Hello My Friends!! I happened to come across a post the other day that said June 15, this Saturday, is National Nature Photography Day! I do consider myself a VERY EXTRA DOG MOM and take a million photos of my dog, but I'll spare you the ones of Gypsy eating a bone, blinking and sleeping.
One of the main reasons I wanted to get a dog last year is because it would force me and my husband to spend more time outside in nature. There are so many new things to see and do outside if you just stop and open your eyes. Now I am in no way a professional dog photographer and I took all of these photos on an iPhone. However, I do think that all of the photos I am about to share with you are appealing to the eye and I want to share some tips and tricks to get an intriguing snap of your baby.
So what is nature? The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines nature as, "the physical world and everything in it (such as plants, animals, mountains, oceans, stars, etc.) that is not made by people." So really, your animals ARE nature, but this post is going to give you ideas to think about where, when and how to take the picture of your canine. The pictures above and below this paragraph were both taken at the same place, our favorite park by our home. When Esteban and I first started dating we would take walks around this lake and feed the ducks. Now, we take Gypsy to do the same thing. You don't always have to find new places to take your pets, although it is fun to switch up your routine, no two walks have to be the same. Just go at different times! The top picture was taken in the early morning, maybe 10-11am. The bright blue sky accentuates the white clouds and the water is reflecting the color of it all.
As you will see in many of these photos, Gypsy loves the water and the water adds a great element for pictures. You will get an amazing array of colors throughout the entire photo if you are by the water because of the reflections. Water will also add movement and texture to your shot, so the whole picture is interesting and fun to look at. The photo above was taken at the same lake as the previous picture, but near sunset. You can see that the colors here are warmer and help bring out the browns in Gypsy's brindle hair. It is important to think about the subject in your picture. What do you know about your dog? Find a place that they are comfortable and enjoy. What color is the fur? You can find places that accentuate their coat or help them blend in for a funny picture where you have to find where they are.
Don't forget to bring along toys and treats that your pet likes. Gypsy LOVES tennis balls, sticks and cucumbers! Play around with your pooch and see what cute faces and positions they can get into. The Apple iPhones have a live motion feature on the camera that capture a couple seconds before and after you hit the snapshot. The technology in the phone picks the "best photo" from the moment, however, I always look at each photo in the group to see which I prefer.
Now that you have thought about what you know about your dog, think about what your dog knows. What tricks have you taught them? Some of the pictures are from when Gypsy was a little puppy and the only thing she knew was "sit." This command is pretty basic and most dogs start out with it. Have your pet sit down and stay. Then, YOU should move around and play with the angles. You can get different snaps with one command because sometimes you know more tricks than your pooch. Get closer and further away until you think you got the perfect one.
With "perfection" in mind, please remember to be patient and calm with your animals. Have FUN with them so they enjoy the process. If they don't do the exact trick or look the way you pictured in your mind, keep shooting the camera! Sometimes the imperfections look better anyways. In the photo above, I wanted Gypsy to look right at the camera, but she turned away to look at the family walking around the path. This is when I noticed how cute her puppy profile is and now, I love taking pictures at this angle.
My last tip for you guy is GET ACTIVE. Your dog should thrive when they are playing in nature so get it on camera. You can even take an extended video and pause different places to get a photograph. Below, Gypsy was walking toward me in the sand after burying her tennis ball. I love that there is one paw up so the other front paw looks humongous, spread apart in the sand. It is also super cute that Esteban is carrying his shoes in the background. When I see this picture it reminds me of all the time we spend together at the beach. I was also standing above my dog to accentuate her huge pointy ears that she will never grow into.
Below is the most recent picture we took of Gypsy playing at the park. We chased her around these huge trees until this picture happened. It is so fun to look at because her paws are off of the ground, her tail is in the air and once we said her name she looked right at us. HAVE FUN! The brown in the trees also matches Gypsy perfectly so when she is on the bright green grass she really pops here.
The motions you make in the pictures don't have to be large or extravagant, even having your dog put their paws up on something can get a different image than sitting or laying down.
My dog is my passion, I love her so much. She has brought so much peace and love into my life. I always feel safe when she is around because I know she will protect me no matter what. Thank you for listening to my tips to get a great photo in nature of you pets! Don't forget to play around with different editing apps like Instasize and Google Photos, you can add borders, pop the colors and sharpen the images. Have fun when playing with your animals and capture moments that spark memories. Also, don't forget about National Nature Photography Day this weekend, June 15!!!!
Much Love, XO Mariah
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