Outdoor dog photography is a great way to capture your dog’s distinctive personality in a beautiful setting. But capturing the perfect shot can be tricky, especially if you’re new to pet photography.
Before you start snapping pictures, make sure your pup is ready! Give them plenty of treats and praise, play with them to get them in a happy mood, and make sure they’re well-groomed. You may even want to practise some simple commands so you can give them direction when taking photos. The best online puppy training courses will help you keep your dog behaved even outdoors.
Let’s take a look at some outdoor dog photography ideas for capturing perfect shots of your pup.
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6 Outdoor Dog Photography Ideas to Try
1. Find the Right Light
Natural lighting is one of the best ways to make your pup look their best in photos. If possible, try to shoot during the golden hour (the hour before sunset) when the sun is low in the sky and casts a warm glow over everything. This will create a more flattering light than shooting during midday when it can be too bright and harsh.
If you don’t have access to natural light, you can use artificial lighting such as flashes or lamps with diffusers to soften the light.
2. Choose an Interesting Background
The background of your photo can make or break it, so choose wisely! Look for interesting landscapes with interesting textures and colours that will complement your pup’s fur and eyes. Think parks, fields, beaches or even your own backyard.
Also consider using props such as toys, furniture or foliage to add more dimension to your photo and make it more eye-catching.
3. Motion Makes Things Interesting
Action shots are great for showing off your pup’s personality and creating dynamic images that stand out from traditional portraits. Most dog owners know that their dog’s true colours come out when they’re active and playful.
Try photographing them running, playing fetch or jumping into the air – these will all tend to create more interesting shapes and poses than having your dog sit still. However, you do need to have a camera that lets you capture these shots properly. And that leads us to our next tip.
4. Invest in Good-Quality Equipment
Investing in quality pet photography equipment will go a long way towards improving your photos and making sure they look professional-grade quality. If you want the best results, invest in cameras with higher megapixel counts that allow you to zoom in on details without losing sharpness, lenses with wide aperture settings that let you blur out backgrounds, tripods for stability, external flash units for better lighting, and filters for reducing reflections from water or snow.
While you can get by with a phone camera and some practice, these types of pictures will not come close to snaps from real photography equipment. If you’re reluctant to make that kind of investment immediately, it’s perfectly understandable. You can opt to do a photoshoot with the best pet photographers instead to see what is possible.
5. Experiment with Angles
Taking photos from different angles can help add depth and interest to your photos, so don’t be afraid to experiment! Try shooting from above by standing on an elevated surface like a staircase or chair; take close-ups of their face or paws; or even get down on their level by lying on the ground. While you may end up getting a little dirty, that’s a small price to pay for some incredibly engaging photos.
One of our favourite techniques is to get the dog to look up at the lens, which is almost guaranteed to produce some adorable photos. The focal point becomes the dog’s eyes, which are filled with emotion and personality. It’s also not too difficult to get the dog to look at the lens if you entice them with some treats.
6. Remember the Element of Adventure
Taking your pup on an adventure is one of the best ways to capture some incredible outdoor photos! Whether you take them on a hike through nature or just a gentle walk around town, having some new, unfamiliar scenery to explore can make for stunning shots. Just remember to stay safe and follow any local regulations when venturing out with your dog.
By following these tips, you should be able to capture amazing outdoor dog photographs that show off your pup’s personality while also telling their story through stunning visuals. With enough practice (and patience), soon enough you’ll be able to take stunning shots that you can use anywhere – whether it’s online, printed out as wall art, or simply framed as keepsakes.
