24 Weird, Unique and Creative Ways to Use Dogs For Art and Photography

When cameras first came out, taking pictures of pets was not on the radar. Maybe it was because taking pictures was expensive and only done on special occasions. Or it could have been that animals were considered to be part of the working team of the household instead of pets. Thankfully, times have changed, and we can spend hours photographing our dogs if we want. If you love capturing your dogs for art and photography, or you want to hang a great piece of artwork of them up on the wall, you must be aware of a few things first. After all, long gone are the days of point-and-shoot when it comes to photographing pets.

There are hundreds of different poses you can have your dog do when you take a picture of them. However, you can also capture them living their life and embracing the time you spend out in nature. No matter where you are with your dog every day, we guarantee you will always find something inspiring when it comes to taking their picture. Simply look around you to see what photo options inspire you the most. Or let your dog take the lead and simply photograph them being their silly self.

24 Weird, Unique, and Creative Ways to Use Dogs for Art and Photography

 

1. Capture Your Dog Moving Towards You

As your dog is running toward you, it will have a look of love on its face. Capture that love, and their leaps of joy, by waiting until the perfect moment to snap a picture. Yes, this moment will take a lot of patience to capture. But the results will be worth the extra time you spend.

 

2. Capture the Wet Dog Look

How cute does your dog look when they are sopping wet from the rain? If you always love how your dog looks when wet, grab your camera and start snapping shots. Just make sure you use a longer lens if you can, so you can stand back and avoid getting wet when they start to shake.

3. Capture Shaking It Off

Speaking of shaking off the water, you can capture that too. Every dog has their own unique look when they are shaking off water or simply shaking in general. Check out what amazing photos you can capture with your furry friend. We recommend using different lenses if you have them because the results will look different with each one.

 

4. Check Out the Similarities Between You and Your Dog

Oftentimes, people say that dogs look like their owners. Take advantage of these similarities to have a beautiful piece of art created for your home. You can use a program to merge your picture with a picture of your dog. Frame the new picture on the wall to instantly create a conversation starter amongst friends. You can even have an artist create a portrait of your dog while implementing some of the similarities between the two of you.

 

5. Capture Bath Time

Does your dog love to take baths? Do you love giving your dog a bath? Capture the love between the two of you within this moment in a photo. You can set a camera on a tripod and use a remote timer to take the pictures or have a family member capture these moments for you.

 

6. Embrace Your Adventures

If you take your dog out on adventures with you, make sure you capture their picture during everything you do together. Out kayaking? Grab a few photos! Hiking to the summit? Grab a picture. We are sure you are getting the idea here, but the goal is to take a few pictures of your dog doing things you both enjoy. You will cherish these pictures in the future when your dog can no longer head out on these journeys with you.

 

7. Kissing Dogs

Do you have multiple dogs in your home? Hopefully, they are best friends if you do. One of the best pictures you can get of your dogs is when they are kissing each other. You may need to wait weeks or months before you can capture this moment in time, but it will be worth keeping your camera close by at the end.

8. Capture Dogs For Art and Photography While Playing

Playing with dogs can be so silly and fun! Get down on the ground to capture the perfect shot of your dogs for art and photography while playing. Doing this will prevent some of the blurs you normally would get with these types of photos. We also recommend using a wider lens, because it will capture more of the fun.

 

9. Take Pictures of Your Dog in the City

This picture-perfect scene may take some planning, especially if you don’t live near a city. However, all that planning will be worthwhile when you see the results. Venture into a city and then take pictures of your dogs for art and photography while sitting in front of historical homes, modern backgrounds, or even a sea of people’s feet. The possibilities are endless when you have an entire city to work with!

 

10. Grab that Frisbee!

Dogs love to catch frisbees and they get a lot of exercise doing it. You can capture some good shots of your dog in mid-air with its mouth open and ready to catch that frisbee if you are patient. While you could possibly grab this shot on your own, having a friend nearby will make it much easier. You can either throw the frisbee, while your friend takes the picture or vice versa.

 

11. Big Dog, Little Kid

Do you have kids? How about a big dog? Combine the two for a unique photo opportunity. The size difference is amazing and to be able to show it within a photo is something you will cherish forever. If you don’t have a really large dog, see if someone you know does, so you can try this with your kids.

 

12. Add Fun to Your Pictures

If you can get your dog to sit and follow basic commands, you have a chance at capturing them doing something fun, and even silly! Put a pair of glasses on your dog and snap away, as they tilt their head back and forth. Lollipops with long sticks can be placed in your dog’s mouth too and those make silly pictures you won’t be able to resist. If you can get the angle right, you can have someone on the ground holding the lollipop to make it look like your dog is licking the lollipop, as you take the picture.

 

13. Use Colored Powder

To add a little flare to your dog’s jumps, we recommend using colored powder. Simply choose colors that work well with your dog’s fur and then click the camera’s shutter, as they jump or run. The results will be a dreamy picture you never thought was possible.

 

14. Catching Their Favorite Treat

You know that your dog is quite happy when they get a treat, but do you know exactly how they look? You can if you take the time to photograph your dog catching a treat up close. To capture the best view, start with a portrait shot. Then keep the camera at that same angle, while you are throwing the treat.

15. Makeover Photos

You know how your dog looks every single day, but what would they look like if you gave them a makeover? Try it out and then compare the two pictures side by side. You may be surprised at how much more adorable your dog looks after a quick and easy makeover. Depending on your dog’s fur, you may be able to do a few different makeover looks. This is an excellent way to see which one looks best.

 

16. Swimming Underwater

Does your dog love to swim? Do you have a swimming pool or live near a body of water that offers crystal clear water? If you answered yes to all these questions, you must capture your dog swimming underwater. Duck under the water and have your dog swim towards you or have someone else throw a toy in, so your dog can dive for it. Either one will give you photo opportunities you will not be able to resist.

 

17. Your Dog’s Famous Look

Every dog has a look that they give you and you probably laugh every time they do. If you can capture that look in a photo, you can look at it all day long! It could take days or months to capture this type of picture. Although, it could be easier if you can do something to make your dog give you this look on demand.

 

18. Choose Compelling Natural Scenery

If you love hiking in the great outdoors with your dog, try to find some of the most compelling natural scenery. Snapping pictures of your dog standing behind a waterfall will look so much better than standing in front of a wall at your house. And the possibilities out in nature are endless. Uprooted trees, colorful fields filled with flowers, and even tops of mountains make an incredible backdrop for dog pictures.

 

19. Have Your Dog Do Human Things

Can you pose your dog to look like they are reading the newspaper? How about preparing a meal? There are hundreds of ways you can make your dog look like they are doing human things, so use your imagination and see how cute your dog photos can be.

 

20. Capture Your Dog’s Belly

Dog’s bellies can be really cute, depending on what type of dog you have. There are tricks you can use to capture your dog laying on their belly. However, you can also have your dog roll over to show you their belly for a different approach.

21. Combine Your Dog’s Picture with a Unique Background

Blending a picture of your dog with a unique background can create a photo you never knew was possible. Yes, editing will be needed to blend multiple pictures together, but it isn’t that much of a learning curve. Simply pull up Photoshop, or your favorite editing program on your computer, input the two pictures you want to use, and work a little magic.

 

22. Add a Little Peanut Butter

It isn’t shocking that dogs love peanut butter, so why not incorporate a little into your photography?! Spread a little peanut butter on your dog’s face and then snap away, as they attempt to lick it off their face. Peanut butter isn’t easy to get off, so you should be able to get some amazing shots. If your dog doesn’t love peanut butter, you can use something else. However, we recommend using a food item that will not come off easily for the best results.

 

23. Add Some Flowers

A male dog probably won’t go for a crown of flowers on their head, but you may be able to convince a female dog to wear them for a picture or two. You can use any type of flowers you want and even change them out throughout the photo shoot.

 

24. Photograph Your Dog’s Fur

Have you ever looked at your dog’s fur up close before? It’s magical and creates a beautiful picture. To get the perfect image, place your camera up close to your dog and snap pictures in different places. The result is an abstract image you can hang on the wall. And we guarantee no one will realize it is a picture of your dog’s fur!

These are twenty-four weird, unique and creative ways to use dogs in your art and photography. There are so many others, but these will get your creative juices flowing. If you have never thought of capturing your dog in your art and photography in these ways, we recommend that you try it today. You will be amazed at how incredible the photos will look and you will never be able to capture the boring pictures of your dog like you used to ever again.