If your dog just won't cooperate when you're trying to take his picture, the frustration can cause you to settle for a less-than-perfect shot. With a little patience and the right tips, you can capture the essence of your dog with ease, just like the professional photographers.

Get on Your Dog's Level

One of the biggest mistakes pet owners make when photographing their dog is standing over their pet to snap the shot. Instead, get on your dog's level and take the shot at the same level as your dog's face. Put your dog on a high surface and kneel down or even get down on your belly before you start taking pictures. When you take in your dog's point of view, you may even get new ideas for shots you hadn't previously considered.

Photo buy joamm tall via Flickr

Choose the Ideal Location

If you really want to capture your dog's true personality, consider taking your photography session to his favorite place. Take his photo in the place where he rests during the day or take him to the dog park or other favorite outdoor location. The primary goal of pet photography is to capture the true spirit and personality of your pet. There's no better way to do this than to choose the places he loves as the backdrop.

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Patience Is a Must

As much as you love your dog, he doesn't understand a whole lot of what you tell him. Don't go into your photography session expecting your dog to sit still like people would. It will take longer to get the perfect shot, making patience essential. Use favorite toys and treats to attract your dog's attention and consider using succession settings, which takes multiple pictures whenever you press the button. Many shots will be unusable, but you will be sure to capture a few gems.

Focus on the Eyes

"The eyes are the window to the soul"—the same is true for animals, just as it is for humans. When you are taking close pictures of your dog, make sure the eyes are in focus and centrally located in the picture to draw attention to your subject. You may need to manually focus the camera to ensure the eyes are in focus. Avoid using a flash, as it will simply reflect in your dog's eyes.

Photo by Anders.Bachmann via Flickr

Pictures in Motion

If you have an active dog, consider taking him to the dog park or out in the backyard to capture some action shots. For the best results, increase your shutter speed and use a continuous focus option. This will allow you to capture clear pictures, even when your dog is in motion.

Photo by Jellaluna via Flickr

Print With Professional Quality

Once you have the perfect pictures of your pet, you can create greeting cards, postcards, collages, calendars and more. While you can print your pictures at home with just about any printer, ordering your picture products from a professional online printing service like printingforless.com will produce a higher-quality image and better final product. This level of printing will enhance the beauty of any photograph you obtained of your favorite four-legged family member.