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Need advice for taking photos of my dog
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Jun 29, 2019 12:22:02   #
Karlonious Loc: Huntsville, AL
 
New user & first post. Anyone have helpful advice, tips, suggestions, anything appreciated on how to get great photos of your dog? I’ve gotten some great shots of animals but I don’t have any technique and would really like to become great at animal photography and not just lucky some of the time. Yes, I am somewhat a beginner. Thank you for any helpful comments!

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Jun 29, 2019 12:23:31   #
Karlonious Loc: Huntsville, AL
 
My username is Karlonious, I’m new here, not sure if that’s needed.

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Jun 29, 2019 12:26:49   #
Bamboo Loc: South Carolina
 
Get down to it's level. Sharp focus on the eyes. look for special expressions.

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Jun 29, 2019 12:44:31   #
14kphotog Loc: Marietta, Ohio
 
Like photographing kids, med. to long telephoto lens. and lots of Luck!

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Jun 29, 2019 12:48:48   #
1Feathercrest Loc: NEPA
 
14kphotog wrote:
Like photographing kids, med. to long telephoto lens. and lots of Luck!


A beginner photographer doesn't need a telephoto lens. The basic 50mm that came with the camera will do just fine. Get down very low , focus on the eyes, not too close as this will cause distortion, the pic may be cropped later.

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Jun 29, 2019 12:49:20   #
dick ranez
 
first, find a dog. second, establish some distance to effectively use lens of choice, focus on eyes and snap away. third, have a treat for the dog.

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Jun 29, 2019 12:49:20   #
dick ranez
 
first, find a dog. second, establish some distance to effectively use lens of choice, focus on eyes and snap away. third, have a treat for the dog.

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Jun 29, 2019 13:09:51   #
CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City
 
Welcome! Eye-level is the first and most important tip.

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Jun 29, 2019 15:09:54   #
Jackjchow Loc: St Augustine, FL
 
Be sure to have the dog comfortable with and around you. Just because you CAN use a fast f/stop for bokeh doesn’t mean you should take the picture at the fastest f/stop possible. Focus on the eyes, but make sure your depth of field is wide enough to capture what you envision.
Be aware that direct eye contact with critters could be conceived by them as a threat, hence, see my very first sentence.

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Jun 29, 2019 18:41:13   #
PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago
 
Karlonious wrote:
New user & first post. Anyone have helpful advice, tips, suggestions, anything appreciated on how to get great photos of your dog? I’ve gotten some great shots of animals but I don’t have any technique and would really like to become great at animal photography and not just lucky some of the time. Yes, I am somewhat a beginner. Thank you for any helpful comments!


Karlonious welcome to the forum. Great animal photography for me is when you are capable to photograph them at their level instead of shooting down at them. Look for great expressions and shoot at a high shutter speed to freeze action. Focus on the eyes and use at least F8 as your aperture.

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Jun 29, 2019 19:23:51   #
fbeaston Loc: Vermont
 
You're already gotten the most important advice in my opinion, so I won't repeat it. I will say however, that the more you practice & try to learn, the faster it will come. And welcome to UHH. Hope it's a great experience for you.

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Jun 29, 2019 22:37:14   #
rmorrison1116 Loc: Near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania
 
Dogs are not like other animals and photographing dogs is not like photographing other animals. It's easier to photograph your own dog(s) since you already have an established relationship with them. Dogs are not big on posing, they kinda sorta like to do their own thing. That said, you need to be ready pretty much all the time. It helps if you have a dedicated doggie cam or puppy cam as I call it. I have a Canon EOS SL2 with an EF-S 18-200 f/3.5-5.6 IS lens that I use as my dedicated puppy cam. This doesn't mean it's the only camera used to photograph the puppies, or the only use of the camera, it's just the cameras primary function so it's pretty much always available when needed.
Dogs, at least my dogs, don't like flash photography. Make sure there's ample ambient light and don't be afraid to turn up the ISO if needed.
Photograph the dogs in a familiar, happy place, somewhere where the dogs spend a lot of time and are relaxed. Our dogs are with us pretty much all the time and almost every where we go and one of my favorite places to photograph them is the bed. This is also very helpful at getting down to their level. It does help a whole lot that they are small. They also enjoy going to the dog park and making new friends.
Treats are not necessary but they can't hurt either. My puppies love pupperoni sticks and chicken jerky and when I can find it, pork and berry treats. Don't over reward them, they will begin to expect it and eventually pretty much demand it.
Different breeds of dog have different temperaments and some are much closer to their humans than others. My wife and I are lucky that we have a pair, brother and sister, of puppies (they're not really puppies, they are fully grown) that have been breed as companion dogs to the Malagasy royal family for hundreds of years. Here are a few snapshots of Angel Bear, aka Missy and Teddy Bear, aka Bert.











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Jun 30, 2019 05:49:13   #
dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida
 
Bamboo wrote:
Get down to it's level. Sharp focus on the eyes. look for special expressions.


Bamboo, that sounds good and I fully agree with what you said .. same for children ... for a cat fine ... Cats will look over at the photographer with disgust and disdain, and keep their distance or walk off. Children will "ham it up." For dogs, it is not a simple approach they ingress on the photographer's space wanting to bite them or expecting one of those "doggie treats."

That being said as a good approach it is not so with fool dogs, they wag their tail and stick their nose against the lens and even lick it with a slobbering tongue the same on they have just used liking their hind end and personal parts. And then they kiss the photographer with that bacteria and parasite toxic slobber, making them lose their balance while squatting to get down on the dogs level. The solution is to use a long lens and have the dog's owner in the photo.

I have stated the reality of photographing dogs in a humorous way, but as Freud said: "There is Truth in Humor."

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Jun 30, 2019 06:41:23   #
jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY
 
Some ideas -

https://dogtime.com/lifestyle/parties/1874-how-to-take-pictures-of-your-dog
https://www.rover.com/blog/pictures-of-dogs-easy-tips-in/
https://barkpost.com/life/13-tips-for-taking-the-greatest-pics-of-your-dog/
https://www.dogster.com/lifestyle/how-to-take-the-best-photo-of-your-dog-for-national-dog-day

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Jun 30, 2019 07:12:22   #
ronichas Loc: Long Island
 
I started when my dog was very young, photographing her with different outfits. She got so used to the camera that she would want to be in all the family photos. She would definitely pose for me.
I will post a few of my favorites.
When my daughter was a bride. Millie was a bride. The second image is Millie and her best friend Abby.
I did images of her for almost every holiday.

With other dogs, I find if I make a strange noise, they look directly at me and I get the shot.











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