Photographing kids can sometimes be difficult, and even some adults can present challenges during a photoshoot. Shooting animals can present similar challenges along with whole new ones you may not have thought of before. Whether or not the animal is professionally trained to be in front of the camera, you need to be prepared.
Over the years, Jay P. Morgan from The Slanted Lens has worked with animals several times for his shoots and here shares nine tips for working with animals from his years of experience. While these tips are meant for professionally trained animals with their trainers, you can apply these tips to pets and their owners.
- Design the shot around the animal.
- Setup with the line of sight of the animal, where do you want them to look?
- Communicate and become friends with the trainer.
- Keep the shot as simple as possible for video.
- Use a treat.
- Be focused.
- Be patient and work on the animal’s time frame.
- Be ready and don’t get distracted.
- Get rid of all distractions on set.
So the next time you are setting up a shoot with animals involved for the set, keep these tips in mind. For those of you with experience, what are some tips you have for us? Leave them in the comments below.
