Online photography for kids isn’t all about taking pictures of mountains or bowls of fruit! Today we’re learning about action photography… And the subject is your favourite fluffy, furry, feathery, or scaly pal!
Most photography classes for kids online teach you how to take pictures of things that don’t move. But taking photos of your pets can be super fun! Plus, it’ll make you a better photographer… And it’s a great chance to bond with your pet as well! Here’s how to start.
Settings for Photography Pets
Check and see if your camera has a “pets” setting. If it does, use that one. If it doesn’t you can use the “action” setting, because that will work if your pet is sleeping or playing!
If you’re doing photography classes for kids online, you will learn about even more settings to make your pet photography amazing. But you can start with the easiest action setting and get great pictures.
Best Pet Photography Tips
Ready to practise your photo-taking on your dog, cat, or other pet? Here’s our advice for getting amazing pet pictures!
Get Outdoors If You Can
Just because you’re studying online photography for kids, it doesn’t mean you must stay indoors by the computer! Getting outdoors is a chance to practise everything you learn in photography classes for kids online, where you can practise with the best light!
Take your pet outdoors into the garden or to the park. They will have more space to run, jump, and play, so you can let them have fun while you take pictures.
You can throw a ball for your dog, let them jump in the pool if they want to, or let them play with each other. When they’re having fun, it’s an amazing chance to take exciting pictures!
Get Down to Eye Level
Sit on the floor, or get onto your knees. You want to look straight at your pet, not down! When you take pictures at the same level as your pet, you can get better photos.
When you stand up, the camera can’t see their cute happy face. You don’t want to take a picture of the top of your pet’s head! You want to see their face, so get down on the floor so you can see it!
If you want some really funny photos, you can even lie on the floor and let your pet come and stand above the camera. Just be careful they don’t jump on it or scratch it!
Take Different Kinds of Pictures
Taking photos of your pets playing is super fun. But you can also take pictures of them doing other things, like sleeping, eating, or sitting in the sun. You can also take pictures of your pet alone, or with other pets, or even with your family.
When you take pictures of them doing quiet things, you can do those indoors or outdoors. Set your camera to any “automatic” mode and it will adjust the light for you.
Try to take as many different pet pictures as you can! Look at websites about online photography for kids to get new, exciting ideas for photographs!
Try Self-Portraits
Online photography for kids isn’t only about taking pictures of other things. You can be in the pictures too! Don’t forget to take pictures of you with your pet, because one day, you will be able to look back and remember all the good memories with them.
You can use the self-portrait mode on your camera. It has a timer, 5 or 10 seconds, to give you time to run to your pet and pose for the picture.
Remember you need to stand your camera on something stable to take a good self-portrait with your pet! It’s a good idea to try these indoors first and when your pet is relaxed.
Set up a table that you can put your camera on. Put your pet on the bed, on a chair, or even on the floor in front of the table. Make sure they are relaxed and won’t run away!
Then, check where the camera is pointing, put it on the self-timer, click the button, and run to sit with your pet. You can pick them up and cuddle them or just sit with them and wait for the photo to be taken!
Don’t Forget the Treats!
If you want to get great pictures of your pet, use treats! Every time they pose for you, you can give them a small treat so they know that they did something good.
Then, next time you show them a treat, they will sit down nicely and wait for you to take the photo! For some pets, this will be an easy way to get them to behave. But it won’t work for all pets, so you will have to try it and see.
Just don’t give them TOO many treats, because it can upset their tummy! And make sure you are giving them doggy/cat treats and not human treats. Ask your parents to help you choose the right yummy snacks for your pet!
It’s Not All About Dogs and Cats
If you have a dog or a cat, they’re amazing pets to take photos of! But don’t forget other pets—birds, hamsters, lizards, snakes, rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, horses, and more!
It might not be a good idea to take your hamster to the park, or let your horse out of the paddock to run and jump freely. And definitely don’t let your pet snake loose in the house!
But you can still get some amazing photos of other pets too. You just need to be creative and see how you can take the best pictures of them… Make sure they stay safe!
Have Some Fun Indoors!
If you can’t get outdoors with your pet, you can still have a bunch of fun inside. Dogs or cats that are relaxed might allow you to dress them up, or you can even get cute human-like pictures of them under the blankets.
Don’t be upset if you can’t go out because of bad weather or any other reason. Find some fun items indoors to play with and you can still get amazing pictures of your pets!
Pet Photographers to Follow
Doing photography classes for kids online is a good way to get better! But do you know how to get REALLY good? Look at other photographers’ pictures!
While you’re looking at online photography for kids tips and tricks, have a look at these photographers. You can even try to copy some of their pictures!
- Elliott Erwitt
- Kaylee Greer
- Caitlin J. McColl
- Andrew Marttila
- The Dogist
- Walter Chandoha
- Claudio Piccoli
You can also think about starting your own Instagram page for your pet photos. Remember to check with your parents first, but it’s a good way to share your pet photos (and other photos) and follow other amazing dog and cat photographers!
Learn More In Our Photography Classes for Kids Online
Online photography for kids can be SO much fun! Everything’s more fun with your pet, though, isn’t it? Your dog, cat, or other pet is the perfect thing to take pictures of.
When you’re ready to start taking more pictures and learn even more about your camera, you can ask your parents about our photography classes for kids online! We have a lot of fun and all of our students become even more amazing photographers.
We can’t wait to see you there!
