8 tips for taking better dog portraits: Freezing the action, changing perspective and much more

posted Thursday, June 7, 2018 at 10:00 AM EDT

When it comes to photographing our four-legged friends, there are a lot of challenges. Unlike shooting a portrait of a person, a dog may be much less cooperative, for example. However, like a person, you often want to photograph a dog in a way that accentuates their character. Photographer Anne Geier is an expert at photographing dogs -- it is her specialty, after all. In a new video with COOPH, she shares 8 tips for better dog photos.

Geier's first tip is to freeze the action. You can start by getting a good distance from your dog and then calling the dog toward you, shooting as it runs toward the camera. This will likely work best with a zoom lens so you can zoom out as the dog gets closer. You will also want to shoot in a continuous shooting mode with continuous autofocus and a fast shutter speed. If the dog enjoys the water, you can try the same thing in shallow water, just be sure to protect your gear! Her second tip is to lower the perspective, you want to shoot at the dog's eye level. It looks more dynamic and creates a better connection between the subject and the viewer. To see the rest of Anne Geier's tips, check out the video below.