Clear the background. "The first step to a great portrait of your pet is to seek out balanced lighting and a simple backdrop that adds to but doesn't distract from the animal," Bryan says.
Capture organic moments. "Almost all my photos are created when I've been inspired by something Maddie does organically and I want to recreate that moment," Theron says. "For example, she'll get up and climb on the back of our couch on her own. Often, the things I'm asking her to do are the things she would do if she was left to herself."
Shoot in raw and edit later. Many digital cameras allow you to shoot raw files, which allow you to edit more after shooting. You can also shoot raw files on your phone using Adobe Lightroom CC. "With Lightroom, you can shoot in raw format with your phone using the in-app camera," Theron says. "That gives you a lot of latitude in terms of editing your images later. I use Lightroom mostly to adjust contrast, exposure, maybe recover the highlights and add some sharpness."
Be patient. "When you're photographing animals, it's all about patience," Theron says. "It takes a lot of work to create and capture the great moments."
