70% of households in the US have a pet. That's approximately 90.5 million families.
They make every moment entertaining and worth capturing. 73% of pet owners have more photos of their furry friends than their children. 16% have more snaps of them than their partner.
These beloved memories can become art. Creating pet portraits from photos is as easy as taking them, uploading them, and waiting for the final product. It's the first step of the process that's the hardest.
Read on to learn tips for taking the best photo on your phone to turn into a custom pet portrait.
Get the Right Equipment
If you're using a phone to photograph your pet, it's best to use a recent model. Look into your phone's photo features, especially what lenses it uses.
A differential focus lens has a shallow depth of field. This makes the background blurry but can make your picture more interesting and remove distractions.
A wide-angle lens gives a broader perspective. It can cause distortion but also capture more of the scene. This can be important to ensure that no part of larger pets gets cut off.
Telephoto lenses can shoot distracted or uncooperative pets from a distance. Go for a macro lens for close-ups with extremely sharp detail. This includes close-ups of their eyes, nose, or fur.
Prime lenses have a fixed focal length, so you can't zoom in and out. They also provide high-quality images, even in small areas with low light. They're also the best option for action shots.
Set Up Lighting
The term photo comes from the Greek word for light. This proves how important lighting is in terms of the quality of pet photography.
Direct sunlight tends to be best. Take the shot in the early morning or late afternoon when the sun is softer to get a warm glow. If you take a photo indoors, look for a bright white light of 7,000-10,000K.
There are also ways to add extra light to your shot. These include:
- Off-camera flash or strobe lights
- Softbox
- LED strip
Check your exposure settings to determine how much light gets into the phone's camera. It depends on factors such as:
- Lighting conditions
- Weather
- Types of photo
- Location
Pose Your Pet
Choose a few pet poses before you set up the shoot. It's as important for showing personality as it is for human photos.
The one thing the poses should all have in common is that your pet should be sitting still. You can vary it up a bit, such as having them put one paw out in a few shots.
No matter how they're sitting, their whole face and neck need to be visible. Have them look at the camera so that you can see the emotion and personality in their eyes.
Prepare for Their Behavior
Taking photos of pets is like taking photos of children. They're energetic creatures who have difficulty sitting still. They also don't understand why the photo is important to you.
Choose an environment that they're comfortable in. See if the lighting and sound will be too overwhelming for them and how you can help them.
Tire them out before the shoot. Even if you want to take action shots, you'll want a pet who's tired enough to go where you want them to.
Take a bag of pet treats or toys to keep your furry friend calm and cooperative. Certain pets prefer attention, so take the time to praise them for behaving. Do whatever you can to make it a positive experience for both of you.
Be patient throughout the entire process. Schedule bathroom breaks and time to play and decompress.
Avoid Filters and Consider Accessories
Getting pet portraits from photos requires an accurate representation of the colors in the foreground and background. A filter will skew them and won't give a proper representation of their beautiful coat.
We won't include accessories such as a harness, collar, or leash when you receive your custom pet portrait. You need to let us know in advance if you want any of them in the final product.
There are also a few accessories you may need to bring. In addition to treats and toys, bring camera tools such as off-camera flashes and lens cleaning kits. Take extras of everything just in case you lose the perfect snap or want to change things up, and have a charger handy to keep your phone alive.
Get Creative
Any photo can work as a pet portrait, but you want to choose one that's unique. There are two major ways to inspire creative photography.
First, look online to see what other pet owners are doing. You can check professional websites or social media platforms such as Pinterest.
Secondly, think about your pet's personality. What are they like, and what type of photo would best fit them?
Creative Options
Try different perspectives. Going at your eye level is easy but doesn't present as interesting an image. Try going down to their eye level, down from below, or up above.
Switch up the lighting and lenses from time to time. Even a slight change in brightness, color, or exposure can make a major difference in the final product.
Get a combination of different types of shots. Get a mix of candid, action, and posed to see which ones come out best.
Take as many different photos as you can. This makes up for any missed or botched shots.
Get a Custom Pet Portrait
Making pet portraits from photos on your phone is one of the easiest ways because it involves a tool that everyone has.
Use a modern phone with the right lens. Create a lighting setup that fits the time, location, and type of photo that you want.
Get your pet familiar with the environment and tired enough to stay still. Come with treats and camera supplies. Go online and come up with a creative setup that'll make these photos different from all the others on your phone.
Start creating your custom pet portrait or Furtrait today!