Taking photographs of your dog - and capturing his personality and charm - is no easy order. Just as you’re ready, Fido moves and ruins the shot. But with a few tips, you can be taking pictures of your dog in no time.

Photo: idigitalphoto.com

A digital camera is definitely best for pet photography. You’ll be free to shoot to your heart’s content without worries of film and developing expenses and with the instant gratification of seeing how your work is progressing.

The best time of day for outdoor photos is in the early morning or late afternoon light. High noon is usually too bright.

Now the hard part - getting your dog to pose for a picture! This isn’t as hard as it sounds because the best pictures are natural ones: a dog chasing a ball or two dogs rolling in the grass.

First, let your dog see the camera. Natural curiosity will have him sniffing it the second he sees you with this new potential toy. Shoot off some sample shots to get him accustomed to the sound of the shutter and the zoom lens. In no time at all, he will lose interest in this device. Now, as your dog goes back to his play, it’s time to snap your photos.

Try following him, camera ready. Make sure your camera hasn’t gone into "sleep" mode so you’re ready to take a photo in an instant.

The old adage to "let sleeping dogs lie" can result in some great shots as well. Quietly creep up on your dog as he naps in his favorite position. Sometimes it’s best to get the camera ready for your next shot away from Sleeping Beauty, especially if your camera is noisy. Be zoomed into position before you’re ready to push the shutter.

Close-ups - taken on the dog’s level, not from above - are also important. An easy way to get close-ups with large dogs involves standing on one side of a fence with your camera. Call your dog. When he jumps up, front feet on the fence, you can get a face-only portrait from just inches away.

Adding friends or family to the shot is also fun. Bring in someone the dog knows and is friendly with then have the two play and romp around. Just as things get good, start taking pictures. Some can include the person in the photo; others can be cropped to be the dog only.

Anyone can take good photos of his dog. And who knows, your house may soon have another kind of pet-a regular shutterbug!

Professional writers and husband-wife team Paris Permenter and John Bigley are the publishers of several content websites including http://www.TexasTripper.com

Texas Travel Guide and http://www.DogTipper.com including tips for dog lovers, by dog lovers with a blog featuring photos of celebrity canines.

I’m sure you will agree with me when I say we all love our dogs! We have learned the importance of good nutrition, adequate grooming, discipline, love and attention toward our family canine. We care about the way our dogs haircut compliments them. We strive to include them in on as many family functions as possible. And we give them all the love and attention we can, like another member of the family.

Photo: kooldogkafe.com

I think at times we tend to forget the importance of diet and exercise in our own lives, as well as the life of our dog. We love our dog so much that we slip them a little dinner off of our plate. We give them a doggie treat for no "dog gone" reason. And we pass on today’s walk in favor of an extra hour of TV. Does any of this hit close to home? If it does, you may be threatening your dogs life!

Too many of those "high in fat content" doggie treats, a portion of your "high in fat" dinner, and lack of exercise will all effect the life of your family dog. If you are overweight, you need to go on a diet. So the same stands true for the family dog. If old Rover is "rolie polie" all over, he needs to be put on a diet as well. He may never thank you for it down the road. But he’ll be happier to take that walk down the road if you always take notice of what you are feeding your dog.

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Larry is an accomplished writer interested in sharing his view and knowledge on dog training, health and nutrition. Read More Interesting Blogs.