We love our pets. From the moment we feel that first purr, or the first time that wet nose is pushed into our hands, we’re in love. People who don’t keep pets often don’t understand how you can have such a powerful connection to an animal, but pet lovers understand – and it’s no wonder our phones and cameras and hard drives are filled with photos of our four-legged friends. And it’s also no wonder we often think of turning those photos into a canvas print to hang on the walls, making them as much a part of the design as a part of our lives.
The usual thing, then, is to get a tight, up-close shot of our furry pals and to put them on the walls as a powerful, in-your-face moment. Let’s face it, those dog, cat or whatever faces are mighty cute, and those tight close-ups can be very powerful moments. But sometimes they’re too powerful. And sometimes you can get a lot more design out of your pet photos by taking a step back.
Still Life in Canvas Print
Close ups are powerful because they bring the personality of your pet right to the fore. That’s a great tactic, but if you overuse it – just like with any other design technique – it gets a little old and repetitive. Another approach that is more subtle, but still powerful, is to capture a still life.
Your pet probably has certain spaces that are their own. Where they sleep, where they play, where they just sit and be. Wait for a calm moment, a sleepy moment, and try to capture a wider shot of them just being in their space. A cat sleeping peacefully on a window sill. A puppy sitting by the front door waiting for children to return home from school. Capturing the pet in a candid moment with a lot of context around them can be just as powerful when on display as a high-quality canvas print as any overwhelming close-up.
Posed Shots
You may think that posing your pet for a photo is an impossible task – and it won’t be easy. We won’t lie to you. But if you can pull it off, you can get some truly amazing fanciful photos that will be the greatest design elements in your home, and awesome conversation pieces to boot.
Your pet’s personality will be a huge factor here. Only you can know if getting a small sombrero onto your cat is a possibility, or if you can convince your pooch to climb up on top of a doghouse painted to resemble the classic Snoopy doghouse.
If specific posing isn’t possible, sometimes dressing a set and just letting your pet roam it uninhibited – perhaps inspired by hidden treats they must sniff out, or tiny morsels of food spread liberally to encourage entertaining behaviour – will result in some fantastic shots that will give people a better glimpse of your pet’s personality than any super close up ever could.
Your pets are important to you – why not put them on display? But there’s more to your animal companion than a cute face. Take a step back and get them in action, in their lives, and you’ll not only have a great design element, you’ll have a keepsake to always remind you of who they really are. When you’ve got a shot that really ‘gets’ your pet, click here and we’ll make them into awesome wall art.
