See slide show

If you have a photo of your pet you'd like to share with other Times/Review readers, email it to us. We'll just add it to our slide show.

A few guidelines:

• Pets only (no people in the pictures, please).
• Tell us your pet's name.
• What town does your pet live in? (We'll only accept photos from Times/Review readership area which includes towns from North Brookhaven out to Orient - including Shelter Island).
• Photographer's name.
• One photo per pet. If you have several different pets, send a photo of each!

Tips for Better Pet Photography

By using a few simple techniques, you can take great photos of your pet.

Use natural light

Nothing can spoil a great picture faster than bad lighting. The best light for pet portraits can be found outdoors and the best time for photographing outside is when skies are slightly overcast. There'll be lots of light, but little direct sun which can create deep shadows and ruin your shot. If it's very sunny find a shady spot beneath a tree or at the side of a building. Sunny days are great for taking action shots of your pet, but for close-up portraits, look for some shade.

Madison was photographed outdoors on a bright but overcast day. (KATHARINE SCHROEDER PHOTO)

If you want to photograph your pet indoors, find a bright room with lots of indirect sunlight, unless of course your pet is a horse or other outdoor animal, in which case you can take him into the barn. A window or door with a northern exposure is one of the best for indoor photography.

Zoey was photographed indoors next to a window. To keep her still, we sat her on someone's lap. (KATHARINE SCHROEDER PHOTO)

Avoid flash

The biggest enemy of great pet photography is the tiny on-camera flash found on most compact digitals. Have you ever noticed your pet's eyes glowing demonically in flash photos? This is caused by the light from the flash bouncing off the special layer of reflective tissue in an animal's eyes which enables him to see better at night. Using the red-eye reduction setting on your camera can help a little, but you'll probably still get some glow. If you must use flash, turn on all the lights in the room to reduce the size of the pupils in your pet's eyes and try not to let her look directly into the flash. Better yet, avoid using flash at all.

Use those camera modes

Even the most basic compact digital camera has a selection of modes that will help you get the shot you want. If you look at the menu on your camera, you will find two very useful modes for photographing your pet: sports mode and portrait mode.

For fast-moving pets like puppies or kittens, choose the sports mode. The sports mode tells your camera that you have a fast-moving subject on your hands and will make adjustments to allow you to get a nice clear picture. Many cameras have a pet mode which does basically the same as the sports mode, but not as well, so stick with the sports mode.

For photos of slow-moving or sleeping animals, birds perched on your finger, or pets such as turtles, try the portrait mode. The portrait mode causes the subject to be in focus and makes the background blurry, which is a very attractive look for portraits.

Notice the blurred background in this photo of Monk the budgie. The portrait mode setting on your camera will create this kind of pleasing background. (CLIFF  SAUNDERS PHOTO)

Move in close

Your pet is beautiful and you want to show everyone each lovely whisker or feather, right?  So move in close!  Make it a point to fill the frame of your viewfinder with your pet and you'll be pleasantly surprised with the results. If you have a small pet or would like to take shots of some detail of your pet, try using the close-up mode. Some compact digitals have settings within the menu for close-up photos; take a look at your instruction book to see which one you have. Other cameras have a small icon that looks like a flower to indicate close-up mode. Experiment a little and you may find that the best close-up setting in the menu is labeled "food" or something similarly puzzling.

This photo of an African Grey parrot was taken with an old point and shoot digital set on macro mode. (KATHARINE SCHROEDER PHOTO)

Get down to your pet's level (or lift him up to yours)

Although photos of a dog or cat sitting on the floor staring straight up into the camera can be charming, there are opportunities for more creative photos if you get down to your pet's level, put him up on a chair, or ask someone to hold him for you. "But I want a photo of my pet, not the person holding him!" you may say. Then move in close and eliminate everything but your pet from the frame. Another fun trick made possible by the auto-focus capability of your camera is to hold the camera way down near the ground and just point it in your pet's direction. No need to crawl around on the floor; let the camera do the work for you. You'll get some great pet's-eye view photos using this technique.

Jessie is up on the bed. She's not interested in looking at the camera, but it's okay; it's still a nice shot. The light comes from a large picture window facing north. (KATHARINE SCHROEDER PHOTO)

Take lots of pictures.  Then take more.

Pets can be challenging to photograph. They won't sit still, they look the other way as soon as you press the shutter, they won't smile and say "cheese!" One secret of professional photographers is that they take a lot of photos to get that one perfect shot. Remember, digital photos cost nothing to take, so keep snapping away. And when you're so sure you've gotten the perfect shot, keep shooting anyway. What looks perfect on the tiny screen at the back of your camera may not look the same when you display it on your computer. Oh, and watch those backgrounds! Try to avoid taking photos of your pet against a busy or distracting background. If necessary, move yourself or your pet to get a better composition.

Keep your camera handy

You can't take a photo if your camera is sitting in your purse, closet, or junk drawer with dead batteries. Keep the batteries charged or fresh and keep the camera nearby all the time. Ask any good photographer where his or her camera is at any particular time and you'll most likely get an answer such as "In my pocket" or "Right here, see?"  You never know when a great photographic opportunity will present itself, so keep the camera close.

This terrific photo of Sweetie wouldn't have been possible if the camera had been left at home. (GARRET MEADE PHOTO)

Have fun

There are no rules that say you must have your dog, cat or gerbil sit still and look into the camera lens to get a great photo. Try taking pictures of your pet while he's sleeping, playing, eating, or ripping up the toilet paper (again!). If you have a pool, treat yourself to an inexpensive disposable underwater digital camera and when your pet is taking her daily swim, jump in with her.

Wesley takes a swim in his owner's pool. You can capture photos like this using an inexpensive underwater camera. (GARRET MEADE PHOTO)

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