Tips for Photographing PetsRoxanne Sahlin uses the Tamron SP 70-300mm and SP 90mm Macro lenses to capture everything from house cats and pups to exotic scarlet macaws. |
Article by Jenn Gidman Images by Roxanne Sahlin |
Roxanne Sahlin has an affinity for photographing pets, whether it's her own kitty at home, a client's dog, or an Amazon parrot at the veterinary clinic where she works. Her two lenses of choice when she's canoodling with the creatures in front of her camera: the Tamron SP 70-300mm and the SP 90mm Macro. "The 70-300mm is my go-to lens when I'm doing pet photography outdoors," she says. "That one lets me get up close enough if need be, but when I'm doing action shots, I can increase the ISO so I can stop some of that action and follow them around. When I'm indoors, the 90mm works really well. You can get some really interesting shots when they decide they want to creep even closer to you!" |
Read on for Roxanne's tips for ensuring the perfect pet portrait. |
Determine the animal's temperament before the shoot to gain its trust. |
Birds especially can be temperamental. We have a scarlet macaw at the clinic that's kept in a chain-link cage during the day. I have a tendency to shoot with a very shallow depth-of-field with her, and I like the 90mm macro for that because I can get close, but I'm not within striking distance if she's moody. I'll start off shooting her wide open, then close it down a little bit so I can blur out that chain link where I need to but still get a nice, crisp shot that shows all the details in her feathers, which are gorgeous. |
If I'm going to someone's house, I'll usually go in and just sit for a while so the animals get comfortable and forget I'm even there. That's where that 70-300 is fabulous. Maybe I'll be outside photographing two puppies playing and rolling around. That lens enables me to get back far enough so they're not thinking of me: They're thinking of each other, and I'm just capturing the moment. |
Keep the lighting soft and natural. |
I will use a flash on occasion, but I always diffuse it so the light isn't hitting them straight in the eyes - you get a nice catchlight that way without that red-eye effect. Both Doug [her husband] and I normally use reflectors a lot, but with pets, if you pull out a reflector, you'll either scare them or they'll think it's a Frisbee, so I pretty much stay away from that! |
Take their personalities into account when figuring out your compositions. |
The eyes have it. |
Evoke great reactions with enticements. |
If all else fails, be prepared to act a little silly. |
To see more of Roxanne Sahlin's work with her husband, Doug Sahlin, go to www.dougplusrox.com or to their Facebook page. Also check out Doug Sahlin's new book, "Mastering the Lensbaby," on Amazon. |