Photo How To

We all love our dogs, and even if you don’t own one of these loyal companions yourself, you undoubtedly have friends and family who do. And unlike cats (who always think they’re in charge), most dogs are eager to please and take direction willingly.

In the tutorial below from B&H Photo Video, you’ll learn a few simple tips for making pleasing portraits (not simple snapshots) of your furry friends. After all, they deserve the best you can do, right?

Elias Weiss Friedman of The Dogist is an expert on photographing dogs. And in barely three minutes he provides a variety of helpful pet portraits tips, including the best gear to use, interesting angles from which to shoot, fun ideas, posing suggestions, and more.

If you doubt Weiss’ skills, consider the fact that he manages to capture the attention of multiple dogs in one epic photograph. And this quick episode is full of fun and fantastic photos that you’ll love.

In terms of gear Weiss recommends a prime lens and a camera with quick and precise autofocus capabilities. These tools are particularly important when photographing dogs at play, as opposed to those sitting still for more “formal” portraits. Weiss often shoots at maximum aperture with fast lenses to isolate his subjects against a soft out-of-focus background.

He also recommends photographing pets in much the same way we make images of kids; namely, crouch down and shoot from their eye level. This perspective often imparts “a regal” appearance to your pet, and Weiss has been known to wear kneepads during long shoots.

One of Weiss’ tips that I use regularly is to “have something they want” that will grab their attention and encourage them to cooperate. That can be a tasty treat or favorite toy. Even a small clicker works well to capture attention for photos with eye contact.

There’s more to learn in this fun and helpful video, so take a look and give these tricks a try.

You can find more great advice in the B&H Photo Video YouTube channel, as well as plenty interesting stuff for dog owners on The Dogist website.