Sara from Teef and Tails offers her tips on photographing your little one.
How to photograph a wriggly puppy
So, you have brought your new puppy home and are on a mission to photograph every detail before they grow-up and change beyond recognition. There is just one problem… they won’t stay still!
No doubt you have tried but your puppy has probably charged towards you or possibly tried to chew on your phone!
As a dog photographer it is fair to say I have photographed my fair share of wriggly puppies as well as plenty of older dogs who are still puppies in disguise. I am going to share a few simple tips that will help you to capture some amazing photos.
1– Get down to their level
Often, we stand above our dogs and photograph downwards but get down to their level. Instead, lay on your stomach on the floor so that you are at their eye level. This way you will capture more of their expressions, their ‘too big’ paws and the little details that make them so adorable.
Sometimes I turn my phone upside down to photograph at ground level and then rotate the image using the phone crop tool.
2 – Forget about the perfect sit
I constantly tell dog owners that their dog doesn’t need to sit or know lots of commands to take beautiful photographs and this applies to puppies! Instead of chasing that perfect sit, photograph what they are doing naturally. These are the moments that tell the story of your puppy.
3- Find the good light
You don’t necessarily need lots of fancy equipment to take a lovely photograph of your puppy. What does make a big difference, though, is light. A phone flash isn’t ideal. Instead, photograph your puppy near a large window where the natural light can fall onto their face. If possible, turn off any overhead lights to avoid mixing different types of lighting. If you are outside on a sunny day, look for the shade rather than direct sunlight to avoid harsh shadows.
4 – Short and sweet
Like children, a puppy's attention span can be short, so you don’t need to spend ages trying to get a particular photo. It’s better to have your phone handy and take a few pictures here and there. The best photos happen when your puppy is happy and comfortable, not when they are being persuaded to do something they have had enough of.
6. Take More Photos Than You Think You Need
For every photograph you see of a dog looking amazing, there are usually quite a few where they're blinking, looking the wrong way or doing something completely ridiculous.
Puppies move quickly, so use your phone's burst mode if it has one. This takes several photographs in quick succession, giving you a better chance of catching those adorable expressions. Just make sure there's plenty of light, as movement can still cause blurry photographs.
7 – Embrace the chaos
At the end of the day, they are a puppy!. They are supposed to be mischievous and zooming all over the place. Make sure you photograph the chaos and goofy expressions. Years from now, those photos will remind you exactly what life with your puppy was like.
Here are some of her beautiful photos. We had a session with Sara and she was great.
