One of the wonderful things about the art of photography is having a wide array of subjects to choose from. Anything the photographer enjoys can be captured to treasure forever, whether it is a family memory in the making or a colorful sunset. Photographing animals has its own set of challenges, advantages, frustrations and joys.
Luis Mejia of Mejia Photography (www.mejiaphotography.com) is a freelance photographer living and working in Aruba. Due to the limited market there, he works in several areas including fashion, beauty, weddings, animals and more. Although he has only been a professional photographer for three years, he has been shooting since 2001. He uses Nikon equipment for shooting and Paul C. Buff products for lighting.
“The is beauty only seen through someone's eye, but one could never explain the true depth and color of that picture perfect moment,” says Mejia of his inspiration to take up the art of photography. “Such a moment could only be told through a picture, through a lens, from a camera, all from one person who took the picture. That is what drew me to it and that is what I try to capture. It’s an art; this is what inspired me in the first place, and this is why I do it today.”
While many people are capable of taking very nice pictures of animals, it takes a special touch—and a lot of practice—to take a shot that truly stands out. Mejia discusses some important considerations for taking pictures of these particular subjects.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Photographing Animals
For someone who loves animals, photographing them can be both very fulfilling and frustrating at the same time. As Mejia says, “You need to be very patient when you photograph animals; it’s not a person that you can guide how to pose for the camera. In animals everything goes spontaneous, you need to be ready all the time: good settings, good lighting and of course good eye to capture the perfect picture. Sometimes it takes 10 to 100 frames just to get the one picture.”
Depending on the day of the shoot, the subject may be in a particularly non-compliant mood, refusing to stand or sit still, rolling over to lick themselves the moment the photographer tries to take a shot, trying to chew up the set, jumping around and striking at their handler, or simply hiding in the brush and refusing to come out. Animals can be unpredictable, so the humans involved must be prepared to work with what the animals are prepared to give.
However, Mejia goes on to say, “On the one hand, animals are very hard to control sometimes, and it takes a while to get the perfect picture. On the other hand, they are always ready for a shoot no matter what. They don't need any make up, no need to pose, and they don't need the perfect smile. And best of all, they never complain about the picture!”
The great thing about animals is that they are often cute or beautiful (as appropriate) in a variety of natural postures, so watching them in their natural environment often provides numerous opportunities and inspiration for fun or dramatic shots. With smaller pets like dogs and cats, they can be brought into a studio and posed with toys or other props, or they can be posed outside—providing a lot of opportunities for a variety of shots. The key to success is knowing that animal’s personality and bringing it out in the picture.
“Depending on the animal I will do research [before a shoot],” Mejia explains. “It’s very important to know about the animal’s behavior, because some animals get scared when they see you or when they notice that there’s some flashes around. During the session it is important you get the animal's trust so everything goes smoothly.”
Posing Animals for Portraits
Although photographing animals in their regular play or work environments provides for great action shots, the owners often want a posed portrait. The success of this depends on a combination of the owner knowing their pet and what they are capable of, the photographer having some ideas on what poses the subject would look good in, and the level of training and cooperative nature of the animal in question. While dogs and horses can be trained to stand still, cats rarely follow direction. In the case of photographing wild animals, anything goes.
“Depending how the animal moves, you can set the lights and also find the best position you need to be standing in to take the picture,” says Mejia.
Flexibility is important. The shot that the photographer or the owner of the animal wants to get may not be in line with the subject’s mood that day, and they cannot be reasoned with. Manage expectations, maintain patience and be willing to shoot whatever the subject gives—and it may be necessary to try again another day to get that perfect shot.
If the shoot is outside rather than in a studio, there will be less control over the lighting and background, so the photographer will have to make do with what he has—often just changing the angle or choosing the right time of day will do the trick.
For someone who loves animals and photography and has the necessary patience, combining the two together can be the ultimate pastime or ideal career.
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