Summarize the following:
Natural light is great for any photography, and pet photography is no exception. If it's especially bright, pick a shaded area where you'll get ambient light for your pictures. Try the hour just after sunrise or the one just before sunset. These hours, called the "golden hours," have the best light. Avoid the harsh light of midday. Of course, you won't be able to take some pets outdoors. In that case, try to get your pet in an area with as much natural light as you can. Open blinds and curtains to let in the light! If natural light isn't an option, try using a detached flash. Point it up at the ceiling, and it will reflect back down on your pet to create perfect lighting. Aim for mostly solid colors in the background, instead of patterns and other people. For instance, grass or even a solid color piece of furniture work well in the background. If the background is too busy, your pet won't stand out as much as you'd like. Try to pick a background that makes your pet stand out. For instance, pick a bright color for a black cat, or a dark color for a blonde dog. Most of your pet's personality will show up in its face, so make it prominent in the pictures. If you're manually focusing the picture, use the eyes as your target! Your pet's personality shows up in their face, so try to capture that! Work on getting a photo of your pet's expressive eyes or goofy grin. Get up close to your pet, so that they take up the whole photo. That way, your pet is the focus, and not some interesting thing in the background. It helps to get down on your pet's level if you can. Lay down on the floor or sit down. As a bonus, your pet will probably wander over to see what's going on. If you need to, you can crop the photo later to cut out the extra space. A treat can entice a pet to look your way, but it may not. However, eventually, most pets will look at you and the camera. Just be patient and wait your pet out. While you're waiting, have your shot already set up so that when they look at you, you're ready to take the shot. Whether your animal is goofy, lazy, playful, or stubborn, try to make that a part of the photo. If you're not photographing your own pet, ask the owner about the animal's personality quirks. For instance, if your animal tends to be lazy, try to capture a photo of them sleeping. If your pet can do a special trick, show that off! Pets, like human subjects, look different from different angles and framing them in a variety of ways can bring a variety of perspectives to your shots. In your photo shoot, take some tightly cropped facial shots (even focusing in on a single features like the eyes, nose, or ears) but also make sure you take shots that show off your more of your pet's body. Working on different angles may give you an unexpectedly good shot you never would have gotten if you hadn't moved around some.
Go outside if you can. Pick a background that's not too busy. Target the pet's face. Make your pet the whole picture. Wait for the perfect shots. Include your pet's personality. Try different angles and shots.