Being Geek Chic is a blog about one woman navigating the male-dominated industries of production and tech. It's written by Elizabeth Giorgi, Founder, CEO and Director of Mighteor - one of the world's first internet video production companies. Learn more about Mighteor here.
Taking pictures of your pets can be… challenging. And yet, so many people share quick shots of their cats, dogs, hamsters, fish and other cute creatures are all over Instagram. The question is: are they frame worthy pics? If you want to get memorable snaps worthy of framing, here are my favorite tricks:
1. Go where your pets like to go.
This is such an obvious one, but many people miss it entirely. If your pet has a favorite bed, bring the camera near them. If your pet loves to sleep on a specific chair, set up your lighting near it and wait for nap time. It’s important not to force the moment, because everyone (human and pet!) will get frustrated.
2. Get LOW.
We are larger than our animals. Well, most of the common ones anyway. Disregard horses, elephants and very large dogs for this one. Too many people try to get their pet to look up at them, when you should be getting at their level. This often means lying on the ground for a while until you get the perfect snap. But trust me, that eyes in the camera look is worth it.
3. Reduce gear fear.
One of the things my cat really hates is the sound of the flashbulb in my lighting setup. So, I got a continuous light, thus solving a HUGE problem. No additional noise means no additional frights and I get quality lighting on all my shots. Win. Win. Win. Don’t forget about beeping noises on your camera too. If you can disable them, do it. I mentioned in #1 to bring your gear where your pet likes to hang out. This can also reduce gear fear, but BE SURE to move gear when they aren’t in their favorite space. Instead, have it be a happy surprise so they can investigate on their own terms.
4. Be patient.
This is a marathon, not a race. It can take many, many attempts to get even one good shot. I often say: it’s about 100 bad pictures to 1 good one and about 1,000 pictures to 1 GREAT one. If you follow these tips, you will get there eventually.
5. Tricks and treats are always good.
A few treats never hurt any pet. My cat just knows… if she comes down to the studio, I definitely have one of her catnip balls chilling somewhere. As a result, she’ll hang out with me in the studio for hours. If that level of coordination is too tough, I recommend trying this lovely trick from Nick and Schmidt from last week’s episode of New Girl. Maybe avoid the Swuit, though.
What other tricks do you have for getting epic pet pictures?
