If you have actually tried to take a photograph of your pet you will have discovered that it isn’t as simple as you may have thought at first.

Taking photographs of them while they are sleeping isn’t truly a issue, but as soon as they wake up and are running close to causing havoc you will need lightening fast reactions in order to get a decent image shot.

There is a phrase often quoted, especially on television about ‘never working with kids or animals’. Even if your pet is becoming a bit mischievous or is full of energy, you’ll want to take great photographs of them and if you’ve lots of patience you will be rewarded having a spectacular portrait which you will want to cherish forever.

There are a lot of exotic pets out there such as snakes, bearded dragons and chinchillas, but for most of us, generally have a cat or a dog.

It’s so rewarding to capture the personality of your pet inside a portrait. This can easily be achieved because they know you really well, are comfy with you and are least most likely to be anxious, especially if they have a camera whirring and clicking in their faces.

For the best images you ought to roughly follow the exact same fundamental principles as you would when taking portraits of individuals:

- Make certain you shoot at the animals level (in other words, not directly from above).

- Focus on the eyes

- Fill the frame

- Use a somewhat longer lens and avoid getting distracted or busy background or direct flash.

You want your dog to become as organic as feasible within the portrait, so take the picture a little further away and shoot utilizing a telephoto lens. The animal well be less anxious and the result is going to be a far much more organic picture.

Lighting

Organic daylight is usually your optimum choice and resulting in a much much better image.

If, for example, you want to pick up the texture of your pets fur, you will need to use pretty directional light coming from one side. As with humans, the best pet portraits are frequently taken with the topic sitting next to or near a window.

Tip: If your pet has dark fur, you will have to be careful as it might fool your camera’s metering system so you might need to alter the AE-C setting to lighten it somewhat, utilizing the ‘ ’ setting.

Just as you would with individuals, when getting pictures of your pet it is essential to attempt to capture the character of your dog within the picture. I’ve seen some pictures where somebody’s adorable cat looks positively demonic on the photograph or their lively, cute dog appears either rabid or completely docile.

If you’ve ever taken a photograph of a baby you can use comparable tactics for your dog: use a favorite toy to attract their attention, or make funny noises or gestures to get a reaction.

As mentioned earlier in most cases photographing your pet not only requires patience but you’ll need lightening fast reactions so that you can be prepared to shoot at any moment.

This applies even more in the case of little pets such as hamsters or rodents. To make things simpler, it may be much better to have somebody hold the animal whilst you take the picture. With careful cropping using a program like Photoshop you should be able to erase the image of the individual holding the animal from the frame.

Just as you would with any type of photography where the subject is moving and you have to snap the image quickly, you need to combat potential problems for example focus or camera shake by using a quick shutter speed and getting plenty of shots.

In case you stick to these ideas you will manage to shoot a stunning portrait which will capture the characteristics of your dog, and something which you will treasure forever.

How To Photograph Pets
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If you have recently been shopping for a digital camera you understand that it can be a daunting process. The sheer variety of cameras on the market is enough to boggle your mind. Not only must you choose from a manufacturer, but from the variety of models available. Each month it seems there are a whole slew of choices available, making the decision even tougher. Understanding the specifics of each model is nearly impossible, making the task that much more difficult.

Typically manufacturers will only give you the information that they feel you should know about. Going into the technical details is typically above most consumers therefore the manufacturers won’t delve into those topics. However, flashy marketing campaigns shouldn’t be the only thing that holds your attention. Understanding a few key concepts will help you get the most bang for your buck when it comes to purchasing a digital camera. The information I am about to share should be able to help you make an informed decision when it comes to purchasing the right camera for you.

Mega pixels is the first thing you want to look for when purchasing your camera. Now, I am sure you have heard the term before but you might not know exactly what a “mega pixel” is. Mega pixels are actually one million pixels. The pixel is the smallest part of a digitized or digital image. Pixels are the small squares that form a picture on a camera screen. The greater the pixel count of an image the higher the resolution of that image.

It is a common misconception that the larger the number of mega pixels in a digital camera the clearer the image will be. This is a wrong perception. Pixels will determine how large your picture can reasonably be. For example a 10,000 MP camera will not give you a clearer image than an 8000 MP camera. However, it will allow you to print out a larger image. Now that you understand about mega pixels you will hopefully be able to decide how many you want in the camera you wish to purchase.

Camera sensors determine efficiency. Sensors are used to capture the image before transferring it to the main memory of the camera. When shopping for you camera pay particular attention to the types of sensors employed in it. Basically sensors allow you to take multiple pictures instantly.

Cameras can have two types of sensors. They are CCD and CMOS. The CCD is Charged Couple Device. CCD is usually found in more expensive camera models. CCD’s typically give a great image quality. CMOS sensors (Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) do not provide the best quality image and are typically found in lesser expensive camera models. Typically point and shoot photographers (the majority of photographers) can do well with the CMOS sensor. Professional photographers will definitely need the CCD sensor.

Your choice of camera will also depend on the kinds of photos you plan on taking. There are a variety of cameras for different purposes. For example, if you are planning on do a lot of wild life photography I recommend you purchase a camera that has Center-Weighted metering. Center weighted metering is when the camera takes a light reading from the whole frame, but it pays attention to the center of the image. The camera stays focused at the center of the object allowing you to get the perfect shot.

On the other hand if you are more interested in nature photography, a wide angle lens and memory exposure lock is a must for you. Memory exposure is responsible for the depth of a photograph. The wide angle lens brings the depth visible. Always make sure that you carry a light camera if you are mountaineering or going for an adventure trip.

To get a FREE Digital Photography Report of your very own, and to DISCOVER Dan Feildman’s Best Selling Photography Book For Beginners, please visit www.LearnDigitalPhotographyNow.com