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Expert advice to get the best picture of your pet

If you're like a lot of pet owners, you take hundreds of pictures of your animals – but how do you get the right picture?

If you’re like a lot of pet owners, you take hundreds of photos of your animals – but how do you get the perfect picture?

You know the one: the kind where your pup’s head is tilted so cutely to the side, or your cat is looking right at the camera.

At the Dumb Friends League, Emily Niemeier's job includes taking pictures of the adoptable animals.

Niemeier is the shelter's adoption photographer coordinator. The pictures she takes are aimed to feature the animals’ personalities and make the animals look their best.

Niemeier has some tricks, including using treats.

"Sometimes if I’ll have treats or I’ll be talking to them and they’ll kind of sit up, and it’s adorable,” Niemeier said.

That’s when she gets the right shot. She says her favorite are the dogs with big smiles, and getting pictures of both cats and dogs with their feet up.

Niemeier recommends taking pictures outside and using natural light. If you have a cat that can’t go outside, take their picture next to a window with natural sunlight.

“Candid photos are always the best, it pulls out their personalities so much more instead of posting them,” says Niemeier.

Also, use different toys, such as a squeaky ball to get their attention, and don’t use flashes because it may scare the animal.

“It’s such a good feeling," Niemeier said. "I’m so lucky that I get a job like this where I can spend time with these animals, and make them look their best to try to find them a home, and it feels so good to know that those photos help them get adopted.”

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