How do photographers capture the wonderful moments of pets?

It is never easy to take a good photo of a pet at the right time, in the right place, with the right person and with the right pet's movements, and press the shutter when all the elements in the picture are perfect. As a pet owner, it is more important for you to develop a good photography attitude and habit, and master the things you can control, such as ambient light, spotlight, angle of view, background, mood, facial expression, pet movements and so on. So, how to develop good shooting habits?

Good habit # 1: Keep your pet in a good mood and make them laugh happily.

When taking photos of pets, observation and communication are very important, but it is equally important that you respect the feelings and preferences of pets. Forcing your pet to pose and scold will only make your pet photo look expressionless. On the contrary, it is more important to play with them wholeheartedly, forget the elegant performance and forget the time you play. That's when the interesting moment happens!

EOS 5D Mark II | EF 50mm mm f/1.4 USM1/350f/4.5 iso400.

Good habit #2: Make good use of props around you.

Warm photos are usually those that capture everyday moments. Using "props" does not necessarily mean designing a beautifully designed headdress or buying some extra props. Sometimes, taking photos of pets is a process of rediscovering the relationship between pets and their surroundings. Many times, we don't have to find or create interesting moments, just feel them with our hearts. In daily life, you will find many things to shoot.

EOS 5D Mark II | EF 28mm mm f/1.8 USM1/250f/3.5 iso400.

Good habit #3: Add controllable elements

It would be great if your dog followed orders. But if he is too active and doesn't listen to you when the pet is playing too hard, you must set up some obstacles to limit the movement of the pet or the direction in which the pet can walk. For example, you can put your dog in a basket, surround it with a pile of cushions, or cover up its escape route. If your pet always avoids the camera, you can make a rotating platform with a floor mat or cushion for him to sit on. In this way, when the decisive moment comes, you can manually turn your pet to the camera.

EOS 5D Mark II | EF 50mm mm f/1.8usm1180f/1.8iso400.

Good habit 4: Try different ways to get their attention.

If you keep taking pictures of your pet with snacks, you will only get an expression-gluttony. Sometimes you can use some different voices. Animal sounds, high-pitched sounds and blowing sounds can attract your pet's attention very effectively, because it will make your pet look at you curiously. Another method is to move the objects around the camera lens quickly, because dogs and cats are natural hunters and will not miss the unknown moving objects. These few seconds of attention can greatly increase your chances of getting a good lens!

EOS 5D Mark II | EF 28mm mm f/1.8usm1180f/3.5iso100.

Good habit #5: Plan ahead and take a good shot at once.

To capture good action, you need to plan ahead, otherwise even if you press the shutter 1000 times, you can't guarantee to take a good photo. The biggest challenge here is to concentrate and let the face see the right direction. If you want to succeed, you need to remember the composition and action route, and ask your family to help you rehearse and guide. For example, moving the toy from left to right and stopping at the best preset position can determine the focus and time more.

EOS 5D Mark II | EF 70-200mm f/4 is USM11500f/5.6 iso400.

Good habit 6: predict what your dog will do next.

This dog runs very fast. When you see your dog stretching out his camera, he is already enjoying the street view by the window. And when you chase your pet to the window, it is no longer there, but somewhere else. Our equipment needs time to respond. If you feel that your photos are always "one second late" and miss the best opportunity, you can try to press the shutter "half a second in advance".

EOS 5D Mark II | EF 50mm mm f/1.8usm1180f/4iso400.

Taking pictures of your pet every day is a wonderful memory. Take photos of your pets and record our lives!