Here at Puptown Girls we are constantly snapping pics. We always get questions like "How do you keep them still?" or "How on earth do you keep those hats on?" Well, here are 10 tips from our dedicated staff and owners on how to make your own photos puptacular!
10 tips on how to take puptacular photos of your furbaby!
1.) Joey says "If your dog won't look at the camera try holding up a toy, treat, or making a high pitched sound. Teaching your dog the command 'watch me' makes it so much easier to get a good photo of them. I like to combine picture time with training and games. Give your pup lots of praise and rewards so they have fun, and keep sessions short so that your dog does not get bored or stressed."
2.) On getting your dog to wear hats or costumes, our daycare attendant Hayley had this to say; "Treats are your best friend. Use a high value treat and take the picture the second your dog looks at you, before they knock the hat off. Be prepared, be quick, and don't let your dog eat the hat afterwards!"
3.) For taking candid shots, Sabrina says "Sneak up on the puppers. Be facing the other way. As soon as they see you are paying attention they will stop what they are doing to investigate!"
4.) For action shots Nicole recommends taking photos in multiples or bursts. "If you take enough one of them is bound to be good. Also, if you adjust your shudder speed you have a better chance of getting pics that aren't blurry.
5.) Milena suggests taking selfies is the way to go for some doggies. "My dogs love being held, so taking selfies is the easiest way to get a cute pic. For any lap dogs, small dogs, or cuddlers this is by far the easiest way. Just make sure that you are looking cute too!"
6.) Vanessa had this to say about making staged photos look more professional. "Take pics with a simple background and good lighting. Remove any clutter that's visible in the frame.
Try to take photos near windows for the best light, or use lamps if you need extra. Don't use a flash if you can help it. Using a tripod or a phone stand helps if you are taking a series of pictures and want consistency.
7.) Juanita, our queen of Halloween, had some advice for taking holiday photos. "I love using props. The dollar store is a really great place to look, and it's cute to see the dogs interacting with seasonal items in the shots. Just make sure it's nothing that they can swallow or hurt themselves on. Nothing toxic or breakable! Don't be afraid to get silly with costumes, and to create a scene. For Halloween try using your jack-o'-lanterns to create a festive photo shoot with your pup."
8.) Kassandra's recommends the natural approach, and loves outdoor photography. "I love doing photos outside. Taking your dog for walks or hikes in new places is great enrichment anyways and you can get lots of photos of them having a good time. If your dog likes to swim having a waterproof phone case can protect you from the splash! I find outdoor shots have great lighting, and I always take treats along so I can bring my dogs' focus back to me if I need it.
9.) Laara, who took our Santa photos at Christmas, believes editing is your friend. "Most cell phones these days have great cameras built in, and even editing software. I will often increase the brightness and saturation of my pictures to bring out the colours in the dogs fur. If you are shooting in indoor light this can really help. Lots of people have a hard time photographing black dogs, but raising the exposure can help their cute faces show up. For light coloured dogs raising the contrast and white balance a little will help them shine."
10.) Lastly Matteo had this advice. "Don't worry about things (photos) being perfect. Just have fun and spend time with your dog."
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