How to: Photograph your pet + Help a rescue!

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Do you guys know the story of our first baby? Our Ari dog has been with us for almost 9 years. We mark his birthdays along with our anniversary every year knowing that he came to us right when we needed him. I happened to be in the same place as him when he needed someone to take him home and love him. We will never know where he really came from, but I do know that someone left him on that Arkansas roadside and I was meant to find him. Mange, anxiety, mischief and all... he was meant to be loved by us! 

As we head into our 9th year with our rescue, we are partnering with Rachael Ray™ Nutrish®. By buying Nutrish, we are helping shelter pets find homes!  Rachael Ray™ Nutrish® Furever Home™ is Helping Shelter Pets Find The Home They Deserve and during the month of  October, your support will help Rachael Ray Nutrish donate $250,000 to benefit shelter pets. You can also enter the sweepstakes for a chance to win $25,000 and other prizes! We found our Nutrish at our local Dollar General! You can register your purchase here. 

We have had our ups and downs in our relationship, but these days he is my constant companion as I work from this desk. He's often by my feet or begging me for just one more treat! When he's not scaring the delivery man or worrying me to death about the neighbor's cat, he's the best buddy to the boys. I love that they get to grow up with a dog. I especially love that we get to tell them his story and how he didn't have a home, but at eight weeks old we made him ours. I love that he's our protector and confident when we need him. He's another one of the boys in the crazy chaotic family. 

A few months ago, my sister lost her puppy to a genetic condition that was beyond their control and when they had to break the news to their kids, having photographs of their buddy helped them through the hardest time. We don't want to think about losing our pets, but the reality is no matter what we do to keep them healthy, we will most likely outlive them by many years. Whether we have ten more good years or just a few more, we will have photographs to remember our Ari bear. My boys will remember their boyhood dog with fondness and probably for his crazy personality. 

Here are a few tips on How to photograph your pet! 

1. Use natural light! You can choose to go outdoors in the evening or early morning OR chose a room in your home that has lots of natural light! Using a flash will not be flattering to your pet's eyes, but getting those little flecks of natural light will make a great photo! The photo above uses natural light indoors in the morning and the photo below is just after sunset in our backyard. 

2. Choose your angle wisely. Most of these photos are taken from above or on his level. I would normally recommend getting on your pets level to get a great photo, but I also like the details the 'from above' shots capture! Just don't stand back and take a photo from standing, it won't capture your pet's details or personality!

3. Pay attention to your background. By moving just a few steps one way or the other, you can eliminate background clutter to make your pet the focus of the photo!

4. Capture the details. Full body shots are great but I personally find the detail shots more personal and interesting! Getting a close up of a nose or whiskers can create a dynamic photo that you will treasure!

5. Get creative and get the family involved! Taking photos of pets and kids can be difficult, I know but try just getting more lifestyle shots of them interacting rather than looking at the camera! These are the photos that the kids will treasure when they are older! 

I hope this encourages you to get your pets in front of your camera! Don't forget Rachael Ray Nutrish is donating $250,000 during the month of October to help shelter pets in need.Cash donations will be made in equal amounts to Big Dog Ranch, ASPCA, and North Shore Animal League. So, head to your local retailer and enter to win the $25,000 sweepstakes before October 31st! ENTER HERE!