If you share you life with a furry, scaly, feathered, or otherwise covered animal, chances are you have an obscene number of pictures of them on your phone. But how many of your pet photos would you gladly print out and put on your wall?

I fully realize that most people will not be doing professional photos of their pets multiple times a year. So I thought I’d share some of my tried-and-true tidbits for making your own images better. Whether you are using your cell phone, a point and shoot camera, or a DSLR, these tips are the cornerstone of good imagery.

Tip 1: Find the Light

Many people think this means needing to do your photos in bright sunlight. In actuality, most photographers prefer cloudy days over clear days. This is because the clouds create a beautiful diffusion of light which then eliminates harsh shadows and squinty eyes. If you are photographing indoors, find a spot near a window. If outside on a sunny day, try to find some shade. And if you are using a newer cell phone, many of them do great in low-light situations!

Tip 2: Get Low

Many times, we are so used to seeing our animals from above that it might make sense to photograph them that way as well. Although I do acknowledge that these types of images can be amazing if done correctly, most times you are going to want to get on your pet’s level. For dogs, this may mean getting on the ground. For cats and other small animals, this may mean raising them up by putting them on a table. If you are raising your animal up, just make sure to do so safely.

Tip 3: What’s Their Motivation?

If you have a pet that is highly food motivated (like my dog), get plenty of their favorite treats ready. (My dog will do literally anything I ask of her if I bust out some hot dogs. If she were capable, she’d likely do my taxes if I asked her to.) I frequently have dogs or other pets in the studio who are not food motivated, so I have to figure out what does make them happy. For some, it’s a toy. For others, it’s a sound. (Anyone who gets a session with me is always serenaded by a plethora of sounds!) For many, it’s their human. Find out what motivates your pet and use it to your advantage when you need to capture their attention.

Tip 4: Keep it Clean

And no, I’m not talking about your language! There are a few things to keep clean when we’re talking pet photos. One is your lens. Whether you’re using a cell phone or a traditional camera, clean your lens frequently. Pets are notorious for licking lenses and capturing an image through a smudge is often not what you’re after. And if you carry your phone in your pocket, smudges and lint are common. When I’m doing sessions I’m frequently checking my lenses and you should as well!

Something else you need to consider when doing pet photos is the background. Unless you are doing a VERY up-close shot, consider what your background looks like. Using portrait mode on a cell phone will help to eliminate distractions, but consider doing the photo against a cleaner backdrop. Often just pivoting a bit in the same space can make a world of difference with this.

Tip 5: Patience is a Virtue

One of the cornerstones of my sessions is that as soon as anyone is no longer having fun, our session is over. For many pets, getting good images of them requires a bit of time and patience. In my studio, we always break for play or snuggle sessions after getting a couple of images. In fact, for many of the pets who visit me, probably 75% of the time is spent getting them comfortable and taking breaks. If you are getting images of your own pet, patience is even more important because you want to maintain that trusting relationship with them. So if they (or you) aren’t having fun, take a break and do something that is fun. Whether that’s playing a game, snuggle time, or a walk, sometimes a reset is exactly what everyone needs to then get the images you’ll love for a lifetime.

So those are my top 5 tips for getting better pet photos. Are there any you would add? Feel free to add them in the comments below.

Many thanks to City Dogs Cleveland for “loaning” me the dogs in the images on this page. If you are looking for a new pup to add to your family, check them out!

Think you’ve got a handle on your own images but want to add some professional ones to your walls? Feel free to set up a visit with me. Visit my main page to see my images and if they align with what you would want, feel free to message me or set up a phone call at the bottom of the page.