How to Create a Great Photo for The Tail of the Year Pet Competition Entry

How Do You Create Great Photos of Your Pet for the Tail of the Year Pet Competition for all Hudson County, NJ Pets?

Who doesn’t love taking photos of their pets?! Let’s face it, we all do. Here are some tips on taking great photos of your pets! Once you take the perfect shot of your pet, don’t forget to enter the Tail of the Year pet competition for all Hudson County, NJ pets. Lots of great sponsors and prizes. You don’t want to miss out!

1. Light

Light is one of the most important factors between an ok picture and an excellent photo of your dogs.
Make sure your are outdoors or there is at least some sunlight around when you are indoors.
The best pictures are with your subject (your pet) facing the sunlight and your back to the sun.
Make sure the light isn’t too hard (photography term for bright).
Most smartphone cameras are equipped with light sensors. These sensors understand sunlight the best. They don’t do too well with light from artificial sources such as lamps or light bulbs.

2. Level

Getting down to your pet’s eye level makes for the best photos.
What better way to capture their furry cuteness than to get down to their level? Shooting while standing over your pet doesn’t provide a great perspective of your subject’s key features.
So don’t be shy! Kneel, lay, crouch down for that perfect shot!
Don’t be afraid to get close and personal with the animals.
We want to see eyes, noses, and paws!

3. Background/Foreground

Every great photo has a great foreground and a great background.
Be creative when it comes to setting up your shots.
And if you have time get fun! Plan out and coordinate.
Maybe you can place your pet in the foreground and the NYC skyline with a sunset in the background. Or maybe your pup loves sniffing flowers. In this instance you can place a flower in the foreground with your pet in the background going in for a sniff. Don’t be afraid to get colorful and creative!

4. Focus in order to get the clearest, sharpest shots

Make sure your camera is focused when you hit the shutter button.
Also holding your phone extremely steady is important.
The focus is represented by a square in the middle of your screen when your camera is open. The focus helps reduce noise (blurring in photos). You can also tap and move the focus to hit a particular spot you want to emphasize.
You can also hold down the shutter button on most phones to take many photos in seconds. Great for a pet in action! Waiting for the focus and working with it can take some patience but it’s the best way to ensure crisp photos.

5. Tired Pet = Cooperative Photo Subject

Try taking photos of your dog towards the end of your walk or after your walk. They’ll likely be more tired and more cooperative when it comes to posing for photos.
If you have a super playful cat, try playing some games with your cat ahead of time so they’re more relaxed when it’s time to pose.
You can also bribe them with treats. Try holding a treat right behind the camera lens. They’ll look right into the camera and you’ll have a great shot!

6. Tell A Story

Although portrait shots are great, who doesn’t like a photo with a story?
Take photos of your pet doing their favorite activity, playing with their favorite buddy, running, jumping, or anything interesting!
Once again make sure you use burst mode by holding down the shutter button!

7. Editing

The best pictures don’t need any editing. Although Instagram has made filters popular, filters tend to drown out photos of their color and make them look quite bland. If you feel the need to edit a photo, try adjusting the Saturation. This will help the colors in the photo look more vivid.

8. Get Inspiration

Need some more inspiration for taking better dog/cat photos? Check out Pinterest and Instagram. So many ideas! Photography is so fun and something everyone can do.