Photographing People and Pets

Whether photographing loved ones, family pets, or strangers, thinking ahead is key to capturing the personality, emotion, or character of the subject you are photographing. In this gallery, get expert tips on understanding what you need to make the picture you want. Here, a woman photographs her sister on the beach near Stearns Wharf in Santa Barbara, California. Photo Tip: If you practice with people you know, you’ll get more comfortable. Equally important, know your gear well enough to use it without thinking. 

A young girl from a fishing village south of Venezuela’s Lake Maracaibo is captured up close. (This photo was submitted to Your Shot.) Photo Tip: A good portrait gives a sense of the person’s personality as well as the physical features. The expression in the eyes—mirth, seriousness, sadness—sets the tone. Buy National Geographic Complete Photography »

A group of women people-watch in the Taikang Road neighborhood of Shanghai, China. Photo Tip: For groups, shoot several frames to make sure you get an image in which no one’s eyes are closed. Buy National Geographic Complete Photography »

A father and daughter swim in a river in summer. (This photo was submitted to Your Shot.) Photo Tip: Think about the relationships between the different members of your family and look for images that express those connections. Buy National Geographic Complete Photography »

A mother cradles her three-month-old daughter. Photo Tip: When photographing babies, look for close-up details. Experiment and fill the frame with a hand, a foot, or a tuft of hair. What may seem like overkill at the time will yield a batch of pictures you’ll look at with great affection. Buy National Geographic Complete Photography »

A baby sleeps on a couch. Photo Tip: A slumbering baby provides candid, real moments, sublime and eternal. Try to find interesting angles and control the background. Buy National Geographic Complete Photography »

Children play luksong kabayo, a traditional Filipino game, in Montalban, Rizal, Philippines. (This photo was submitted to Your Shot.) Photo Tip: When photographing children, look for the moment that expresses the feeling of the activity. If your kid is on a roller coaster, it’s the mixture of fear and joy as it begins to plummet. If she’s scored a goal, it is both the moment of the kick and the leap of celebration. Whatever it is, think about the activity and how best to portray it. Buy National Geographic Complete Photography »

A dog catches a breeze at Yosemite National Park in California. (This photo was submitted to Your Shot.) Photo Tip: Animals make ideal subjects for both candids and portraits. Photographing a pet? Get close, get low, and keep the background simple. Buy National Geographic Complete Photography »

Coypu, also known as nutria, gather in the water in Landes, France. (This photo was submitted to Your Shot.) Photo Tip: When photographing animals, look for wildlife—squirrels, raccoons, rabbits, or birds—in your backyard. Set up a telephoto in a good position and wait for them to arrive. Buy National Geographic Complete Photography »

A house cat is captured up close in Ontario, Canada. (This photo was submitted to Your Shot.) Photo Tip: If your animal is black and fills most of the frame, your meter will want to overexpose. If it’s white, it will underexpose. Take a reading off something in the scene that is the same as neutral gray. Buy National Geographic Complete Photography »

A woman holds her dog in Bologna, Italy. (This photo was submitted to Your Shot.) Photo Tip: The best way to make street photos is to wander around, get lost, and be open to the life and relationships passing in front of you. Sometimes the hardest part is overcoming shyness with strangers. Be friendly and ask permission to photograph people—and most will be happy to indulge you. Buy National Geographic Complete Photography »

A brass horn reflects the surroundings used during the Procession Fête Dieu in Monaco. Photo Tip: With environmental portraits, you’re not only after an image of the individual, but also of what that person does, either as a hobby or profession. Look for telling details about your subject—the hands of a pianist, the feet of a runner, the prom shoes of a teenage girl. The abstraction says something about the individual. Buy National Geographic Complete Photography »

Country singer Shawn Conway pauses with a date outside Layla's in Nashville, Tennessee. Photo Tip: When shooting environmental portraits, scout the location and make mental notes of the clothes your subjects wear, the tools they use, and all the elements that are part of that aspect of their lives. Buy National Geographic Complete Photography »