Digital photography has become an indispensable part of our modern lives. In our series on digital photography, we have given you tips and tricks over the past few weeks on
Today, we want to turn our attention to the topic of photographing animals. Animal photography is also a form of art that requires both technical skills and a deep understanding of the behavior of the respective animal. Whether in the home garden, at the zoo, or in the wild – animal photography allows the photographer to capture and share the beauty and diversity of the animal world. In this article, we provide you with valuable tips and techniques on how you too can become a good animal photographer and succeed in taking great pictures.
10 Tips and Tricks in Animal Photography for …
… Photographing Pets
It’s best to photograph your pets in their familiar environment. Here are some tips and tricks to take better photos and shots of your animal friends:
- Eye Focus: As a photographer, ensure that the eyes are sharp for the photo of your animal, as they will become the most important part of the image.
- Format: Your pet should fill the format in the photo. Macro shots are better than the animal in front of a background, e.g., photograph only a characteristic detail of your animal. Experiment with close-ups of details like paws, fur, or whiskers. You don’t necessarily have to capture the whole animal in the photo/image.
- Background: For your animal photos, pay attention to a calm and uncluttered background that doesn’t distract from your pet. When photographing outdoors in nature, you can use a telephoto lens with a wide-open aperture to blur the background pleasantly, which better highlights your animal in the photo.
- Perspective: As a photographer, photograph your animals at eye level. For dogs and cats, get down on your knees. To establish eye level with guinea pigs, hamsters, reptiles, etc., position the animal on a photo table.
- Natural Light: As a photographer, use natural light as much as possible and seek proximity to large windows indoors. Avoid direct sunlight, which can create harsh shadows in the photo.
- Tripod: A tripod can be helpful to avoid camera shake, especially with longer exposure times. An external flash or LED light can improve the lighting.
- Burst Mode: In animal photography, use your camera’s burst mode, especially when photographing your pet playing or in action. This increases the chance of capturing the perfect moment for the photo.
Pet-Specific Tips for a Good Photo
- Patience: Pets can be unpredictable. Be patient and take your time until the right moment for the photo with the animal comes. Ask a family member to help you with the photography by guiding your pet’s gaze and setting it up.
- Knowledge of the Pet: Observe your pet’s behavior to know when it’s most relaxed. Plan your animal photos accordingly.
- Props and Toys: Use favorite toys or treats to get your pet’s attention and bring it into the desired position. Feed it only after the photo, because a satiated animal might not respond to the treat as desired.
… Photographing Animals at the Zoo
Photographing animals in zoos offers unique opportunities to capture exotic and wild animals up close. Here, you can get relatively close to even shy animals, as they have become accustomed to humans. A nature photographer who travels around the world from place to place has it much harder. Here are some tips and tricks for photographing animals in the zoo.
- Research: Inform yourself in advance about the zoo and the animals you want to photograph as an animal photographer. You should know the feeding times as well as special show times and events. Consider subscribing to the zoo’s newsletter and following them on social media.
- Best Times: For good photos, visit the zoo early in the morning or late in the afternoon when animals are more active and the light is softer and more pleasant. The golden hour (shortly after sunrise and before sunset) offers the best light for a photographer.
- Equipment: A fast zoom lens (at least 250 mm) is useful for photographing animals from a distance and avoiding bars or fences. Avoid digital zoom in animal photography and pay attention to a long focal length. A polarizing filter can help minimize reflections on glass panes in your image.
- Shutter Speed: Use a fast shutter speed (at least 1/250 second) for your images to freeze animal movements.
- Camera Settings: For your photos, also use the sports mode of the camera to photograph animals in motion. Use the portrait mode for close-ups.
- Autofocus: Use continuous autofocus for your photos and shots to keep moving animals sharp.
- Perspective and Details: Try to establish eye level with the animal and focus on the animal’s eyes. Experiment with close-ups of details like eyes, fur, or beaks.
Zoo-specific Tips for a Good Photo
- Bars and Fences: Press the lens as close as possible and allowed to the bars or fence to make them disappear in the blur area. A large aperture (= small f-number) can help make the bars ‘invisible’.
- Glass Panes: Watch out for reflections and try to hold the lens directly against the pane or use a polarizing filter to minimize reflections.
- Burst Mode: Tip: Use your camera’s burst mode to take multiple images of the desired animal in a short time. This increases the chance of capturing the perfect moment. Use this to photograph animals in action, playing, or interacting with other animals or humans.
Post-processing and Image Optimization
Post-processing a photo is an essential step to get the best out of your animal photographs. Often, you need to adjust brightness and contrasts in the image, correct colors, reduce image noise, or – especially with zoo images – remove distracting objects like bars and reflections from glass panes.
With Photomizer 3 Premium, we have an image editing program for you that leaves nothing to be desired. In addition to fully automatic 1-click optimization of images (regardless of format), the software also includes numerous filters and tools to optimize brightness and contrast, intensify colors, reduce image noise, and also brighten the dark, underexposed parts of your photo. Sharpness correction and cropping options are also part of the image editing software.
Why don’t you take some existing photos and landscape images and test right away what such post-processing can do for your shot. You can buy the full version from us for a small price. Or, download a free trial version here.
Additional Information
- Want to know more about topics like animal photography or nature photography?
- In addition to animal photography, are you also interested in general tips and tricks around digital photos, whether it’s portrait, macro, eyes, baby, black and white, or color?
- Do you have questions about topics such as lens / lenses, aperture, perspective, ISO values, auto-focus, or horizon?
Then we have the perfect reading material for you: Digital Photography: The Master Course. The book from Markt und Technik Verlag was first published in 2017 and is currently in its 3rd edition. You can of course download this useful guide with over 380 pages of valuable tips and tricks from us for free.
Download Digital Photography: The Master Course for free
We hope you enjoy the insights gained about animal photography and find this article useful. We also hope you find the master course good, exciting, helpful, and easy to implement. Please let us know and tell us what you think of this guide.
