Tips for Taking Good Selfies With Your Pets
June 21 is National Selfie Day so who better to take a selfie with than your pets. However, taking a selfie with a pet requires you to multitask because you have to hold the camera at the right angle, you have to entertain your pet so they sit still, you have to make sure you’re smiling and you have to hit the button without dropping your phone. To help you out, we have come up with some tips for taking good selfies with your pets.
1. Have a play session before you take the camera out
The best time for a photo can be after your pet has had some time to play or exercise, because they will be more likely to sit still having exhausted some energy.
2. Pose where your pet is comfortable
It may not be possible for your pet to sit or lie in the exact position you’d like them to, but the safest thing to do is to sit or lie down with them. To achieve the perfect results it’s best to do what they do (within reason of course).
3. Bribe them with treats
Hold the treat above the camera and let it stick out so that it grabs your pet’s attention. Cats and dogs are likely to move into a cute position in front of the camera when they sniff and see the treat.
You can even attach a treat to your phone’s screen.
One company has even developed a dog selfie stick – a tennis ball that clips on top of your phone, leaving the camera uncovered – designed to capture your dog’s undivided attention and allow you to take a great selfie.
4. Let there be (soft) light
Nothing can beat natural light when it comes to photography, especially if your camera isn’t top of the range.
Go outside during the ‘golden hour’ for the best outdoor light. The golden hour is the period of time shortly before sunrise and shortly after sunset. During this time the brightness of the sky matches the brightness of streetlights, signs, car headlights and lit windows.
If taking pictures indoors, use as much light as you can but avoid using a flash as it can be stressful for your pet.
5. Use a simple background
The less you’ve got going on in the background the better. Choose colors that will make you and your pet stand out. For example, if you’ve got a pet with black fur you should go for a light-coloured background and vice-versa.
6. Camerawork
The better your camera, the better the pictures. So if you are a pet selfie aficionado or are hoping to make your pet an Instagram star, you might want to invest in a good camera.
In general, position the camera at your pet’s eye level and lie down with them if you have to.
7. Be patient
Patience is one of the key ingredients of a pet selfie photoshoot. Cat and dog attention spans are much shorter than ours and if they’re still very young they’ll have a desire to explore and play.
Spend time planning the perfect shot and bear in mind that it might take a few attempts before you get it right. Be patient, time it well and you’re likely to end with a masterpiece. With these tips for taking good selfies with your pets, your dog or cat will be a social media rock star in no time!
As always, contact Karla’s Pet Care for all your pet sitting and dog walking needs.
