In this article, you’ll get some great tips on how to do pet photography at home so you can capture memories of your furry family members.

With the reality of the current situation worldwide, we have to accept that as photographers we might be staying inside a little longer than normal. With that being said, all hope is not lost.

You have many subjects around the house that you can photograph. Some might even be sleeping right next to you as you read this. That subject being your pet (or pets).

That faithful companion that is probably overjoyed now that you are home more. Pets, be it your cat, dog, goldfish, or hedgehog, make great subjects on which to practice photography. It can be a little difficult at first but trust me it gets easier.

I am writing this from the perspective of someone who doesn’t normally do this kind of photography all that often. I am a travel and landscape photographer. So there will not be any fancy flash setups or backdrops in this article.

Feel free to add these in if you can, but I feel that with a little natural light available you are more than ready. I recommend you keep things as simple as possible, especially to start.

Preparations for pet photography

You don’t want to your pet’s comfortable space too much. My cat despises the vacuum, like you wouldn’t believe! However, you should clean up the clutter around the area where your pet hangs out and where you’re going to be photographing.

Check the spots that will be in the background to see if there is anything that could be distracting there as well. The last thing that you want is laundry in the background or a pile of dishes just to the left of your subject.

This is also the time to add any props if you are going to be using them. Just take your time and work slowly, as your pet may get uncomfortable if you start adding a pile of storage things all at once.

So again, go slow and steady and make the entire experience comfortable for you and your pet.

Be patient

After you have tidied up a bit and added in any props, just sit and wait. Patience is often the key to good photography! 

Allow your pet to get comfortable with any changes you’ve made to their environment. Wait for the right light too.

I find that the best shots come during the day using natural light. For my cat, she loves bright sunny days. So if I see her out and about, I will grab my camera and get ready. Then just wait and see what she gets up to.

This waiting also gives you time to better compose the shot or at least get an idea of how you want to photograph your pet. Get into position and find the right pose without having to poke and prod your pet too much.

Unless you are looking to capture your pet in play or in motion, then this is a waiting game. Also action shots indoors may not work as you have a lot of background elements to contend with, and you may need a faster shutter speed than is possible indoors in low light.