How to take the best picture of your dog

This month (well, every month to be honest), we’re all about the love for our dogs. And what better way to show the world we care than with a gorgeous new pic on Instagram.

So with that in mind, we spoke to our resident dog photographer extraordinaire, Kim, to find out how to take the best picture of your dog.

Light

Kim says, “This is THE most important factor in a good photo”.

If you’re inside – make sure the room is well-lit, and try to use natural light as much as possible. And definitely no flash (unless you like the red-eyed look).

If you’re outside – keep an eye out for shadows. Either stick to the shade, or position your subject with the sun facing them: if it’s behind them, your camera will struggle to focus.

Space

What’s in the background? Out-of-place coffee cups (looking at you, Game of Thrones) and cluttered backgrounds are a no-no here. You want your subject to be the main focus, so tidy up their surroundings, moving any cables or distracting objects away.

Position

Get your treats at the ready. If you want your dog to sit still and look at the camera, the trick is to hold a treat just above the lens – this gives them something exciting to focus on (and a reward for a job well done).

Once you’ve mastered the headshot, it’s time to experiment with different angles – why not crouch down and try getting a picture from your dog’s perspective instead?

If you’re taking a picture for Instagram, imagine a square grid over the photo. The best shots for the ‘gram either have the subject in the centre, or to the right – and for extra drama (our favourite), make sure your photo has lots of empty space.

Editing

Kim says “less is more!”

We all love a filter, so try out some of your favourite on your dog – just stay away from heavy filters and lots of colour saturation to let your dog’s natural glow shine through! Try VSCO for some of our favourites.

And when it comes to captions, our top tip is to write them out on your phone first – it’s the easiest way to make sure you’ve got your spelling, hashtags, and emojis nailed before posting.

Why not tag us using #tailsdotcom? You’ll find us on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.