The SPCA’s annual Pet of the Year photograph competition has come to a close with over $117,000 raised to help support the more than 30,000 animals that end up at the SPCA every year.
New Zealand’s pet paw-rents submitted their top pet pictures in a profile showing off their personality, receiving votes through donations to win New Zealand’s Pet of the Year and land the coveted cover spot on the SPCA’s 2024 calendar.
Not having access to a professional camera on the go doesn’t have to mean compromising on image quality! For those looking to brush up on their pet photography skills, proud sponsor of the SPCA, OPPO New Zealand, has shared their top tips for the perfect pet snaps with just a smartphone.
Get On Their Level
The majority of our pets are a lot shorter than our two-legged besties, so crouching down or lying on the ground can help with reaching their perspective and getting a more traditional portrait-style shot.
Seek Out Natural Lighting
Although a useful tool in low-light situations, your phone camera flash can be startling to your pets, snapping them out of their purrfect poses.
Bring In Reinforcements
Bribery is not out of the question when trying to snap a winning pic. Try holding a treat or toy behind, or slightly above your phone camera to help direct their attention to the lens. Our favourite for the easily distracted pup is a squeaky toy!
Keeping In Motion
For those that can’t sit still, an action shot is an epic way to capture your pets personality. Try shooting using the Burst functionality or continuous shooting mode, capturing multiple frames in a second, to make sure you don’t miss a moment.
You can preorder SPCA’s 2024 Pets of the Year calendar here
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