captured with your pet.

2. Reveal your pet's identity.

Before taking a photo, ask yourself: What makes it different from other animals? Think about what type of personality he has and then try to capture a frame that reflects his character. For example, if everyone knows your pet as a lazy calm sleeper, then the shooting location can be a sofa where he is resting, or a country courtyard where he is resting in the sun. If your pet is hyperactive, inquisitive and always on the move, take your photo shoot in a local park or out of town. Catch footage of your pet jumping, running, or playing with other animals. Have some toys, sticks, and some props on hand to add variety to your shots. Who said taking pictures of pets is easy? 🙂

3. Lighting.

Light is at the heart of any photograph. And when it comes to shooting animals, that's especially important. In 9 cases and 10, I would not recommend using a flash. It is usually very distracting to animals, and in some cases even scary. Flash can also create an eerie red-eye effect, and in the case of cats, an unpleasant green glare on the eyes. Natural light is a much better option than using a flash. An exception to this rule may be photographing black animals (when your pet has very dark or black fur). Black tends to absorb light, and flash can add detail. A small flash saver can be a flash diffuser, but it is sold separately and exists for both built-in and external flashes.

4. Add people.

One of the best things you can do to add context to a photo is having favorite hosts in your pet's life. Shots of the owner or other family members interacting with the pet can make the image incredibly special. You can try staged shots, but it's better to capture natural shots full of love and friendship and understanding.

5. Wide angle lens.

The advantages of a wide-angle lens when shooting in a limited space (apartment) at least come down to the fact that much more is placed in the frame. 🙂 This item is for those who have a SLR camera and have such an interchangeable lens. If not, then don't worry. Move on.

6. Attention to the background.

When choosing a place to take pictures of pets, you can take into account a number of important factors. First, choose a place where your pet will feel comfortable and at ease. Finally, consider the background of your shots. Ultimately, you don't want your background to detract from the photo - sometimes the best places are the simplest ones: lush green grass, a well-lit room with white walls, or a simple beige carpet. Do not allow too colorful, bright, and distracting backgrounds in the frame. If you plan to photograph your pet often, then you may want to buy a piece of fabric in blue or light blue. Why exactly these colors? From experience, on such backgrounds, almost all animals turn out very well. Linen fabrics do not give glare. Others need to be looked at.

Speaking of backgrounds. Some breeds of dogs look perfect in rural landscapes, while others on the couch or in an armchair. This specificity must also be taken into account. But this is rather advice on the artistic and compositional construction of the frame. By the way, beautiful ones can inspire you to creative feats and create beautiful photos with your pet.

7. Eye level.

Get down to the eye level of pets where you can look at them eye to eye. Sometimes, of course, you can get a good shot by taking pictures from your height, but the best photos are still taken in a different way. Going down to the animal level means you will see their world and get a sense of what a different life is like - you will be amazed at the results as they are more personal and there is a real chance of getting the best shot.

8. Be Paparazzi!

There are very business animals. They are busy with their important affairs, and sometimes do not pay their attention to anyone. In these moments, he is more than real. Capture the moments. For example, taking a picture of a dog hiding a sugar bone somewhere in the yard, and not knowing that he is being watched. Or when a cat tries to climb into a box, there are many such moments. You just need to know what your pet is doing. Photographing pets- it can be very exciting and exciting, or it can be boring and necessary. You choose.

9. Freeze actions.

Many animals create problems for photographers because they are active and always on the move. The key to winning is using a fast shutter speed. Most digital cameras will let you shoot in full manual mode if you're confident, or you can work in shutter priority mode where you set your shutter speed and the camera does the rest for you. Most cameras have a "sport" mode, which means the camera will select the fastest shutter speed possible for your situation. There is no general advice, since all cameras in such software modes work differently. Try experimenting. You can also use continuous shooting. Later, from such photos, you can get a funny animation, or a photo collage.

10. Portrait.

Try to make a portrait of an animal. It is possible and as for people - front, shoulder. You can add creativity and capture the nose, mustache, eyes in the frame.

Photos with animals will always be popular - they are natural and unpredictable, and rarely leave anyone indifferent. Animals are creatures that cannot be forced to obey the photographer in any way - they are capricious and demand that people adapt to them. Photographing them is a lot of work, which only at first glance seems elementary. In the article we will analyze the main secrets of working with animals during and photo shoots.

Before the photo session

The first thing you need to understand when deciding to photograph an animal is that you have to be patient to get some good shots. Not only wild animals can be mobile - you will also have to work hard with domestic animals to capture them from beautiful angles and in good poses. Start your journey of such photography with a simple one - take less active, pets as “models”. It would be better if it turns out to be your own pets who know and trust you. In this case, the animal will be relaxed and calm, which will allow you to take high-quality photos.

How to prepare your pet

Before the photo session of a pet, it is recommended to give it a good bath and comb it to show the coat in all its glory. If you want the animal to be as calm as possible, not nervous and not running away - feed it! This simple tip will do half the battle in photography. You can also treat the animal right during the shooting - this way you will attract more attention to yourself and be able to take full-face shots.

It helps to use an assistant who can divert the attention of the animal to itself and concentrate its gaze at a certain point. If the assistant is not at hand, use your smartphone! Often, animals react violently to unexpected sounds made by this device.

A very important rule in animal photography is the ability to move slowly so as not to frighten away the subject. Learn smooth and slow movements that will not make you afraid. For example, let's take cats: they tend to change their behavior in a negative direction if they hear and feel noise and movement incomprehensible to them around them. It is very easy to scare away this pet.

Your attempts to shout at the beast or loudly command it will be no less a mistake - in such cases, you may lose your “model”, which will try to hide from you as far as possible.

Photographic equipment for shooting animals

Animals are often shy, so it is not always possible to photograph them at close range. When photographing in a zoo or in the wild, use lenses with a long focal length - with their help, you can take pictures in such a way that the animal may simply not notice you.

With the help of telephoto cameras, or at least universal lenses, pictures of pets are also very natural and original. You will be able to catch footage of their daily life: how they play, sleep, go about “their own business”.

Camera settings

Every novice photographer sooner or later faces the fact that the photos are fuzzy and blurry. This happens because the camera settings are not set properly. Of course, you can go the easiest way by simply setting the automatic shooting mode to “Sports”. But it is worth considering that you still will not achieve the ideal quality of pictures, because there is nothing better than manual settings set specifically for a certain time and place of shooting. They are able to accurately convey the lighting, colors and movements of your animal.

To begin with, we advise you to select a special shooting mode on your camera - shutter priority mode. On Nikon equipment, it is denoted by the letter S, while Canon has Tv. In it, the aperture value is set automatically, and the shutter speed should be set independently - at least 125 (1/125 of a second).

You can also use fully manual photography mode and open the aperture as wide as possible - the f-value should be as small as possible. With these settings, you will achieve the sharpness of the object you are photographing - in our case, an animal. This will blur the background. This technique is called “shallow depth of field”.

Do not forget about the amount of light in the photo - watch the exposure and do not allow too low and too high exposure. For professional photographers who are well aware of the camera device and its settings, we recommend using spot metering exposure - with it, attention to the object will be accentuated even better.

Do not neglect such a photo accessory as a solar hood. With this lens attachment, you can avoid unwanted sunlight. Such a tool is especially useful when it is necessary to take photos of zoo animals through glass. Additionally, you can wrap a black cloth around the lens with a lens hood, thereby avoiding a large amount of side rays.

Frame composition in animal photography

Watching animals is interesting from any angle, whether from above, from the side or from afar. But the one where the camera lens is on the same level with the eyes of the beast is considered especially successful. They are all different sizes, and therefore it is likely that you will not only have to squat or any support, but also lie down on the ground, crawl after the “model”. In such poses, you can often find new angles and details that the human eye usually does not pay attention to - you will practically see the world through the eyes of an animal! Also learn the important rule of thirds in photography and use it to correctly compose the frame.

When photographing, think not only about the animal, but also about what surrounds it: objects around should not divert attention to themselves. This often happens at the zoo when people, fences, signs and other unnecessary components get into the frame. In cases where it is not possible to take a picture of an animal in full growth due to the abundance of unnecessary details, use the zoom and take portrait shots.

In the composition, it is not necessary to remove all the details from the background and make it blurry - you can use some objects to create a plot. These can be banal bushes and tree branches, or interesting decor elements: a box in which a kitten sits, or a dog trying to catch a ball. To be able to show the story and emotions in the picture is a sign of professionalism.

Features of shooting various animals

Depending on what kind of animal is in front of you, you can choose different techniques for shooting, as well as angles with the background. Different sizes of pets and their habits make their own adjustments to the photo shoot process.

Dogs

We know many breeds of dogs, and sometimes they look different. Therefore, the rule to shoot everyone equally will not work here. So, dogs with long elongated muzzles, for example, beagles, are best shot in profile or at least three-quarters.

On the faces of these pets, there is always a lot of a wide variety of emotions, so create unusual situations for animals in which they can show them. Let the dogs bounce, run after a stick or swim in a pond - each such photo will be boring and funny.

cats

Cats, unlike dogs, are much more diligent. They have a nice feature - if they are put in a certain position, they can stay in it for a very long time. It is easier to photograph them, and there are more pictures where they live their lives in a relaxed and natural way. Even more calm cats become in their houses or favorite places to sleep - then they can not be disturbed, but calmly photographed from afar, without scaring them away.

Cats are small pets, so in order for the photos to turn out to be of high quality and the frame to be filled, use a lens with a long focus. This will make the background blurry and separate the cat figure from the rest of the environment.

Animals in the zoo

For a photo shoot at the zoo, you need to have two types of filters, without which it will be difficult to get perfect shots:

• Protective filter. Needed in case wild animals in the zoo want to touch or taste your lens. Such a filter will protect equipment from damage;
• Polarizing filter. Also, like a black cloth hood, it helps to get rid of extra glare when shooting through glass and soften the sun's rays, and also removes reflections.

Since many animals can be very mobile and are unlikely to obey you, we recommend using the burst mode - this way it will be more difficult to miss a good shot.

Stop using flash! It can not only scare the animal very much, but also ruin the frame, for example, by illuminating the eyes. Moreover, you should not use the flash already built into the camera - it will certainly ruin the image quality.

Where to photograph animals?

In addition to the zoo described above, there are several other places that can be good for photographing animals. Which is better to choose? It all depends on your goals and what result you want to get.

Outdoors

When shooting on the street, do not rush to immediately pounce on the animal with the camera: let it get comfortable, explore the area, relax and play enough. You can try to play with the animal with the help of the assistant to get live shots, or shoot discreetly, hiding and not letting the animal see you. Choose a photogenic place in advance and do not forget that there should not be too much sunlight. Try to find a site where there will be no strangers: both people and other animals. The animal should not be distracted and scared!

In a studio

Before shooting an animal in the studio, it is important to make sure that it feels comfortable: feed it, take it for a walk and calm it down. Take a bowl of water, treats and a comb to update your pet's “hairstyle” with you to the site. As with the zoo, be careful when using flash: if the animal is frightened, don't swear at it and give it time to rest.

Houses

One of the most difficult places to shoot - often at home there are a lot of foreign objects that can ruin the shot, as well as inappropriate backgrounds and lighting, which have to be worked on extra. In order to somehow improve the background for home photos, we recommend using the following tricks and tools:

Photoreflector. Useful if the subject is illuminated from one side only. An indispensable assistant for many photographers;

Flash. It is important that it is not built-in - from such photo quality will only worsen;

White paper. From it, make a special box for your flash, which softens the light.

If you still couldn’t find a suitable beautiful background in the house, use an additional fabric and make a background for photo shoots out of it.

As in any photo shoot, the result here will depend on the amount of practice and the size of your efforts. Shooting animals is a rather difficult genre, but it can deliver a lot of fun!