You have limited time, so you need to be cognizant of your animal. Slow focusing or inability to shoot quickly will mean you miss the shot or have lots of images out of focus. If you are using strobes, you will be focusing under lower lighting conditions than the eventual shot. Ideally, your camera needs to focus fast, preferably with a reliable continuous autofocus ability. Most modern digital camera equipment will work for pet photography but you need to think about a few things. Always ask if an animal has allergies before giving them any treats or better yet, ask the owner to bring some treats that their pet likes. Cats and dogs are not interested in the same types of toys or treats. Melamine surfaces are great for flooring options but some animals don’t like being on melamine and the seams may need to be edited out in post-production if they are too visible.Įquip your space with lots of animal-specific toys and treats available and ready to reach. You also need to consider what the animals will stand or sit on. Seamless paper is a great option but you will go through it relatively fast and animals that walk on seamless paper will often scare themselves with the noise from the paper moving. Backdropsīackdrops are useful and you can get creative with what you use. Harder surfaces are easier to clean than soft surfaces. You will need cleaners with enzymes to break down pet urine for the occasional territory markers. Good antiseptic cleaners with some bleach will work well. If you are dealing with multiple animals (at different times), you need to also consider cross-contamination control measures. Older dogs tend to have fewer accidents than younger dogs, while puppies frequently have accidents. Be prepared for both #1 (urine) and #2 (feces) accidents. Appropriate cleaning supplies are a must.
With any pet photography, you have to anticipate accidents. Setups for pet photography can be just this simple.