Most fur parents have adorable photos of their pooch on their phones—from candid snaps at the park to sweet photos of their furbaby snuggling on the couch. But while those are precious moments, they’re not “frame-worthy” quality. If you plan to take beautiful snaps for framed photos of your dogs, here are some best dog photography ideas you can try:
1. Pick the Outdoor Bath Theme
Does your dog love to take a bath? Bring their bathtub or bucket to the garden, add some bubbles and stick your camera on a tripod. Start shooting before the actual bath. Whether you get them shaking off the bubbles or relaxing on the bucket, the photo is bound to be cute!
2. Go for the Eye Shot
Emotive dog portraits are great for your gallery wall at home. You can focus on your dog’s eyes to emphasise their gorgeous eye colour and create depth & emotions. Your dog won’t start posing as soon as you pick up your camera, so it’s best to take emotive portraits at the end of your daily walk or playtime. That’s when your pooch has used up all its energy; you’ll likely find it relaxed while lying on the floor.
3. Shoot a Silhouette Pose
Are you planning to take your pup on an outdoor adventure? Plan a silhouette pose, too. Let your dog stand or sit against a pink sunset, foggy sunrise or vibrant hilltop—and click away. Play with light and dark, and you can create a moody silhouette for your favourite dog.
4. Create a Classic Portrait
If you want to go classic, all you need is a black background. Paint cardboard in black or use a black curtain and then make a simple light setup with a ring light. With a solid black background, it’s easy to create the illusion of depth. Let your dog stand or sit in front of the dark background and click away, and you can make dog portraits that look like fine art prints.
5. Capture Motion with Burst Mode
Active dogs are way unpredictable. You won’t likely get them to sit still for a photo session. So instead of waiting for a perfect moment to capture, let your active pooch move and play. Then, take action photos using your camera’s burst mode or continuous shooting function.
Burst mode is a handy feature in most cameras that will allow you to take lots of photos within seconds. Even if your dog is playing fetch or running around the backyard, you can still capture different angles and expressions.
6. Add Some Distractions
Want to nail more dog photography ideas for your highly energetic dog? Add some distractions. Put your camera on a tripod (and burst mode), and then distract your pooch with their favourite treats or squeaky toys. You’ll still get beautiful shots this way.
7. Play Dress Up
If your dog is used to dressing up and posing for photos, you can play dress up for a formal photo session! You can even create a theme based on your pup’s cute doggy outfits. Even if your pooch isn’t used to dressing up, you can try to have them wear simple accessories, like a hat, colourful socks or a pair of summer sunglasses. They will surely look cuter in photos!
8. Take a Downward Angle
Dogs often jump to say hello to humans. So go out the door for a while. Take your camera with you. Then, reenter your home to greet your favourite pooch. Press your camera’s shutter button as they try to jump and say hello to you. With a downward camera angle on an excited pup, the result will be fun and playful shots.
