10 Tips for Taking Amazing Dog Photos With Your Phone (or Any Camera)

When you're marketing your dog walking business, having better photos is a mark of professionalism at first glance.

Having eye-catching social media posts grabs the attention of potential clients and boosts your engagement so more people see your posts.

I've been a professional dog photographer for a few years now,  and today I'm sharing 10 tips for taking better dog photos with your phone, or any camera.

#1 Avoid harsh sunlight when the sun is high in the sky. This creates harsh shadows. Instead, head to a shady spot, like under a tree or in the shadow of a building or fence. 

#2 If you are indoors, take your photo where there is even, natural light, usually near a window.

#3 Keep an eye on where shadows fall on the dog; it's best to avoid shadows on your subject. 

#4 Shooting action? Make sure it's not too dark. More light is needed for action since your camera (or phone) can have a faster shutter speed. Not enough light = blurry photos.  Just be sure to have your subject facing the sun.

#5 Ditch the flash. Flashes that are attached to your camera or phone tend to cause red or green eyes in dog's eyes. 

#6 Look for natural catchlights instead. A natural catchlight is a white reflection in the dog's eye from natural light (like a window or the sun). Eyes with no catchlight will look solid black or brown (or whatever color the dog's eyes are). The eyes look dark, dull and dead without them. Notice the catchlights in the terrier's eyes below, a reflection of the sky above. 

Composition

# 7 Look for a background that doesn't have a lot of clutter behind the dog. If it's unavoidable, use portrait mode if you have it. This blurs the background to make it less distracting.

# 8 Get down at the dog's level, or shoot down from above. This alone will improve a ho-hum photo. 

Dog Handling

#9 Get the dog's attention with treats, noises (try whistling, making animal sounds or other silly sounds) or toys. Squeakers are great and easy to carry on a walk, so are whistles or kazoos. 

#10 Have a dog that won't stay put? Try asking the dog to jump on a bench, rock, or tree stump. This often helps contain the dog to that spot. Take advantage of the "burst" option on you camera to take multiple photos in rapid succession and pick the best one.