By: Mindy Dutka – Chief Storyteller at Dogs I Meet , IG:@dogsimeet, LinkedIn: Mindy Dutka
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a pet parent in possession of an iPhone must also have a huge gallery of pictures of said pet.
But how many of them would you ACTUALLY put in a gallery? Or even just hang on your wall?
All pictures of our best friends are special, but there’s something especially powerful about immortalizing your pet in a portrait. Something tangible, that you can hold in your hands even after they’re gone.
Here are 6 hacks I use as a professional photographer to get STUNNING pet photos with just my iPhone:
Location - Professional Pet Photos
When it comes to backgrounds, remember KISS:
Keep It Simple, Silly. It can be tempting to overdo the background, but remember who the star of this show is.
You want your dog to stand out.
So, pay attention to things like color.
For example, photographing a white dog in the snow is a recipe for a photo that’s – well, really white.
Choose a backdrop with contrasting colors to put your dog in the spotlight.
Once you have the background, don’t forget to check what the camera sees behind the dog.
You don’t want a pole coming out of his head. If you do see something that looks distracting, it’s often easily fixed by moving yourself a bit to the right or left.
Lock the Focus
iPhone cameras use auto-focus to automatically focus and refocus its own lens. Which leaves it up to your phone to decide what the most important part of your image.
Typically, that’s fine. Phones do a pretty good job.
But if you really want to take a photo of your dog to the NEXT level, you’re gonna want full control over the focus and exposure.
To lock the focus on your iPhone, tap on your dog’s eye and hold your finger there until you see the AE/AF LOCK message and a yellow square.
With the focus locked, you can adjust the exposure on the locked area.
For a final touch of professionalism, use portrait mode to create a bokeh effect – this effect blurs the background behind the focused object. Portrait mode is the ultimate tool to make your black dog stand out against any backdrop
How Low Can You Go?
It’s easy to see a dog from above. Just walk outside – they’re shorter than us (usually), so in our world, we’re used to seeing them from overhead.
Booooring.
Take a more visually striking photo of your dog by shooting them from THEIR world.
How low can you go? For especially small dog breeds, you may even want to try lying on your belly with your phone on the ground.
Show the camera how your dog feels in HER world for a far more memorable photo.
Use the Volume Buttons to Take Shots
TECH TIP: Did you know that you can use the Volume buttons on the side of your iPhone to snap a pic?
If you already knew this, you’d be surprised by how many people don’t. And if you didn’t, well, you’re welcome.
Because, to be honest, it’s a game changer.
I know from experience that
trying to hold your iPhone
get your dog’s attention, and
get your finger in position to tap the camera button on the screen…
ALL at the same time is harder than it sounds.
Using the volume buttons on the side of your phone makes your life at least 3 times easier.
BONUS TIP: This trick also works for headphones that come with a control module with volume buttons.
I’ll say it louder for people in the back: Your headphone volume buttons? Those can be a camera button!
Clean the Lens
Okay so… this one may seem a little obvious, but…
I have to admit even I, a professional photographer, am guilty of forgetting this simple tip.
Your iPhone lives in your bag, pocket, car, and with your dog!
If it’s anything like mine, it’s probably covered in a light dusting of dog hair, and seen some evidence of a few doggy kisses.
It only takes a few seconds to clean it regularly. Trust me – your photos will thank you!
Practice Makes Perfect
This might be THE MOST important tip included in my list here: practice, practice, practice. Photography is a lot of trial and error. It’s actually a LOT like training a dog in that way.
Luckily, taking pictures on your phone is FREE and UNLIMITED. You can take as many photos as you want.
And those blurry shots that look less bokeh and more bogey?
*Poof* Never happened! Deleting less-than-perfect pics is just a click away.
A photoshoot is like a drafting session. You capture whatever comes, and edit it down to the best stuff later.
If you feel like you’re overdoing it with the shots, here’s a loose metric:
Generally, when I’m in a session, I take about 60 photographs that equals 15 or so great shots.
Remember never to give up too soon. If you haven’t got a shot you’re excited about, try another angle and shoot a couple more.
You never know what memories you’ve yet to capture.