CHOOSE SMART CAMERA SETTINGS.
Put your camera on Continuous Focus Mode . On Continuous Focus, your camera will keep refocusing on the subject as it moves automatically. I also use Burst Mode to shoot the maximum frames per second. This is the big secret of marvelous action shots.
KNOW HOW TO CALM NERVOUS ANIMALS.
There are so many reasons why an animal may display unruly behavior, but sometimes it stems from being excited, overstimulated or anxious about something unfamiliar. I’ve found that appearing as uninteresting and unthreatening as humanly possible helps. It also helps to allow pets to become familiar with us. Most importantly, keep your own excitement in check when you meet a new animal.
Sometimes, it’s our gear itself that can cause some problems. An easy remedy can be to switch from a standard lens that requires you to be close to the pet to a telephoto lens that allows you to be farther away.
GET THOSE EARS UP!
Alert, forward ears make pets appear happier in photos. Try using a pet’s favorite toy or funny noises to keep a pet’s attention (without overstimulating them) and get those alert expressions. Always reward the pet for doing something good.
GET TO KNOW THE DOGS PERSONALITY BEFORE YOU START!
What gets their attention, will they rest if you’re still? Think about their daily behaviors and use them to help you.
HAVE TREATS ON HAND AND OBJECTS TO THROW OR GET THE DOGS ATTENTION!
Take their favorite toy, or if they like variation, take a new toy. How can you get them to look in the direction you want?
SHOOT PHOTOS FROM YOUR DOGS LEVEL!
Being above the dog makes it harder to get a great shot. Use a garden pad to get down to their level.
FOCUS ON THE EYES TO CREATE EMOTIONAL DOG PHOTOGRAPHY!
Make sure your camera focuses on their eyes to get them sharp in the images.
BACK GROUNDS!
Back grounds, fields, flowers, grassy areas, woods, create a classic portrait
These kinds of background look uncluttered and have similar tones that allow your dog to stand out. Most digital photo software will now allow you to gently blur the background, making the eye focus on your dog.
CATURE OWNER/PET RELATIONSHIP!
Ask a friend to come with you, or set your camera up to take a shot automatically after a time period, or by using a cheap remote clicker from a distance.
GOLDEN HOUR!
Think About Lighting, Use The 'Golden Hour' Lighting. In photography, the golden hour is the period of daytime shortly after sunrise or before sunset. Use this light to take amazing shots of your dog.
MINIMIZE MOVEMENT!
If you don’t want an action shot, make sure your dog is still before taking your photo.
TAKE YOUR TIME!
Take time to just sit back and watch the actions of the dog, when the movement is right you will see it and then click!
I use many different cameras for my photography business. I also still shoot old film cameras to get that older classic look. My go to camera in most cases is my Fuji XT 2 with the Fuji lens 50-140mm. I have a number of other Fuji lenses and Canon lenses with an adaptor for my Fuji Camera that I use. I used to use all Canon cameras but due to the size and weight I decided to change to the Fuji.
Have a blessed day y'all!
Christina
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