You got that new pet, and now want to start photographing your furry friend. You won’t settle for a regular snap-shot, and are reading this article because you are looking for some inspiration. The following tips will help you to take beautiful photos of your pet.

1. The best lighting for your pet is natural light. Window light is great, or if you can, take your pet outside. Unfortunately flash photography is not that great for pets. The flash may scare them, and it also makes them have red eyes in photographs.

2. Position yourself so that you are on the same level as your pet. Lie on the ground or crouch down. This is a good idea because you will appear less intimidating to your pet, while gaining a new appreciation of your surroundings. Your pet will curiously investigate the lens, making for an amusing photo.

3. Learn about your pet’s idiosyncrasies and personality. When you know more about them, you will have more fun and will find them easier to photograph.

4. Get creative by changing your aperture settings, switching lenses, or playing with shutter speed. A fast shutter speed freezes your pet in motion, a small aperture blurs the background, a macro lens will allow you to take close-up photos, and a wide-angle lens fits more pet in the frame.

5. Don’t forget to be patient. In the beginning, your pet may be camera shy, but they will get more comfortable as the photo shoot progresses. Remember that your pet will sense if you are anxious and uncomfortable, so be calm and relaxed.

6. Be prepared for the unexpected. Because pets are unpredictable, you never know when a good opportunity for a photo will present itself. Keep them happy by photographing them enjoying a treat, playing with their favorite toy, or having fun in the park.

Don’t forget to have fun! Your furry friend will be looking like a rock start in no time. If you need more ideas, look online or in magazines.

Photographing people, especially friends and family, is a lot of fun. Now it’s time to get creative and take your portrait photography skills to the next level. These tips will help you turn snap-shots into photographs you will cherish.

1. Placing your subject in the middle of the frame is generally a bad idea. The reason being is because it makes for a very uninteresting photograph. Try placing your subject in the left side or the right side of the frame, because now you are including some background in your photo, adding context.

2. In regards to lighting, you want a soft light on your subject’s face. You will usually want the light source to your back, because if the light source is behind your subject, they will end up being very dark (sometimes you may want this effect) and you will lose detail in their face. Outdoor lighting (natural light) is always best, and that is generally before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m.

3. Your camera may have a „Portrait“ setting, creating a blurred background because it sets a shallow depth of field, blurring the background. This feature is very useful, and it will allow the viewer to focus on the subject. If you want to create this effect manually, set your aperture below 5.6

4. Try getting close to your subject. Zoom in; feel free to fill the frame with your subject’s face. You may want to have them look in different directions rather than directly into the camera. The most important thing is that your subject is comfortable and having fun.

5. Portraits are not just about a person’s face. Experiment capturing your subject without actually photographing their face. What can you say about someone by photographing their hands, feet, possessions? Can you photograph them in their element, where they work, or where they enjoy spending their free time?

6. Be creative. Try tilting the camera, or have the person move around. In low lighting (and using a tripod), you can use a long shutter speed to create streaking effects.

There are no set rules, so just have fun. Your subject may have some great ideas for specific shots or locations. It is always nice to send your subject a great photo of them after the photo shoot.

Photographing people, especially friends and family, is a lot of fun. Now it’s time to get creative and take your portrait photography skills to the next level. These tips will help you turn snap-shots into photographs you will cherish.

1. Do not place your subject in the middle of the frame. Rarely do you want someone in the center because it does not make for an interesting photograph. Experiment putting your subject to one side of the frame- by doing that you include some background which adds context.

2. You will want soft lighting for portrait photography. By keeping the light source to your back, you will avoid backlighting your subject, which makes them dark (this is a cool effect sometimes) losing detail in their face. Natural, outdoor lighting is best, and that is usually before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m.

3. Some cameras will have a „Portrait“ setting, which sets a shallow depth of field that creates a blurred background. This is a great feature because you subject is the main focus. Manually, you can set your aperture below 5.6 to get the same effect.

4. Don’t be afraid to get close to your subject. Zoom in; fill the frame with their face. Also, photograph your subject looking somewhere else besides the camera. Always make sure that your subject is comfortable and having fun.

5. While many portraits are of the subject’s face, not all of them have to be. Try capturing a portrait without the subject’s face. What do their hands, feet, or possessions say about them? Where do they work, where are they in their element, where do they enjoy spending time?

6. Be creative. Try tilting the camera, or have the person move around. In low lighting (and using a tripod), you can use a long shutter speed to create streaking effects.

There are no set rules, so just have fun. Your subject may have some great ideas for specific shots or locations. It is always nice to send your subject a great photo of them after the photo shoot.