When Choosing Pet Photography Backgrounds

Of course, most people recognize the importance of finding the right lighting and of capturing the right pose when doing pet photography.  However, these are not the only important elements of great pet photographs.  If you want to have stunning pet photographs, you also need to choose the right pet photography background.

The background essentially frames your pictures and can greatly affect how a pet looks in a photograph.  Even if you have captured an awesome shot of a pet and you disregarded the background, the resulting picture will not be that good.   Whether you opt for an indoor or outdoor photo shoot, take time to select the best background for your pictures.  Here are some considerations when choosing pet photography backgrounds:

Natural Setting

Natural settings always make for attractive backgrounds in phototherapy and they make many pets feel right at home.  So try taking the pet outside for an outdoor photo shoot.  If you find a place with lots of greenery like thickets of hedges and the like, the better.  You can also try going to the beach as a lot interesting pet photography backgrounds can be found there.  If you want something eye catching, try shooting the pet with the base of a tree as the background.  Nature has a lot to offer, excellent pet photography backgrounds included.  Aside from this, the outdoors has great natural lighting.

Keep It Simple

When doing pet photography, it would also be wise to keep it simple.  Taking photographs of pets can get frustrating as they are usually notoriously difficult to pose.  Pet photography sessions, more often than not, does not call for elaborate background setting.  Especially when dealing with fussy and restless pets, you may find it very difficult to fit them in with an object in the background.  Keep also in mind that the focus of the photograph is the pet and not the background and using an elaborate background may deviate your attention from your subject.

Consider The Pet’s Personality

Yes, pets do have personalities.  Just like when photographing people, you should take the pet’s personality into consideration if you want to take stunning photos of them.  Some pets are more nervous than others and when dealing with pets like this, avoid using backgrounds with several movements and bright colors. These kinds of backgrounds can make feed on their anxiety and they may not be that willing to cooperate with you.

Moreover, your choice of background should also suit the pet’s personality.  Backgrounds can create the mood for photographs and they should balance well with the pet’s unique personality.  This is why you need to get yourself acquainted with the pet before the scheduled photo shoot so that you will get an idea of its personality.  This will definitely be helpful when choosing the right background to use.  May I also reiterate on the emphasis of meeting the pet way ahead.  Aside from creating a level of familiarity, you can be prepared on the background that you will use.  It would definitely be quite a hassle to rummage through your available backgrounds on the day of the photo shoot itself.

Choosing The Right Colors

Photographs are visual media so you need to coordinate your colors well.  If you’re shooting gray dogs, for example, stay away from sandy beaches.  An orange tabby cat, on the other hand, will certainly get lost in a field of pumpkins.  To create stunning pet photographs, make sure that the pet is seen against your chosen background.  If you’re not sure what to do, you can always consult a color chart to see the best complementary colors that you can use when picking pet photography backgrounds.

..stay focussed,

Ray Baker