Hint 1 – Get down to their level. Your pet photos will be much more interesting and attention grabbing if you shoot from their level. Just like children, looking down from above minimizes the size and importance of your subject unless you’re trying for a specific effect. For this image, I laid down on the grass in front of the puppy, letting him fill the frame.

Hint 2 – Be prepared for anything. Pets will do the darnedest things when you’re least expecting it. Have a camera with you and be ready to grab a shot, like this one of one of our dogs after he fell face first into the mud. This is the kind of image that will bring back happy memories years later.