Pet Photography & Lights

I don't know about you all but I've taken alot of pictures of my pets that just weren't that great. Sure, when I took the shot it looked like it was going to be great..but..it needed something. Most often that something is more light..or a different type light. Until last year when I took a photography class I didn't think that much about light, or composition either for that matter. Now, before I shoot anything I look all around me for things that could show up unwanted in the picture. I check out the types of light around me. If I'm indoors I want to see if the light is fluorescent or tungsten. Huge difference there. Fluorescent lighting tends to lend a bluish cast to the subject, whereas tungsten creates an orange cast. So, first off I adjust the White Balance of my camera for the type of lighting. When outside you can adjust it for direct sun or shade. Most of my pet photography is done indoors so there are less distractions. I've found that even with a flash my pictures don't really look that great. A few months ago I purchased a set of professional lights with umbrellas. I place one light to the side of the subject at about 45 degrees. The other light is usually beside me and the camera. It is unbelievable the difference in my pictures now. There are less shadows in the face of the subject & the side lighting really helps to accentuate the coat of an animal. Now my pictures really pop! If you can't afford extra lights you might try a table lamp without the shade. Place it at a 45 degree angle and see if it doesn't really help your photograph. I think you will be amazed at the difference.

Printing Those Great Pictures

Alright, so you are trying out your new camera you got for Christmas. You took about 20 pictures and found about 6 that you really like. So, now what. The beauty of digital photography is that you can put all 20 of those pictures onto a CD if you like and that will only cost you a quarter. Or, you could delete 14 and just put 6 onto a CD. Another great thing about digital is that you can put close to 400 pictures onto one cd. So, if you have a new puppy and a new camera you can really go crazy and put 400 pictures on that one cd. Wow!
Let's say you want to print some of those pictures and one is so great that you want to enlarge it to an 8 x10. Some people would just run over to their Walmart, Cosco or whatever and do the one hour photo. That would be the quickest way, but if you really want "Nice" looking pictures with great color saturation, that's not the place to go. Either a photo store where they print professionally or one of the great online sites, Shutterfly, Winkflash and Snapfish are some of the ones I use alot. They print great quality photographs and each will give you the first 20 prints free. They also have great prices for enlargements. The choice is yours and it's a personal thing. If you order online it takes approximatley 3 days to get your pictures back. That works for me. They also have many options to choose from such as making your own cards for birthdays, Valentines, etc. You can make photo mugs, mousepads, and shirts. YOu can get creative and make all kinds of collages with your photos. So, now you see there are alot of options to you for processing of those great pet photographs.

Follow Up/ New Camera/New Dog

Ok..I got my new camera And a new puppy. There's so much I want to do but I have no clue where to start. First things first,get the manual and all instructions for your new camera and read it. I know, it goes against everything you believe in. That manual is only for when you run into big trouble. No..it's not. It will make things much simpler and you will find that your camera has bells and whistles on it that you have no idea about. Seriously, you will see how to change the time and language, if necessary. When selecting Menu you can find options such as converting the image to Black and White or Sepia. You can change the selection on the Quality of your image. If you shoot in the lowest quality you will have more noise or a grainy appearance to your picture. Personally, I always choose the Best quality because I want my pictures to look great! This selection will use up a bit more of your memory card but the pictures are worth it. Another option many cameras will have is a Video mode and it's a really neat feature, especially with puppies or small children. So, there's lots to learn from that little manual. In just a few minutes you will be better prepared to get some great photographs of your new pet.

Which Digital Camera is Best for My Pet Photography?

Yes, it's Christmas time and so many people are asking "Which One"? Meaning which digital camera is the one to buy for Christmas? There are so many different brands and models to choose from that it is indeed somewhat intimdating. I think the most important thing to do Before you go to even look at a camera is ask yourself what type of pictures you will be shooting most often. If you have a new puppy and want to take close up shots, movies and just general snapshots..and this is your first digital camera, then a smaller point and shoot could be just the thing. IF you are considering a trip with your pet, or child, and you might be photographing landscapes, maybe animals in the zoo, or things farther away, then you might consider a Digital SLR. My first digital camera was a Kodak Easyshare 3.2 megapixel. I still have it and use it sometimes. A big advantage of the SLR is that you can grow with the camera. You might decide to take a photography class and perhaps decide you like to shoot Macro..or very close up pictures of flowers, for example. You might decide to open a studio and shoot portraits of pets, or children. With the SLR camera you can add lenses to your initial investment and expand your photographic arena. With the point and shoot you do not have that option. Another thing to consider is Speed. The smaller cameras have a definite lag time after you push your shutter button down. No big deal..unless you are trying to shoot pictures of a puppy and he won't sit still..or if your daughter is already in the kitchen by the time you take the picture. With the SLR you can shoot 8 pictures in a second..more with some cameras. NO lag time.
I'll bet you are saying.."Sure, those cameras cost a thousand bucks"..They don't. My boss just purchased hers online yesterday. She was going through this same situation..unsure about whether to start small..or just go ahead and purchase the SLR. After comparing prices of the small Canon 10 mp camera to the Digital SLR with 10 mp..she found there was only about $125 difference. Her daughter is almost 3 yrs. old and very active and that was enough to convince her to go ahead and order the SLR. Check it out, do your research. There are some great cameras out there and the small cameras take awesome pictures too. Just be sure to consider what type of photography you will be doing today ..and tomorrow..and go try one out. Some small cameras do not fit well in your hands and you will not be happy with them. Find one that fits you and you will be out there taking great pet photographs!

Choices In Your Pet Photography

Here's a creative approach to some really nice Pet Photographs. For those of you with a digital SLR it can be pretty simple. I'm talking today about Depth of Field and F-stops. Sure it sounds initimdating but not today, I'm breaking it down! First things first, prepare everything you will need to photograph your pet. If you have a tripod that will be great too. An assistant could be a great asset since they can keep tabs on your subject while you are setting up your camera.
I've found that really close up shots of the dog's face make great photographs. After placing my camera on the tripod..or something sturdy, I look through the lens to check out the placement. This is a good time to make sure there are no strange objects lurking in your background. Now, if you want a close up of your pet and the rest of the background kinda blurred out..you can do it. There is a mode on your camera control called AV...This means aperature and it will control your depth of field..or in other words, what is blurring and what is sharp. In newer cameras there are digital numbers you can see when you look in the viewfinder. The smaller this number is..usually 2 is the smallest, the more blurry your background will be. No, this doesn't mean the whole picture will be blurred out. When you focus on your pet and he looks sharp, then he will be sharp in the photography. However, the background behind him will be out of focus. Now, if you "want" the background included because it is very pretty or somehow enhances your photograph then you can set your aperature to a bigger number, and your depth of field will include it all. Of course you could use an automatic exposure, or program mode, or that and it would probably be fine. This may all sound difficult or strange to you, but believe me, it is a very common technique used by Professional Photographers and will help you to create an aweome photograph of your pet.

Light Will Make Your Pet Photograph

I don't know how many times I've been told to keep checking my white balance and to pay attention to the lighting. You don't really think of that when you set out to shoot pictures of your pets, or your children for that matter. However, when you see the final result it is often very disheartening that your dog has an orange colored tinge to his coat, or that you daughter's face is a bluish gray. These problems can be fixed quite easily. It's ALL about the Light!
First off, if you have a point and shoot camera, get your manual out. Read the section concerning White Balance. It sounds intimidating but it really is pretty simple. Some cameras have a mode option for indoors, but you still need to set the WB for either fluorescent or tungsten lighting. Tungsten lighting is like a lamp, or just the single bulb and it is the one that gives you the orange tint. Fluorescent lighting is totally different and if set wrong you will notice a bluish, gray tone. So, read your manual and learn to set your camera for the two different types of lighting.
Second thing, when shooting indoors you will most often need a flash and perhaps even a side light. I know sometimes you may get by without one, but if you really want some good shots of your pets, you will need some good light. I always have my external flash,(different than the built in flash) and also I have an extra flood light. Personally, I'll try and bounce the flash, or turn it up so it isn't pointed directly at the pet, or child. This can help eliminate the red eye, or green eye problem. The side light I'll place at 45 degrees to the subject. This helps to provide an even light and take away shadows. It will also enhance the texture of things such as an animals coat. Definatley makes for a much better pet photograph.

Big Christmas Wish For The Pet Photographer

Big Christmas Wish For The Pet Photographer


For the Serious pet photographer this could be a great Christmas! Some of
you are content with the smaller compact digital cameras. They are quick, easy to use, and the software is most often very simple as well. But some photographers want more, ...a lot more. They like to zoom in close to capture the catch lights in
the dog’s eyes. Or perhaps a quick shot of a certain expression their cat only shows once a year. For the person who wants to see it all, I have detailed two
Digital SLR cameras by the leading camera makers. Granted there are hundreds of digital cameras out there, unfortunatley I do not have the time to evaluate them all. There are many sites on the web who do offer comparisons of all the major brands
so feel free to cruise through some of their sites.
My first camera is the Canon Digital Rebel Xti. It is first basically because I am a Canon girl. Currently, I own this camera and love it, but I will try not let that influence my evaluation here. My favorite magazine, PC magazine, gave the Canon it’s Editors Choice award in 2007. It ranked a 4.5 out of 5 in the editor’s ranking. It ranked a 5 out of 5 in the reader’s ranking. The camera features a
10.2 mp sensor for making super large prints. The LCD screen is 2.5 inches which
is an improvement over the Digital Rebel. It has a great Auto Focus system that you can adjust to 8 different modes. This camera is incredibly quick and light. Another improvement over the Digital Rebel is the Integrated Cleaning System and automatic Sensor cleaner. It comes with special Canon software to help perfect your images and transfer them to your computer. Also, there is a standard 18-55mm lens that comes with this camera. This is a great camera that takes very high quality pictures. Presently this camera is selling for $657.00 on Amazon..with free shipping.
The competing camera is the Nikon D-80. This camera is very similar to
the Canon as it is also a 10 mp model. PC magazine also awarded this camera
an Editor’s Choice award with a 4.5 out of 5 by the editors. It has a 2.5 inch LCD screen. It has 11 Autofocus points as opposed to Canon’s 8. It is great in low light
situation. It has lots of shooting modes, automatic and manual. Basically , it gives excellent performance and high quality images. The camera comes with it’s own software but the prices quoted are for Body ONLY. This camera is a bit more expensive. It also uses an SD memory card instead of a CF card. Currently, this camera is priced at $799...without a lens. Amazon has a great lens combo with it for $1,079..it includes a 18-135mm lens.
Either of these cameras would be great to find under the tree of any Pet Photographer!