Tips for Taking a Great Family Pet Photo

While making plans to attend our 2011 Picture Your Pet event on July 13th and 14th, remember these tips to help you take a great family pet photo.

Colors: Wear clothing that coordinates, but that isn’t overly matching.

• Choose neutral colors with one or two complimentary colors running between all members in the photo.
• Vary the shades of a color worn for added depth.
• Avoid bright white and opt for neutral tan or khaki instead.
• If you have a solid dark dog, wear colors that he will show up against.      
• Add a colorful bandana to a dark dog for contrast.
• matching polo shirts and jeans can look boring
• Shoes can add color
  

Avoid overexposed skin: The most important feature of a family photo is everyone’s lovely face and gorgeous pets!  When we look at a photo, our eyes automatically go to exposed skin, so avoid low cut clothing, tank tops, and short shorts. It is common for low cut tops to expose more than you might intend as you wresstle to get your pets into position.  Bare skin can make you look bigger, so keep that in mind!

Be creative: Color might be all the creativity you want for your photo, but some might enjoy a specific theme. Feel free to bring props to set the stage. Here are just a few ideas to get you thinking.

• Summer beach balls and colorful visors
• a July 4^th patriotic theme
• a sports theme
• towels, soap, bucket and scrub brushes to simulate bath time for Fido

Children: If small children will be part of your photo, make sure the children are well rested and have eaten to lessen the chance that they will feel cranky waiting for their photo time. Keep children with you, so they won’t be tempted to touch dogs that belong to other people waiting in the park.

Keep Cool: Bring along something cool for your family members to drink as you wait. We will provide drinking water for pets. You might even have a few treats tucked away to reward (or bribe) everyone’s good behavior.

Relax and enjoy the Day:  Pets never act as well as you might like them to around other animals.  Don't expect your pets to be perfect because we don't expect them to be.  Try to stay calm, don't force them to "sit" and let us handle the stressful stuff, so your photo turns out great.

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