It's a dog's life

Photographing dogs is challenging; they’re usually curious, get easily distracted and don’t trust strangers. Shutterstock shooter Logan Baker shares some practical advice for great dog images

- Logan Baker

1 Tape a treat to your camera

One of the most difficult challenges of photographing a dog is keeping its attention. One thing I’ve found to work is to place a small piece of duct tape or gaffer tape on the top of my camera and sticking a delicious-looking treat to it. Let the dog smell the treat first, so it knows where to look. You can even do this with your phone – it will work just as well. Make sure to also have a small bag of treats handy so you can reward the dog without removing the treat from your camera.

2 If the treats don’t work

There’s always the chance a dog won’t be interested in the treats you’re offering, or maybe you just don’t want to walk around with a bag of treats on you all day. In this instance, figure out what the dog is interested in and use it to your advantage. This could be a ball, a stick or a squeaky toy. Hold it near the lens when taking your picture so that the dog’s focus is towards the camera. Once you get your shot, throw the toy or play with them so that the incentive is always there.

3 Go handheld

Unlike a human model, dogs can’t sit still for very long. You’ll want to stay handheld, as your subject may be moving randomly in every direction. True, some dogs are trained to sit perfectly still, but not every dog has mastered this command. You’ll need to be ready for anything, basically.

4 Camera settings