If you are planning to get graphic work done for your breeding business, it is important to take photos that are suitable for graphic design cropping. Cropping is when a single object (your dog or your cat) is removed from an image for further design work. Some graphic design that would include cropping of your dog or cat from an image would be stud banners, breeding banners, litter announcements, pedigree banners, website headers, social media cover photos, business cards, logos, and watermarks. So lets talk about how to get the best photos (and also choose the best photos) for your breeder website or graphic design.
Above in illustrations 1, 2, & 3 show the best way to get the best photos – eye level with your lens pointing forward (cell phone lenses included). This is the most suitable way to get a photo that is suited for cropping. If using a leash, just hold the leash straight up, so that it isn’t falling onto the body of the dog. Careful not to pull too tight on the leash, as it will result in wrinkling around the neck if the collar is to be photoshopped out.
Illustrations 3, 4, & 5 display the wrong way to take photos of your dog or cat. When cropped, it will appear that the dog’s back legs and sometimes a single front leg are “floating” in the air. A graphic designer friend of mine used to call these types of shots “helicopter shots” because the rear of the dog appears to be flying. These are the worst shots for graphic design, and most of these shots cannot be used. There’s just no way to nonchalantly hide an entire rear end that is floating in the air. These shots are also bad for regular everyday photos – as it makes your dog’s frame & muzzle appear long, thin, and lanky. It can make even the bulkiest of dogs look terribly frail. In some instances, those kinds of shots can even make a show champion appear out of breed standard.
Obstructions From Objects
It is also important to keep obstructions at a minimum. In the illustration above, you can see what happens when hands, shoes, grass, balls, and other objects obstruct the dog or cat. When an image is cropped, the above is an example of how obstructions cause missing body parts. Even grass can cut off most of the legs. And it is not always easy or even possible to hide it in a breeder graphic design.
Missing Body Parts
The way you take your photos can also result in missing body parts. The illustration above displays how not centering your dog or cat in the center of the photo will result in missing body parts. The end result shows that the rear of the dog is missing, but so are the tips of the ears.
Optimal Photos for Graphics
In summary, the best way to get optimal photos for cat or dog breeder graphic design is with an eye level, centered animal, with nothing obstructing the body or face, and with no missing body parts that are outside of the camera frame. These tips will not only help with getting the best graphics, it also results in the best, most professional photos. The quality of your photos plays a major role in how buyers feel about the quality of your product (your puppies, kittens, and other pets).
