First you need to ensure that you pet is relaxed and therefore it is often better to photograph them in their own environment.

Avoiding Green/Red Eyes

Your pet’s eyes turn out red or green for the same reason that humans get “red-eye”. This is due to the flash reflecting off of the back of eye when the pupils are dilated. In pets, most come out green instead of red, although pets with blue eyes often do get the more traditional red-eye. To prevent this, position the flash as far away from your lens as possible. Ideally use a flash with a swivel head. If it is possible shoot in an environment with plenty of natural light and turn off the flash.

Time ……..

Animals are unpredictable – it’s a fact and therefore patience is really important. Do not rush and ensure that you allow plenty of time to photography your pet. You will either need to be prepared to allow time for your pet to settle down or alternatively if your pet will only stay still for a moment before rushing off to play, ensure that everything is set up in advance.

Get to Their Level

Treat this, the same as a portrait shoot. You will want to capture the face and personality of your pet. Ensure that you get either up or down to their level and fill the frame with your subject.

Catch their attention

Get together a bag of treats to catch your pet’s attention or get them to behave in a certain way. Try and get someone else to hold them whilst you take the photographs.

Fill the frame with your subject

There are basically two types of portraits than you can take. These being either:-

• Head and shoulders
• Full length

Full length will be taken when you wish to capture the outfit that the individual is wearing (for example at a wedding). When taking head and shoulder shots don’t be afraid to zoom in close, (however remember that zooming in does not mean capturing only face shots).

Keep eyes in the upper third

An exception to this rule however, is when a subject is full-bodied in the bottom third of the frame.

Looking away from the camera

Ask the individual to focus their attention on something unseen and outside the field of view of your camera. This can create a feeling of intrigue and interest as the viewer of the shot wonders what they are looking at. This intrigue is particularly drawn about when the subject is showing some kind of emotion (ie laughing or looking surprised). Try to capture the emotion being shown in your picture.

Looking within the frame

For example have a mother looking at her baby, which will create a relationship and a story of the photograph.

Experiment with Lighting

By adding lighting to a photograph, this can create mood to your photographs. Try to avoid using the built in flash on your camera as this is likely to cause red-eye. If photographing outdoors, it’s best to avoid harsh sunlight as this can create shadows and also make the individual squint – a look that will not look attractive in your photographs.

The heads have a reputation for producing a very clean and controllable light output, are compact and lightweight and very handy for those bigger shoots where easily positionable additional fill lights are required.

Consequently we are now even better equipped to do shoots, with more people in the frame rather than single portrait shots.

These studio lights combined with our professional photographers, offer consistency, reliability and quality to ensure stunning results in any environment.

You will need to relax with him on the day to achieve images that look right.  Let your photographer know your personalities to enable him to add style to your photographs.

Communication is key.  The more details you provide him with, the better your photographs will be.

2. Visit the venue together beforehand.

This is a must – even if your photographer has photographed at the location beforehand.  You can then look at areas together to decide upon the position to take both formal and informal shots.  A plan can also be put in place in case of wet weather.

3. Putting on the rings

To turn this moment into a great photo opportunity, all you need to remember is that as you are putting the ring on, position your fingers on the top and bottom instead of on the sides of the ring.

4. Thowing your bouquet

Do not rush this. This gives your photographer time to get a shot of you holding your flowers and looking back over your shoulder at all the guests getting lined up ready to catch it.

5. Your photographer

Ensure that whichever photographer you choose to take photographs of your special day, that he loves what he does  - and that your wedding is not just “another job”