How to Take Awesome Pet Photos on a Smartphone

Before diving into the specifics, it’s essential to understand the basics of photography—lighting, composition, and perspective. These fundamentals become even more crucial when using a smartphone, as its wider lens angle and smaller sensor demand more attention to detail.

Light can make or break a photo, especially when photographing pets. Proper lighting is key to bringing out your pet’s features, from their shiny fur to their expressive eyes. But while lighting is critical, it’s important to avoid harsh lighting conditions that can ruin a shot.

• Best Lighting for Pet Photos: The most flattering light for pet photography is soft, diffused light. Harsh direct sunlight, especially in the middle of the day, can create strong contrasts and shadows that obscure your pet’s features. Instead, aim to shoot during the golden hours (just after sunrise or before sunset) when the sunlight is warm and soft. If you’re shooting during the day, opt for open shade—this provides even lighting without the intense shadows that direct sunlight can cause. Overcast days are perfect for pet photography because clouds naturally diffuse the light, giving you a soft, flattering glow on your pet.

• Indoor Lighting Tips: If you’re shooting indoors, position your pet near a large window where natural light can spill onto them. Avoid harsh overhead lighting, as it can cast unwanted shadows and distort the colors in your pet’s fur. Using a simple reflector (or even a white wall) can help bounce light onto your pet for a more balanced exposure.

Smartphones give you some control over exposure, allowing you to properly illuminate your pet. Managing exposure can help you avoid underexposed or overexposed photos, ensuring your pet is the star of the frame.

• Manual Exposure Adjustment: Most smartphones allow you to manually adjust exposure for better control. By tapping on your pet’s face on the screen, you activate the focus and exposure point. Once you do that, you’ll see a sun icon appear, which you can drag up or down to brighten or darken the image. This feature is particularly useful if you’re photographing pets with darker fur, which can often appear underexposed. Brightening the image just enough will make sure your pet’s details are clearly visible without washing out the background.

• Avoid Overexposure: Be careful not to brighten the image too much. Overexposure can cause loss of detail in bright areas, especially if your pet has white fur. A good rule of thumb is to make sure your pet’s fur retains texture, even in well-lit shots.

A messy background can ruin a great pet photo by drawing attention away from your subject. Pets, especially when photographed on a smartphone, need a clean backdrop that emphasizes their features.

• Simple Background Check: One easy trick to test the cleanliness of your background is to hold your hand out in front of the camera and scan the area behind it. This will give you an idea of how cluttered or clean the background will look in your photo. Avoid environments with a lot of visual noise, like crowded rooms or busy streets.

• Contrast is Key: When selecting a background, aim for one that contrasts with your pet’s fur. For example, if your pet has dark fur, a lighter background will help them stand out. If they have light fur, opt for darker or more colourful backdrops to create separation between your pet and its surroundings. Simple, neutral-coloured walls, outdoor greenery, or clean indoor settings often work well for pet portraits.

• Use Nature: If you’re outdoors, consider natural elements like trees, water, or flowers as backgrounds. They not only contrast well but can add a calming and visually appealing aesthetic to your pet’s portrait.

Most smartphones come equipped with a portrait mode, which mimics the blurred background effect of professional cameras. This is perfect for creating separation between your pet and their surroundings.

• Use the Aperture Settings: In portrait mode, you can control the depth of field by adjusting the aperture settings (if your phone allows it). A larger aperture (lower f-stop number) creates a softer, more dramatic background blur, making your pet pop. Experiment with different aperture levels to see how much background blur works for the specific shot you're aiming for.

• Sharp Focus on the Eyes: The eyes are the windows to your pet’s soul, and in pet photography, they should be the sharpest point of focus. Always tap and hold on your pet’s eyes to lock focus before taking the shot. This ensures that their eyes are sharp and clear, while the rest of the image maintains a soft, dreamy feel.

• Be Mindful of Fur Edges: One challenge with smartphone portrait mode is handling the edges of your pet, especially for long-haired breeds. Sometimes, the software struggles to perfectly blur the background around complex shapes like fur, resulting in jagged or unnatural edges. Review your shots and adjust if needed, or use post-processing tools to refine the edges.

Capturing your pet’s playful antics can be challenging, but with the right technique, you can freeze those exciting moments in time.

• Plenty of Light: Action shots require plenty of light to ensure your phone’s shutter speed is fast enough to freeze the action. Without adequate light, your phone’s camera might introduce motion blur in areas where you don’t want it. Bright natural light is your best friend here. If shooting indoors, consider adding additional lighting to ensure your pet remains sharp.

• Use Burst Mode: Burst mode is a fantastic feature on most smartphones that takes multiple photos in quick succession. When photographing fast-moving pets, burst mode increases your chances of capturing the perfect moment. Whether it’s your dog leaping into the air to catch a ball or your cat chasing a toy, burst mode allows you to review a sequence of photos and pick the sharpest, most dynamic shot.

Don’t be afraid to get close to your pet for more intimate and detailed shots. Close-ups can reveal unique details like your pet’s whiskers, fur texture, and the gleam in their eyes.

• Focus on Details: When getting up close, use your smartphone’s focus lock feature to keep your subject sharp. Focus on details that showcase your pet’s personality—perhaps their nose, paws, or even the texture of their fur. These types of close-ups can make for compelling and artistic photos that capture the little things you love about your pet.

• Use Macro Mode: Some smartphones offer a macro mode, designed for close-up photography. This is ideal for shooting detailed, intricate shots, such as the reflection in your pet’s eye or the fine hairs of their whiskers.

Capturing your pet’s personality is what truly brings your photos to life. It’s those small moments of expression that make a photo special.

• Encourage Expressions: Use treats, toys, or even funny noises to elicit those adorable head tilts or perked-up ears.

• Pre-Set Your Camera: Have your phone ready, with focus and exposure set, before engaging your pet’s attention. This allows you to snap the moment their expression lights up, without delay.

Smartphones have advanced camera systems, but a little post-editing can enhance your photos even further.

• Use Editing Apps: Apps like VSCO and Lightroom for Mobile offer a variety of tools to adjust exposure, saturation, highlights, and shadows. A few basic tweaks can make your pet photos look polished and professional.

• Selective Edits: Focus on brightening your pet’s face, especially if their fur is dark, and remove any distracting background elements to draw more attention to your subject.

Photographing pets can be unpredictable. They may not sit still for long, and you might not always get the perfect shot on the first try. Don’t let that discourage you!

• Take Breaks: If your pet starts to lose interest, take a break and try again later. The more relaxed your pet is, the more natural and engaging their photos will be.

The more you practice, the better you’ll become at capturing your pet’s best moments.

• Experiment with Lighting and Techniques: Try shooting in different lighting conditions and using various techniques to see what works best for you and your pet.
• Don’t Be Afraid to Get Creative: Feel free to break the rules and have fun with your pet photography. It’s all about capturing the moments that matter to you!

Taking awesome pet photos with a smartphone doesn’t have to be complicated. With an understanding of lighting, composition, and a few creative tricks, you can capture your pet’s personality and create images that you’ll treasure forever.

So grab your phone, practice these tips, and start snapping photos that will make your furry friend the star of your camera roll!