Wouldn't you love to have a picture of your athletic Labrador on a sweatshirt or tee, a screensaver, a mouse pad or a coffee mug? Following a few simple suggestions for taking professional looking Labrador pictures, you'll be able to take great pictures of your Labrador with an affordable digital camera, an inexpensive, disposable 35 mm camera or even a digital camera phone.



Digital photography makes it super easy to take professional looking photographs of your Labrador. Follow the tips in this article, and soon you'll be taking Labrador pictures that you'll be proud of. You'll have all kinds of Labrador pictures to upload to photo sharing sites or load into a digital photo frame. You'll have awesome photos worth pasting in your scrapbook, using as desktop wallpaper or a screensaver, or sharing with your friends in an online photo album.

We all know that taking pictures of a pet can be problematic. You have to get your Labrador to sit still and pose for you. You have to take care of lighting and backdrops. These tips and tricks will help you solve these problems and get you started taking fabulous pictures of your Labrador. Your dog may tire quickly, once you start taking the pictures, so get everything ready beforehand. Load a fresh memory card in your digital camera, replace the batteries, and carry fresh batteries with you.

Choose a setting for your pictures. For an indoor setting, be sure the light is adequate. You may want to set your Labrador on a table with a lamp shining directly over it. Arrange any backdrops you will need so you can grab them quickly between shots. If you are working in an outdoor area, secure the area for your Labrador's safety. A fenced back yard makes a great outdoor setting because you won't need to worry about your dog getting away and being hit by a car or attacked by a loose dog.

When you're trying to take great pictures of your Labrador, you can't also be the one who does all the grooming, staging and other behind-the-scenes tasks. Ask a friend who gets along well with your dog to act as your assistant. After the photo session is over, give your helper a thank-you gift with one of the photos on it. A coffee mug or a framed print of one of your Labrador photos is a good idea for a gift.

The Labrador, with its light coat, looks best photographed against a solid color medium or dark background. Velvet or canvas fabrics make great backdrops. Another great idea is to use a chromatic green backdrop, available at any photography supply site. With a chromatic green backdrop, you can add a digital background to your photos. These varied backdrops add interest to your Labrador pictures. Whatever backdrop you use, it must be uncluttered so all the attention is focused on your dog.

Props and accessories help enhance your dog's appeal. Use colorful dog toys are popular choices for props, as are stuffed animals, tennis balls or potted flowers. There is no color that clashes with the coat of a Labrador.

Don't take Labrador pictures while you are standing up. Get down to your dog's eye level and then start taking your pictures. Both your candid shots and your portrait style shots will look better if the camera is at eye level with the dog. Follow these suggestions, and you will soon be taking professional quality pictures of your Labrador.