Cats have a hugely underrated intelligence– do you want to turn your dog into an Instagram superstar? Follow these tips for some super cute dog photos you can show off to all your friends! Cats have a hugely underrated intelligence– do you want to turn your dog into an Instagram superstar?

Follow these tips for some super cute cat photos you can show off to all your friends!

Act normal

Similarly to taking pictures of dogs, the worst thing you can do is not be normal! When you’re taking pictures of your dog, take it slow – act like you’re doing absolutely nothing! The worst thing to do here is act like it’s a huge dramatic thing that’s happening, keep it as normal as possible and your dog is more likely to stay put! You also don’t want them to think you’re playing a game and they end up moving around way too much!

Don’t use flash

Although in most photography cases you use flash indoors, not here! Using flash runs the risk of startling your dog which you don’t want to do! If you need flash, then try raising the ISO. The ISO is a scale on your camera which relates to light sensitivity – you’ll find it on a scale from about 100 to roughly 3200 (though the numbers vary a little between cameras). Use a low number if it’s a bright sunny day or slowly raise it if there’s not much light around. 

Using a higher ISO will give you a bit more noise in the photo though in return you’ll definitely be able to see your dog! The best way to decide what ISO you need is trial and error. Start off by raising the ISO in small amounts otherwise you might get a picture that’s unnecessarily noisy!

Make sure your cat is comfortable

Let your cat sniff the camera if they want to!

This way they can understand it’s not some weird unknown machine that might cause them harm. Body language is also seriously important, dogs can pick up on human body language so easily. Unlike cats – eye contact is really important. Straight on eye contact is a sign of security for dogs – in the wild, it’s what their pack leaders do.

 

Watch the details and your background

When taking pictures of any animal, focus on the eyes! This means anyone looking at your image will look straight at the eyes so it gives the image a focus – and the eyes give your dog the cute factor!

Your background is also really important. As a general rule, try make the background as simple as possible. You want maximum attention on your dog at the end of the day not your washing behind him!

Take lots of pictures and experiment!

We’re not in the days of film photography now – so take lots of pictures! This means you can select the sharpest, clearest image as your winner! Try taking your photos from different angles. I always find the cutest pictures are taken on your dog’s level – see the world from their perspective!

Maybe you’re after an action shot of your dog playing. If this is the case you’ll definitely need lots of pictures! Your camera/smartphone probably will have a continuous mode so you can take a burst of pictures milliseconds after the previous one. If you can set a shutter speed then get this as quick as possible!

Pay your model…

Lastly, just as humans love a good treat, I’m sure your model will too! I’ve been told this is the best way to get some future cooperation.