If you’re the average dog lover, you think your pooch could out-pose even those silky Weimaraners in the picture books. But if you’re the average amateur dog photographer, your photos never match the athleticism, humor, or outrageous cuteness of the real thing.
We asked pet photographer Mark Rogers, who immortalized our office dogs here, for his best tricks for taking high-quality dog pictures—without getting into stuff like f-stops and shutter speed. Here are our favorites:
Time it well.
If you’re looking for action shots, have your photo shoot before the daily three-mile run. If you want a serene portrait, make it after.
Let your dog get used to the camera.
The click and flash of a camera can rattle dogs at first, says Rogers. Let your dog give the camera a good sniff, then start casually shooting the surroundings (if you’ve got a film camera, you can do this before you load the film). Once your dog’s gotten used to the camera and starts doing his own thing, begin taking pictures.
The idea is to keep things natural and relaxed. What not to do: Grab a ton of treats, abruptly shove the camera in your dog’s face, and repeat, “Mommy’s gonna take your picture!” at high pitch.
Take lots of pictures.
This is the first rule of photography, no matter what the subject. The more you take, the better your chances of getting a few amazing shots. “Always bring an extra battery,” warns Rogers.
Turn off the flash.
Most amateur photographers do best with warm, natural sunlight. To avoid washed-out pictures, shoot in the mornings or evenings, on slightly overcast days, or in the shade on a bright day.
For indoor shots, you’ll probably need a flash. You’ll get a more natural-looking shot if you use an off-camera flash and swivel it upward so the light’s bouncing off the ceiling.
Get down on your dog’s level.
“If you stand over your dog and look down, every shot you take is going to look like everyone else’s,” says Rogers.
