How to take Great Photos of your Pets

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| Print | By Jo Singer | July 23, 2009 10:53 AM

There is nothing more frustrating for those of us who love to photograph their pets than to have your animal take that perfect pose, and being stuck without having a camera handy. I can't tell you how many times I have felt "ripped off" from a stellar shot and immediately become inspired to grab my camera to attempt to recapture that moment. Of course it is always too late by then and our cats are already bored so refuse to cooperate.

What is equally exasperating for me when I do manage to have my camera in hand with all my creative juices flowing is our cats' total lack of interest in being photographed. Their total unwillingness to collaborate with me no matter how I cajole them can be totally exasperating.

Photo of Duffy by Melody Saudners
With all the magnificent feline photography I have had the pleasure of viewing, and actually having an artistic "eye" for that purrfect photo; it finally dawned on me that it was about time that I started searching for some answers from professional animal photographers to learn just how in the heck they are so successful.

I discovered a few wonderfully talented and creative professional shutterbugs that were willing to share some of their trade secrets to aspiring photographers, so am passing on their suggestions, and I eagerly look forward to trying them out.

Pet photographer, Amanda Jones, http://www.amandajones.com/, featured in "The New York Times", and who appeared as a guest on "Good Morning America", suggests the use of "plenty of bribes", a huge amount of patience, and to not use a flash attachment She claims that these simple tricks will help immeasurably.

Erin Neumeyer, www.ephotola.com, professional pet and child photographer, based in Venice, California, suggests that facial close-ups captures the pet's essence and creates a super photo. Using squeaky toys can grab their attention and get them involved. Placing the pet on a table instead of attempting a floor shot helps prevent them from wandering, which is a sure way to lose that spectacular pose.

Melody Saudners, http://melodysaundersphotography.com/, stresses that one of the essential ingredients in successful pet photography is utilizing the relationship you have with your pet. Of course it is preferable to have a relaxed animal having a great time while being photographed will certainly yield some amazing shots. She also suggests that "candid" shots can be fabulous as the essence of the pet is highlighted without "stilted" poses being set up.

The alternative to getting those portraits is hiring a professional to do the job. While Amanda Jones charges $1,400 for a simple studio shoot, Melody Saudners' photographs start at $125 per session. For a more deluxe session, she also has at her disposal a pet masseuse who will relax your pet for an additional fee.

Contact information for the above photographers can be found at their websites.
See Melody Saudners in action and get more tips by watching the video uploaded to YouTube by better.

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Amy July 24, 2009 4:25 AM

Yipee! Great tips and I will keep them in mind when trying to out think the critters.

Vicki July 24, 2009 12:07 PM

Yeah, well I gotta tell ya, tell her to come out and take some photo's of my horses. Ears twitching every which way, getting distracted, moving around, one ear back, one forward. Snot, I need a martini!

jmuhj July 24, 2009 4:19 PM

Yes, Jo, those ARE wonderful suggestions! You do manage to get lots of gems of your boys, btw. Guess I'm lucky, too -- my clowder are hams, every one of 'em. ;)

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