Tips for taking a great profile photo
Great photos get pets homes. The images in your pet’s profile are their voice. The story created by the pictures is their chance to show the world what their happiest and best life looks like with the hope that a human comes along who thinks that life looks pretty fantastic too.
While we all want our pets to go to the best home with someone who has thought through their commitment and made an informed decision, it’s important to remember that all great relationships start with a moment of attraction.
Your choice of profile photos significantly impacts your pet’s chances of finding their ideal home. Below are some tips to help you choose the best pictures.
The main profile picture (a.k.a. the ‘Dating Website’ shot)
Your pet’s main profile photo, and other pets with similar characteristics, appear in PetRescue online search results.
Search results look like this:
As you can see, it is easy for your pet’s profile picture to become lost in the sea of faces, especially if it is dark or too distant.
Here are some tips to help your pet stand out from the crowd:
- A clear, well-lit shot of your pet’s face and shoulders while they are making eye contact with the camera.
- Open eyes and a relaxed and happy expression (using a noisy toy can draw dogs' attention, and a smelly treat can help with cats).
- Avoid clutter in the background.
- Pick a background colour that compliments your pet and highlights their face.
- Try to have some light catching your pet’s eyes so that they appear bright.
Telling the story of your pet’s best life
The rest of your photos are your chance to show the world your pet’s favourite activities; this is the story of your pet’s best day!
There are some guidelines to follow when creating your pet’s storyboard, so keep in mind the following:
- Make the theme of the pictures your key message about our pet. If Simba needs full-time company and his favourite place is on someone’s lap, have a friend in every photo to highlight that he requires company.
- Pick 1 or 2 photos of your pet relaxing inside your home (or in another human-centric environment). This helps people to picture your pet in their home - like imagining your furniture in a new house!
- Get creative when including people in the shot to avoid showing their faces - like Pushka’s owner did (below)
- Variety is the spice of life, so mix it up! Showing your pet in various environments helps people visualise it in their life. Also, show your pet’s whole body in some shots to make their size and shape apparent.
- Consider people's preconceptions of your pet, and challenge them in your photos. If Stella the kelpie X is a party animal at the dog park yet loves to curl up on the couch in the evening, show both sides of her personality so that people can see that she is not always on the go. If Tiny the American Staffordshire is a softy at heart and loves your cats and socialising with new dogs, show him with his furry friends so people can appreciate his social skills.
- If your pet has a unique skill or a fantastic talent that will help them stand out, show it off! Does your kitty know how to High 5? Does your dog commando crawl? Shoot a short video of the skill and upload it to their profile - they might even show up on PetRescue TV!
Taking great quality photos
Last but by no means least, research shows that overall photo quality is one of the best predictors of how long a pet will stay available for adoption online.
If you aren’t already a whiz with your handy smartphone camera, take some time to learn the basics of taking great photos using the resources below: