Are you one of those people who can’t stop taking pictures of their adorable pets? Well, we can’t blame you — because it’s virtually impossible to control the impulse to capture every cute moment pets have!
But while pet photography can be fun and exciting, it can get frustrating too… like when your pet is too distracted to cooperate or the lighting isn’t as you want it to be.
Such reasons are also why most people tend to take pictures of their pets inside the house. There, pets are constrained by the limited space and lighting is a bit more manageable.
However, if you choose your home as the main setting, you also have to consider the photo-worthiness of your space. Nobody wants a picture where the most noticeable element isn’t your pet but the disorder or your filthy curtains!
Fortunately, things like that are easily fixed. Just clean up a little and if necessary, get someone to help you — for curtains, for example, you can just call in the best curtain cleaners in Singapore before your photo session.
Anyway, setting challenges like that are often simple enough to deal with. The bigger challenge is learning how to make lighting work for you, specifically outdoor lighting.
But we’re here to make it less complicated for you.
If you want to take more stunning pictures of your adorable pets, here are our tips on using outdoor lighting to your advantage:
- Use Reflectors
If you want to play around with more light, try to get your hands on a reflector. Someone will have to hold it while you take pictures of your pets, so keep that in mind.
Most pet photographers use the white and silver sides of the reflector, and you can do that. However, we personally like to use its diffuser side to soften the light on pets and draw attention to their eyes.
- Use Easy Strobe Setups
Contrary to popular belief, strobes can also be used outdoors. It’s ideal to have an assistant move the lights if pets decide to move or change position, though.
Since pets are expected to move around, it’s ideal to bring a leash to prevent them from jumping from one place to another. It would also make the placement of the strobe much easier.
Strobe placements have to be versatile enough to catch them while they’re standing in the desired position. It might seem complicated at first, but it can yield excellent results if done right.
- Create Silhouettes with Less Light
If you’re lucky, the lack of outdoor light can work to your advantage when you take photos of your pet! Beautiful skies can produce interesting hues and lines that can be used to create a powerful image featuring a silhouette.
Now, we admit that silhouettes can be tougher to capture with pets. First, it’s nearly impossible for some pets to keep still.
Second, since most pets are low-slung, it can be hard to capture them against the horizon.
So, we suggest that we place your pet on something high, like a raised platform. You can also get down extremely low and photograph them that way.
It’s not going to be easy, but it can result in stunningly beautiful photos that you would want to keep for the rest of your life.
Anyway, that’s it for our tips on how to play around with outdoor light while taking pictures of our pets! If you’re up for the challenge of doing pet photography outdoors, don’t forget to share your stories with us!
However, if you believe it’s too complicated for your own good, just book a session with our professional pet photographer in Singapore and we’ll take care of everything for you!
