6 Tips for the Greatest Dog Photos

Primarily, my profession involves training dogs and their humans. But secondarily, I take a TON of dog photos. Over the years, I have several tricks that I have employed to get a just right photo of (almost) every dog. I didn’t create these techniques. But I AM going to share them with you. Right here. All in one spot.

Crouch down. Many of us take photos from a standing position. But that means that unless your dog is a Great Dane, the angle is from the top looking down. Your photo will almost always be better if you get down on your dog’s level (or as close as possible).

Make a noise. I keep a squeaker in my treat pouch. (Nothing fancy. It’s literally a from a stuffed animal toy that one of my dogs disemboweled. I managed to salvage the squeaker.) In a pinch, I have also been known to make a quack noise with my mouth. Or meow like a kitten. The key point here is that no matter which noise you choose, be ready with the camera. You will only have a split second to snap that photo before you lose that adorable perky ear. If you’re lucky, you might also get a head tilt. Which is the cutest.

Use food. For some dogs, it doesn’t matter how good your noises are. They’re more interested in looking all

around at everything else. For these dogs, I use food. Don’t be cheap. Use the good stuff. Hot dogs or cooked chicken work great, if you have them. I put the food right in front of the dog’s nose, then move my hand up above the camera. I snap the photo, then give them the treat. Dogs are smart. So if you don’t give them the food, they will stop playing the game.

Make eye contact. This one is especially relevant if you have worked on “watch me” with your dog. If you want your dog to look at the camera, YOU have to look at your dog. Think about this from your dog’s perspective. They are rewarded for looking into your eyes. But if YOU are staring into the phone, you appear to be disengaged. Most dogs won’t offer that “watch me” behavior unless the human is actively engaged.

Keep your dog still. While motion shots are awesome, they’re not so great if they’re blurry. Because of this, I usually use a command to keep my dog still. I might use sit, down, or place. If you’re using place, there are a lot of super cute photo ops if you use “odd” things as place. A few of my favorites to use are a tree stump, a tractor, kid toys, wrapped presents, a fire hydrant, and landscaping rocks. You get the idea.

Use a filter. If you have a dark colored dog, I have a specific photo filter that I recommend. I have the Snapseed app on my phone. Click “Tools,” “Drama,” then “Bright 1.” For most photos, this does a great job of bringing out the dog’s eyes and expression. (If you have a black dog, you know how difficult it is to get a good photo!)

Go forth and photograph your dog until your heart’s content!