Unfortunate pet-human portraits
BY NICK BARNETTIt's great to look at a good photo portrait of someone posing with their pet or pets. But it's more fun to look at a bad portrait, and sigh with relief that it's not us. Check these out.
Something disturbing about this one. The hair, the smile, the ribbon, the Guys and Dolls jacket, the red-white-and-blue - where do I start? Both subjects look as though they've been to the taxidermist recently... but the dog is sweet.
This one is cheesy yet menacing. Doggy is definitely boss in this family, I'm thinking.
Is there a secret message encoded into this picture, Dan Brown-style? There sure as hell isn't an obvious one.
There are more here (scroll right down to see my favourite). Wonderful loopiness.
All of the portraits look embarrassed and stiff, as though what we're seeing in the photos is a long way from reality for the people and pets in them.
It must be hard to get both humans and animals in a compatible mood as well as in the right place, without ending up with an awkward-looking shot.
So how do you take a good portrait of a person or family with their pet? Any ideas? Is it even a good idea to try, as opposed to looking for candid shots?
One of my first thoughts is that those stock-standard photographers' studio sets look even more cheesy if a dog is there. It just feels better to see a dog in a genuine outdoor setting - you know they're happier there. Or in their own home.
And I've always thought that one-person-one-dog (or cat) is a better formula for a picture than having several people or several animals. It looks more real and direct.
It is possible to take great pictures of animals and people together, but to me it usually needs some immediacy or surprise, which you can't set up in a studio. You have to have patience and take a lot of pictures.
Any other ideas? Have you had a portrait done with a pet, or seen it done successfully?
Send us your portraits, by email or on Facebook. We will not laugh.
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even the bird looks confused ;p
My cousin is a photographer and really wanted to take a photo of me with my horse to add to his portfolio to help break into the "rural portrait" market. I agreed, knowing they would turn out to be hideous. Sure, casual horse snaps can turn out really well, also photos where you are competing and nicely turned out and concentrating on your riding (and not the camera) but those portraits always look so stiff and unnatural, and indeed I hated them. To my horror, my mum got a print and has it on her wall (what does that tell you?).
The last one in your link. What were they thinking??? Actually, on reflection I'd rather not know...
Here's another website. Cracks me up big time: http://awkwardfamilypetphotos.com/
When I first got dogs I used to take a photo of them together to send to their breeders at Xmas. Then it became more and more of a joke to family and friends as we got more pets. People now ask for the Xmas photo and we have the 2 dogs, 2 lizards and a rabbit to fit into it now. Getting them to all pose at once is a mission and a half. We had a baby this year. I think this is the year we might have to finally call it quits as it will just be rediculous!
Oh my goodness ... that last photo made me laugh so hard my cat shot off my lap. It's truly awful. But the one with the tree comes a close second ...
The ugly truth is that our pets bring out our uncoolness and deep down we know it. that's why these pics are so excruciating
SO funny - awesome! I don't think studio photos generally work out anyway... they always look uncomfortable. My favourites of the contrived portrait style are the family and pets outside the house - at least they look like they belong there. But no, spontaneity is best - posed is terrible.
My favourite "family photo" is of our dog on our wedding day seeing my husband after he spent the night elsewhere in the traditional way. Husband has picked up the dog and is laughing at him and the dog is so happy he is laughing right back. Favourite picture ever.
Can someone please tell me is the person in the first photo a guy or a gal?????? There are some sad people out there.
I get the distinct impression the dog in that first photo is about to go postal & nip the photographer.
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