Paw Prints – Taking Grrrrrreat Photographs of Your Pet

Have you gazed in excitement at a four-footed “Kodak Moment” happening before your eyes, only to develop your film and wonder what was so extraordinary about your pet’s pose? I bet you’ve wished you could take award-winning photos of your adorable furry companion, or at least a half-decent shot you could show off on your desk at work. You’re not alone! I have been taking pictures since getting a 110 camera for my 8^th birthday, and have learned a lot from hundreds of rolls of film over the years.

Start with the basics – your equipment. You don’t need the latest and most costly camera, but you do need to use the right film for the environment you are shooting in. 100 for bright sun, 400 for darker days, when using the flash, or taking action shots. 800 is best for fast action (ie. your dog chasing a ball). 200 can be a meet-in-the-middle type of film, and talk to an experienced sales person at the photo counter for extra tips and tricks. Kodak film itself has a red tinge to it, Fuji has a green tinge. Fuji is often the film of choice for nature photographs (blue sky and greenery) while Kodak is preferred for people-portraits. In trying out many different name- and generic- brands, I have had good luck with some more than others. Experiment with various brands (of all price ranges) and stick with one that works for you.

Colour, or black & white? I love black & white for dramatic effects, and have had great results with using 400. Keep in mind you can always reprint a colour photo into crisp black & white, but you can’t very easily turn a black & white photo into dazzling full colour. A gorgeous red Irish Setter running through fall leaves would lose all its impact if photographed in black and white. Think about what you want the end result to look like and that will help you choose your film.

The flash is very effective in the daytime bright sun for filling in shadows on your pet or the surroundings. Use a slightly lower strength setting if you can manually set the flash. This technique does not overexpose the photo, but lightens up the shadowed areas. Overcast days are most advantageous for shooting, and you won’t need to use a fill-flash effect.

When shooting close-ups of your furry companion, point-and-shoot cameras don’t generally perform as well as manual-focus or macro lenses. Try to get as close to the subject as possible without getting your camera lens slobbered on or disturbing the scene, but still giving enough distance to keep the camera functioning properly without blurriness (or a wet streak!). Take two or three shots at different distances (several inches apart) and see what works best once they are developed.

Posed photos don’t have as much “personality” as candids… so to get the perfect picture, the one that all your friends will ask “how on earth did you get that amazing shot?”, you must first be prepared, and then wait for the moment to come to you. Keep your camera in your hand, or strapped around your neck, and stay in the vicinity of your four-footed friend for as long as it takes, or at least most of the afternoon!

I am particularly fond of close-ups, texture shots (showing velvety forehead wrinkles, wind-swept fur, or rough spiny reptile skin), lots of expression, and once in a while I am fortunate enough to capture that split-second brilliant moment on film.

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