It appears that Squirt enjoys company at her level.

Capturing great photos of your pets can sometimes be a challenge. Thus, over the next couple of weeks, I’d like to offer five simple tips that have allowed me to capture some memorable shots in both pet and animal photography. I’m betting that many of you already utilize one or more of these tips, and for that, I offer you a high-five from yours truly. If you’ve not yet put any of these tips to use, here’s your chance to create something worthy of adding an additional photo to your wall.

Tip #1: Get Dirty

When I think about all the great photos of my human friends and family that I’ve taken over the years, I find that the majority of my “keepers” were taken eye-level with my subject. Now think about your “keepers” — how many were shot standing directly above your subject while they lay or sit on the ground? Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen some amazing shots taken directly above dogs begging for treats and of cats napping in cardboard boxes, but more often than not, I see overhead shots of dogs on kitchen tile and cats on carpet. These shots are okay, but that’s about it. What I’m striving for—and I hope you are too—is something fun, something wonderful, something I want to show my friends, something I want to frame, something I want to look at and say, “I LOVE that shot.” This is where I’ve come to the understanding that I’ll need to put forth a little effort and get down on their level in order to capture something better than “okay.”

You’ll most likely find yourself on your hands, knees and stomach trying frame your pet in the shot. So, before you get down and dirty, you might want to put on some old pants and do some stretches. Yes, it’s possible that you’ll pull a muscle or three capturing these shots. You’ll also probably notice some of the people at the dog park staring at you. Yet, if you’re willing to put aside the pains and creepy stares, and capture a few photos of something more than your pet and the ground, I promise that you will be rewarded for your efforts. Notice that I said “something more than your pet and the ground” because it’s a very important part of this equation (i.e., Pet + Furniture + Trees + Clouds + Horizon + Endless Variables = Something Spectacular).

George Down Low

Molly in the grass

Elk at Royal Gorge Bridge and Park, CO

Ringo and his toy

]]> http://nateturnerphotography.com/2012/02/tips-to-purrfect-pet-photography-tip-one/feed/ 1 http://nateturnerphotography.com/2011/11/alright-alright/ http://nateturnerphotography.com/2011/11/alright-alright/#comments Sun, 06 Nov 2011 20:23:21 +0000 Nate Turner Photography http://nateturnerphotography.com/?p=809 I’m happy to say that my new Web site is really starting to come together.  It’s still somewhat sparse in areas, but beginning to look like a Web site again.  Now I just need about 200 hours to set aside for editing.  Nothing more exciting…

Unrelated, the weather down here is still amazing.  I’ve been spending my Sundays lying on our living-room floor next to the patio door, basking in the sun and watching football.  Nothing beats feeling the sun’s warmth and cool breeze blowing through the screen.  Oh, did I forget to mention that we still have our windows open during the day?  Later, Wisco!  :)

-Nate