You don't have to hire a professional to get professional looking pictures of your dog. You can take great pictures of your Poodle with an inexpensive digital camera. Using a digital camera saves you money because it gives you the option of deleting your bad shots instead of paying to have them processed and printed.

If you want to take professional quality portraits of your Poodle, follow a few simple tips, and you'll soon be taking fantastic pictures of your dog. By planning your photo session, composing your picture carefully and using the right photo editing software, you can take great Poodle pictures in no time at all.

Before you start taking photos, make sure you are ready and have everything you need close at hand. You need to be able to focus (no pun intended) on your Poodle and on getting the best pictures instead of worrying about annoying details like running low on battery power.

Get everything you need ready before you involve your Poodle in the process. Load a fresh memory card in your digital camera, replace the batteries in your camera and carry an extra set of fresh batteries with you. Choose a setting for your pictures. For an indoor setting, be sure the light is adequate. If you are working in an outdoor area, secure the area for your Poodle's safety. A fenced back yard makes a great outdoor setting because you won't need to worry about your dog getting away and being hit by a car or attacked by a loose dog.

You'll need at least one extra set of hands to manage your Poodle, fluff its hair, wipe its eyes, arrange the backdrops and do safety duty, especially if you are taking your Poodle pictures outside.

Your choice of what backgrounds to use for your Poodle pictures can set the tone for the pictures. Plan your backgrounds carefully. The Poodle's curly hair looks best photographed against a smooth, solid colored backdrop. Light colored dogs show up best against dark backgrounds, and vice versa. Many photographers now use a chromatic green backdrop. With this backdrop, your background disappears in your digital photos, and you can place your Poodle into any digital backdrop you can find.

Look at a few Poodle pictures, and you'll notice right away that the best ones are taken at the dog's eye level. Don't hesitate to set a Toy Poodle up on a table or bed to raise its height so you're at eye level. Remember, safety first! Have your assistant monitor the situation so your dog doesn't fall off.

Toy and Miniature Poodles are light and easy to lift, so you can easily put your dog on a tabletop or bed to make it easy to get at eye level. These helpful tips will help you get the very best pictures possible of your Poodle.