1 – Shoot at your pet’s eye level. If your pet is a dog, this may mean rolling around on the grass, so dress accordingly. If it’s a lizard, then bring a flat surface to place it on (folding table, for example), so you can shoot at the lizard’s eye level. If your animal is taller, you may want to bring a ladder.
Shooting down at a pet doesn't usually create a strong image.
Photograph your pet at their eye level for a much stronger image.
2 – Photograph your pet looking at the camera. Easier said than done, I know, but it can make or break your photo. Be prepared to bribe your animal with toys and treats. It helps to have an assistant who can get hover over the camera while attracting the pets attention, leaving you free to focus, compose and shoot.
Even though Fred is looking at the camera, the horse isn't. As a result, no connection is made with the viewer / audience.
With both looking at the camera, there is a much stronger visual impact and a connection.
3 – Photograph your pet in their element. If you have a hyper pet that likes to run around, then take action shots. Choose your location carefully. If you take your dog to the dog park to photograph, you’ll have to contend with all the other dogs to get your pets attention. Also, you may end up with more dogs in the photo than you had planned.
4 – Fill the frame. Use a zoom or telephoto lens to fill the frame with the animal’s face. Shooting with a wide angle? You’ll have to get much closer to fill the frame. Shooting that close with a wide angle will cause distortion (hint: if you want a funny picture of your dog with a really big nose and smaller face, then use a wide angle and get as close as possible). If you don’t want any funny effects, then step back and use a zoom, telephoto or standard lens.
5 – When taking action shots, compose for active space in the frame. Active space is space in the photo between the subject and the edge of the frame that the subject is facing. This is space that the subject would move in to, if it continued moving in the direction it is facing.
For example: If you shoot a horse moving to the left, even though you’ve frozen the action to a still photo, the viewers eye and mind will continue moving in that direction. So, if you shoot a horse walking to the left and compose that horse on the left side of the photo, then it will appear that the horse will walk right out of the picture. As a result, your viewers eyes will also move right off your photo. There’s more information on this, under the Diagonal lines section, in my post Photographic Composition: The Line as a Design Element.
There's no active space in this photo. The horses are about walk out of the frame.
6 – Anticipate. Anticipate your pet’s next action and focus your camera in on that spot before your pet gets there. Sit and wait until your subject enters the frame and then snap the shutter. When you’re doing this, have both eyes open so you can see your framing and your pet.
7- Use natural light. Shoot outdoors, using natural light, either early or late in the day. Mid day light is harsh and may make your highlights too bright and your shadows too dark. Flash may cause red-eye and harsh shadows.
8 – Be patient. It may take awhile to get the shot you want.
9 – Just keep shooting. Just keep shooting. Take a ton of photos. Fill your memory card. Then put a new card in and fill that one. Just when you think your animal can’t get any cuter, it’ll do something you wish you’d caught on film. More importantly, you may have to take one hundred pictures to get one great one. Don’t take this personally; I have to do the same thing.
10 – Plan ahead. Remember to dress accordingly, bring ladders, toys and treats. If you’re going to a public place, then bring bags to clean up after your pet. If your pet will be running, bring enough water for both of you. Schedule yourself enough time.
Do NOT apply these tips to photograph wild animals!
Additional Examples:
Sideways shots are not as effective as shots that have your pet facing the camera.
I stood on a ladder to take this photo so that I wasn't looking up at the horse and rider.
Plenty of active space here, but the sideways view doesn't make for a very appealing photo.
I kept shooting on shooting. Eventually, I got everyone facing the camera. I have active space in the foreground, in front of the animals.
Howie is looking away from the camera.
This is the more powerful image.
Valerie earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Applied Photography from Rochester Institute of Technology in 2000. In 2005, she founded Valerie Hayken Photography & Design. Visit
These are great tips that will make the difference between the 800 pictures of my dog in the photo album, and the one that goes in the frame. Its always difficult to snap a good shot of an animal, but this information is very helpful… I’m on my way to the big(ger) leagues!
And here I was just happy if my dog stayed still long enough to get a clear picture. I do have a lot of her sleeping! I’m going to give some of your tips a try. I especially like the tip to get on the same level. I was also reading your reply in another of your blogs and didn’t realize the importance of getting extra memory cards and shooting with maximum resolution. Thanks!!
I never actually thought about the eye level tip or the active space. In fact I hadn’t heard of active space before so thanks for this! I find it so hard to get a decent picture of my dog because he’s an endless fountain of energy who won’t stop moving so I think I will take a day out to fill my memory stick up to the max. Thanks
do you think i could apply some of these tips to photographing my little cousin? he won’t stand still for 5 seconds either! good tips by the way