When it comes to camera-shy pets, Instagram filters can only do so much. But as your feeds fill with "#blessed" seasonal greetings and portraits of friends' newborns festooned in Santa hats this time of year, local pet photographers say there's no reason to keep your naughty-listed dog or cat from the festive fun.
Jennifer Whaley has worked as a pet photographer for eight years, and in that time the former East Garfield Park resident says she has seen the difference a good pet photo can make-whether it's creating a cuter Christmas card or saving an animal's life. It's why she developed Pose a Pet, an app that enables users to get an animal's attention using specific sounds Whaley has found most effective in her work. The latest version, which features a variety of honks, squeaks and beeps as well as built-in templates for sharing the images on adoption sites, came about in April after years of volunteering at Chicago Canine Rescue left Whaley feeling frustrated that good animals at the Forest Glen shelter were being overlooked.
"I've been told by every rescue that I've worked with that it's the No. 1 thing that can make or break how long an animal waits for a family," Whaley, who now lives in Indiana, said of shelter pets' photo quality.
In August, Whaley again teamed up with Chicago Canine Rescue as part of a rotating campaign in which half the proceeds from Pose a Pet's upgrade fees go to the selected shelter, and in January she plans to relaunch the campaign to benefit other nearby shelters. In the meantime, Whaley, along with David Sutton of Evanston's Sutton Studios and Candace Zynda of Candace Marie Design & Photography in the Loop, shared their top tips and tricks for capturing your furry friends this holiday season.
On the level
Whaley and Sutton stress the importance on getting down to your pet's eye level or bringing the pet up to yours before you start shooting.
Play it cool
Animals can sense their humans' vibe, and Whaley says that's what often derails a photo session. "It's strange for [your pets] when all of a sudden their `parent' who they're used to being around is asking them to do all these things that they're not used to and all of a sudden the focus is constantly on `Sit! Look at me! Sit!'" she said.
Stay calm and talk in your natural speaking voice, Whaley says. If you're posing in the photo with your pet, keep your body and touch relaxed.
Species strategy
Dogs and cats respond differently to stimuli, Sutton says, so act accordingly. "Dogs are very tightly bonded with humans and they're paying attention to you and they respond very well to sounds, so it's a good thing to have a couple of surprise noises up your sleeve; squeaks or clicks or pops," Sutton said. "Cats don't generally care very much about your silly noises, they are more visual and so having a feather on a string on a stick, that kind of thing, will get a cat's attention more than a sound will."
The big picture
Whaley recommends going outside to capture the best lighting and interaction, but if that's not a possibility (damn Chicago winters), Sutton says to make sure you're considering the whole frame, not just your pet. If you're opting for a selfie, Zynda says holding the camera above you and your pet and about two feet away works best.
Patience is a virtue
So maybe your mutt isn't a model; don't give up just yet. When it comes to animals -- even rodents and reptiles, which Zynda says are the trickiest to shoot -- patience and an easygoing attitude are key. "If you have your expectations set too high as far as what you want the photo to look like, it's just kind of setting yourself up for failure," she said.
gpurdom@tribune.com | @gwenpurdom
