Waltonpets Furtography Session: Annie's Kennel Shots

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"Annie" with a point-and-shoot camera on full auto.

"Annie" using my Nikon DSLR with 35mm prime lens and manual settings described in the text.

​Working in a “kill shelter”, time is the biggest concern. I have to get the animals on the web as quickly as possible. While the outdoor “glamour photos” increase their chances of adoption, there are days I just don’t have the time and must settle for “kennel shots.” Other shelter volunteers have emailed me asking how I get decent shots inside the kennel. Here is the short, technical answer: I use a DSLR with a 35mm prime lens, shooting in manual mode with aperture f/1.8, shutter speed 1/125 seconds, auto ISO and no flash.

Now, what does all that mean?

DSLR - First of all, the quality of the camera matters. It can be done with a point-and-shoot cameras, but a DSLR is much better in lower light situations. I shoot with a Nikon D7000 DSLR , but any of the Nikon or Canon digital SLR cameras will work.
Prime Lens - The next thing that produces a better kennel shot is a prime, or fixed focal length, lens. The prime lenses typically allow greater apertures (f/1.4 or f/1.8). The wider the aperture, the more light will come through the lens, and the better it will perform in the lower light kennel. (I chose a prime lens with a 35 mm focal length because it gives a wide enough angle to shoot in the kennel.) 
Manual mode – Putting your camera on auto works for birthday parties, but the animals don’t always stop and smile. Therefore, I shoot in manual mode with the following settings that I have learned through repeated shooting in the kennel:

• Aperture f/1.8 – I open up to the widest aperture to let in the most available light (see above).
• Shutter speed 1/125 seconds - Having a wider aperture (f/1.8), will allow a faster shutter speed. I typically use a minimum of 1/125 seconds on the dog shots in the kennel. Anything slower is usually blurry.
• ISO – this controls how “sensitive” your camera is to light. I select the aperture and shutter speed, but I keep the ISO setting in auto for the kennel shots. The camera selects the best ISO, usually 3200 to 6400 depending upon the color of the dog. When enlarged, the photos appear grainy or have a lot of “noise”, but they are fine for quick web posting.
• Flash – TURN IT OFF! It is ugly and makes the dogs eyes glow that eerie green color.

So, the summary: I use my DSLR with a 35mm primes lens, in manual mode, aperture f/1.8, shutter speed 1/125 seconds, auto ISO, no flash.  If that none, or only some of that makes sense, send me an email and I’ll explain or point you to a site that will explain it more. There was a time that was Greek to me as well, but the more you shoot, and the more you research, the more it will make sense.