Do your dog photos make your dog look more like a demon with glowing green eyes rather than your sweet furry friend? Does your dog always do the cutest thing until you grab your camera to capture it? Are you sick of only having snapshots where you can hardly see your dog? Do you want some photos of your dog that look professional?

We've put together some hints and tips to help you photograph your dog better. Remember it takes practice and fiddling with your camera some to get those "perfect" shots.

Camera

You don't need to run out and buy a fancy camera in order to get great photos of your dog. A point-and-shoot camera will do and can give you more than just snapshot-like photos. Most digital cameras have multiple options allowing you to control aperture and shutter speed and change to manual settings. If you have a fancy SLR camera and cool lenses, by all means learn to use those and capture some great dog photos.

Background

Though your dog is the subject of the photo, the background is key to getting a good photo. Choose a background, natural or studio-like that complements the dog's coat color or looks interesting. Contrasting color backgrounds will make your dog standout (think of a white dog against a bright blue sky).Be sure the background isn't too bright or you will end up with a dog silhouette. Even photographing your dog indoors in your own home, you can find interesting backgrounds and color backdrops.

Lighting

Use your camera's flash sparingly. Ideal lighting for pet photography is natural or ambient light. Avoid super bright or direct sunlight unless you are going for a silhouette. Play around with your camera's setting to reveal which ones work best in your lighting situation.

Positioning/Angles

Get creative and photograph your dog at different angles or shoot macro (very close and focused) and only get parts of the dog, like a slobbering tongue or wet sniffer. Try getting on the "dog's level" for a cool shot; chances are your dog will be interested in why you are crawling on the floor and you can capture some good expressions.

Your Subject Dog

When trying to get quality dog photos, it helps if you dog knows two of the most basic training commands...sit and stay. Also, a well-groomed dog looks a lot nicer in photographs than a dirty dog. No need to go all dog-show-groomed, just a simple bath to remove unsightly dirt or a brushing to remove tangles will do to make your dog look his natural best.

Attention

Grabbing your dog's attention can be difficult. Words don't work all the time (especially if your dog is as stubborn as mine), so try using odd noises (spaceship and cat purrs work for me), toys or treats, or a combination. You might not be able to get your dog to do exactly what you want, but with the use of attention-grabbers, you should be able to get them to do something worth capturing.

Assistance

Having a helper monkey (think children, husbands, or friends) on hand is a great idea when photographing dogs. Your assistant can help get the dog's attention or get the dog to behave or pose. If your eye is constantly behind the viewfinder (which it should be), it helps to have an assistant keep an eye on other things. For instance, if you are at a park, your assistant can make sure the area remains clear of distractions or interference.

Props

Using props in dog photos can enhance the shot. Props can help bring out your dog's personality or tell a story. Consider using some of your dog's things like toys, beds or even dog clothes to add more interest to a shot. Just make sure that the prop doesn't take away form and become the focus of the shot.

Action Shots

Catching dogs in action, whether running, jumping, or shaking off water, is a fun way to tell a story or capture your dog in a unique way. Action shots can be hard to get, you should learn how to adjust your camera to a "sports" setting or manually speed up the shutter speed. Once again, always stay behind the camera and shoot lots of frames if you are trying to capture that "perfect" moment in action.

Multiple Subjects

Shooting multiple subjects can be difficult. It is easiest to capture more candid photos of multiple dogs, rather than attempting to get good poses and expressions out of each one at the same time (it is possible though). The best thing to do is don't stop shooting, if you do, you will likely miss that "perfect" moment. Definitely have an assistant on hand when photographing multiple dogs.

Most often the best photographs of your dog will be the ones where you captured a dog just being a dog, not necessarily posing for the camera. When you have a photo shoot with your dog, play with different types of photos and situations. And remember, don't get frustrated and have fun. The photo shoot should be fun for both you and your dog!

Happy shooting!

Photos: Top by MarkMiller, Bottom by JohnnyOz