How to take better photos of your pet

Emily Kudiersky knows how to bring out a pet’s true personality. The Sheffield-based founder of Pet Stories specialises in relaxed, natural-light portraits of animals and their humans. Here, she shares her top tips for capturing the quirks, chaos and charm that make your pet one of a kind.

What’s that old saying – “Never work with children and animals”? As a natural light photographer and founder at Pet Stories who has photographed many four-legged characters over the past eight years, I couldn’t disagree more (with the animal part anyway). 

Photographing pets may be tricky, unpredictable and feel slightly chaotic at times, but for me, this is what makes each and every pet photoshoot so special. Read on for my advice on how to harness these challenges and take the best snaps possible – whatever your level of expertise. 

Get the best out of natural light

For me, lighting comes first and foremost. A naturally lit photo looks clearer, shows more detail and has a more authentic colour and tone. When taking photos indoors, aim to have your pet positioned close to a window, with the lights off (to remove any yellowy tones). And for an extra moody effect, light that hits the subject from the side, rather than front on, looks even better.

When it comes to taking photos outside, try to avoid midday sun as this causes an overhead shadow on a subject (Figure 1). I find the dreamiest light is around 8pm on a summer’s evening, when “golden hour” is in its prime. Or even better, “blue hour”, which is the cooler light that comes right after the sun has set (Figure 2) – it has a beautiful flat and even tonality. 

And if you have a black-haired pet, I highly recommend saving your photoshoot for an overcast day or early evening light. Black, glossy-coated dogs and cats can be a real challenge to capture. With not enough natural light, their features are lost in the shadows; with too much light, it creates shine in all the wrong places. Harnessing soft, indirect light enhances your black pet’s unique features. 

Be calm and watch their body language

One of my biggest bugbears as a pet photographer is when I see other photographers or dog owners capturing stressed, panting dogs, which in a freeze-frame can be mistaken for a big cheesy smile. Don’t get me wrong, a tongue-out smile doesn’t always signal stress, but as a pet owner I think it’s important to recognise when your pets are giving off signs that they need space or a break. You’ve probably noticed how your little pal can often pick up on and even mirror high energy. So when setting out to take photos, it’s really important to maintain a chilled and relaxed atmosphere so that you can capture your pet’s true personality. 

Try not to be too loud or give too many commands at once. Instead, use your body language to signal what you want your pet to do. For example, if you want your pet to sit in a certain place in the house, try calmly walking there and pointing at the spot, with no verbal instruction at all. It may take a while to get the right positioning, but it results in calmer, more genuine photos. I find this technique can work for a broad range of pets too, not just cats and dogs.

To treat or not to treat?

Treats are a great way to hold your pet’s attention, but only if they’re used in the right way. It depends how food-motivated your pets are and what pose or moment you’re trying to capture. 

If you want your pet to look directly down the lens, for example, then treats can work well – but timing is key. When you start to take a photo, don’t dive right in and hold a treat in the air. This will cause your pet’s head to tilt right back and you’ll only have a small window of time to get the shot.

Instead, have some treats in your pocket on standby as a last resort. If you find yourselves struggling to grab their attention, slowly introduce the treat and hold it right above your phone or lens. You don’t even need to tell them you have it, as this will cause excitement and most likely a change in their pose. Just the surprise of it is usually enough to freeze-frame them.

Match your camera settings to your pet’s personality

When photographing pets with a DSLR or mirrorless camera, it’s important to tailor your settings to suit their personality and behaviour. For instance, if you’re capturing a sleepy, snuggled-up cat with minimal movement, consider using a low aperture like f/2.8 to achieve a dreamy shallow depth of field. You can also slow down your shutter speed to let in more light, as motion blur is less of a concern. 

Or if you’re out on a walk with a bouncy Spaniel, I would suggest choosing a high shutter speed, so that no frame goes unmissed. Of course, every photographer is different and there is no right or wrong approach!

Work out the best way to get their attention

I was once given some great advice from a dog trainer in regards to recall – don’t overuse your dog’s name. The theory is that when repeating your pet’s name over and over again, instead of a specific command, they can become confused and ultimately (and unintentionally) ignore instruction. 

I’ve found this to be the case when taking photos of pets too. So rather than calling out your pet’s name over and over, try using words that you know will direct their focus towards you, such as “squirrels”, “cheese” or a family member they get excited about. 

I’m also known for making a few weird noises here and there if I want to grab my subject’s attention. Some pets are unfussed and don’t hear my noises at all and some are almost hypnotised, and I’ll be rewarded with a classic head-tilt pose – particularly when taking pictures of puppies.

Master patience and positioning

Some pets (more commonly cats and younger animals) just don’t play ball, and you have no choice but to be patient and follow their lead. Typically, you can’t encourage certain poses, so every photo will capture their authentic selves. 

Some of my favourite shots have purely been “right place, right time”. Patience is key and if you can be one step ahead and foresee your pet’s movements, it’s worth the wait. Remember, you don’t always need to be right next to your pet to take a good photo of them. Frame up your shot by considering the background and composition, base yourself in the right location and just wait for your pet to move into frame. Really take your time to look at the image in your viewfinder. Is there any clutter in the background that might make a final photo look busy?

Ultimately, every pet is different, which means every shoot is unique and you’ll end up capturing exactly what it is about your pet that makes them special – and that’s why I love my job!