10 Best Tips for Taking Pet Photos with Your Phone
/You don’t need a professional camera to capture beautiful photos of your furry friend—your mobile phone can do an amazing job when you know a few tricks!
Of course being a professional pet photographer, my preference will always be to use my camera. But I know that most people simply love snapping photos of their pets with the easiest thing - their mobile phone! With a little patience and these simple tips, you’ll be able to snap photos that show off your pet’s personality and charm.
So lets talk about the best ways to get great photos of your pets with your mobile phone.
1. Use Natural Light for Flattering Photos
Natural light is your best friend in pet photography. Take photos outdoors where the lighting is natural and bright but avoid harsh light by looking for shaded areas. Or if you must be indoors, take the photos near a window which will give you soft, flattering light.
2. Turn Off The Flash
When shooting inside you are more likely to need the flash. I am sure you have photos of your dog with yellow or red eyes! Yellow or red eyes occur when your camera flash is aimed directly at your dog’s eyes. So, turn off your flash and use natural lighting as much as possible. In addition, flash can startle or scare your pet, resulting in unnatural-looking photos.
3. Get On Their Level
FOR THIS IMAGE OF A SMALL DOG I WAS LYING ON THE GROUND AT HER LEVEL
Get right down on the ground with your pet so you are at their level.
Look at most pet photos and you’ll notice that they are taken from your standing position looking down at the pet.
But to take a great pet photo, get down to their level. Your photos will be much more interesting as you show the world from your dog’s perspective. This helps to establish a connection and gives a more intimate feel to the image.
4. Get in Close and Avoid the Zoom
If you want to get a closer shot of your pet, move your self closer to the pet rather than zooming in with your camera lens. Your photo loses quality when you use the zoom setting resulting in an image that is more grainy, less sharp. The image is cropped as you zoom in, resulting in a loss in image quality.
THIS PHOTO OF SARGE REALLY HAS IMPACT AS HE’S PHOTOGRAPHED CLOSE UP AND AGAINST A SIMPLE BACKGROUND
5. Focus on the eyes
Sharp, bright eyes instantly make a photo stand out. The eyes are often the most expressive part of a pet's face. Ensure the eyes are in sharp focus by tapping on your phone screen to set the focus point. This will help draw attention to their emotions and make the photo more captivating.
6. Use Burst Mode
Pets are unpredictable and rarely stay still! So how do you capture those action shots?
Use your phone’s burst mode by holding down the shutter button to take a rapid series of photos, increasing your chances of catching that perfect mid-jump, playful, or silly expression. This can be turned on in your phone’s settings.
Remember you can always delete poor images so don’t be shy about taking a lot of pictures of your pet at one time. You are more likely to get a “keeper” and have several great options to choose from.
I took many images of this dog running and using burst mode. Each one is slightly different so I could pick my favourites.
7. Adjust Exposure and Focus
Most phone cameras let you control exposure by sliding your finger on a vertical slider after tapping to focus. The camera's exposure compensation setting allows you to tailor how bright or dark (i.e. the exposure) your image is. If your pet has dark fur, increase the brightness slightly so details show up. For lighter-colored pets, reduce the brightness a bit to avoid overexposure.
8. Keep Your Phone Steady
Blurry photos often happen when the camera moves. Hold your phone with both hands, rest your elbows on your knees, or lean against something stable.
You may find it easier to use your phone’s physical shutter button rather than the on screen button.
Many smartphones use the volume buttons or a dedicated camera control button as a physical shutter , rather than just the on-screen button.
Check your camera app's settings for options related to shutter type.
9. Use the Rule Of Thirds
Good composition is important for great photos. One of the most common rules of composition is the “rule of thirds” in which placing the subject off centre makes for a more interesting image.
To use your phone's camera grid, you need to enable it in the camera settings. The grid lines are a visual aid that divides the screen into nine sections (a 3x3 grid), often referred to as the “Rule of Thirds”
Position the dog in line with one of the vertical lines or where the vertical and horizontal meet.
On the photo to the left you can see the grid lines with the dog placed on a vertical line and the eye placed directly on the horizontal line clearly showing the rule of thirds.
10. Edit for a Polished Look
After shooting, take a moment to edit your photos. Most phones have excellent editing apps built-in. You can adjust brightness, crop out distractions, or use filters to add warmth. For pets, subtle edits usually work best to let their natural personality shine through.
Learn More About Your Camera’s Features
Every phone model has slightly different camera tools, and some powerful features are often hidden in the settings. Take a few minutes to explore your phone’s camera menu or look up tutorials specific to your phone model (for example, “iPhone pet photography tips” or “Samsung Galaxy burst mode”). The more you understand what your phone can do, the easier it will be to capture amazing photos of your pets.
If you’re looking for more in-depth tips for taking better pet photos, click on the links below where I’ve detailed some techniques used by professional pet photographers to capture the best pet photos.
Capturing great pet photos takes time, patience, and practice. Enjoy the process, have fun with your furry friend, and cherish the memories you create together!
The occasional photo session by a professional pet photographer will provide you with some amazing photos that will remain as forever memories in a keepsake album or as wall art in your home.
Furthermore you’ll be able to be in some of the pictures with your pet and those are the most important memories that showcase your bond and love for your pet!
I am a professional pet photographer based in the Toronto area and I’d love to help you plan a pet photography session. Simply get in touch to find out more
Most of us are guilty of it. We snap adorable photos of our pets, save them to our phones, maybe share them on Instagram—and then? They vanish into the digital abyss. When you frame your pet photos, you transform them into art. They become part of your home. They’re reminders you get to see every day, not just when you scroll through your camera roll.