16 Fun Pet-and-Owner Photo Ideas (Mirrored & Matching Poses)

Proud pet owners like to show off their pets on every occasion they get.

If you have one of these “fur babies” at home, your phone is probably filled with dozens of cute pet snaps showing off how goofy, cuddly, or even naughty they can be at times.

Yet, it’s not so common to see pet photos framed and placed on the mantlepiece with other family pictures. Why?

Well, there might be two reasons at play.

First, if you’re taking photos of your pet, then they might be spontaneous, and as such, taken from your smartphone. This means the pet is likely going to be the only subject.

Secondly, the photos might not look just right.

Both of these problems can be fixed if you coordinate and make a creative shot of both the pet and you, or the entire family. For this, I highly recommend contacting a professional photographer.

But regardless of whether you go with the pro option or set up a DIY photoshoot, here are some poses that can inspire you.

Poses for Pets and Their Owners

In general, taking photos of pets can be much harder if you’re aiming for quality, since animals can be relatively unpredictable.

However, the basics behind them are similar to taking a photo with just the human members of the family.

So, the main factors here are going to be lighting, location, scenery, and props. These ideas will have a mixture of options that you can freely swap if needed.

1. Looking the Same Way

Everyone thinks that their pets are a reflection of themselves. Sometimes, pets pick up on small context cues and can even mimic their owners’ behavior.

So why not immortalize that bond with a photo that displays that perfectly?

The setting here is relatively unimportant. However, for the best results, take the photo from up close and slightly angled from below.

Alternatively, you can carry your pet and prompt it to look in the same direction as you. Notably, this doesn’t have to be into the camera, and you can get a more interesting shot if both of you are looking somewhere else.

2. Touching Heads with Golden Hour Lighting

If you want to take a very candid shot of your pet and you, then you’ll likely want to utilize the golden hours just after sunrise or before sunset. The natural orange hue will make the image look more ethereal.

The pose of touching your pet might seem odd at first, but it’s essentially similar to two people hugging or kissing.

For the best result, use a bokeh effect to blur the background and emphasize the subjects.

3. High-Five

If you want to show the world why your pet is your best friend, why not do so with a high-five?

Most dogs and cats can be trained to high-five on command, so this one shouldn’t be too difficult to do, but it might take a few tries to capture on camera.

If you can’t get the pet to cooperate, you can simply hold their paw, which is much simpler.

Shoot the picture directly from the side to show the connection and training involved.

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4. Synchronized Sit

In a way, we are our pets’ pets, too. So why not have a bit of fun with it?

Both you and your pet should fit facing the camera (but a slight angle can work too). Straighten your back and put your hands in your lap.

This picture works best when the pet is roughly the same height as you. If you need to, prop up the pet on a small chair or table or sit on the porch.

5. Lying Down

Everyone likes belly scratches.

This pose is as simple as it gets, but it does take a bit of setup to capture perfectly.

Posing-wise, all you have to do is lie down and make the same pose your pet would when they want their belly rubbed, then try to have the pet repeat it.

You’ll likely need another person to take the shot and a specialized studio or camera mount that can take the picture.

This gets much easier if you have a drone that can take photos from top down, but not all pets are receptive to drones flying overhead.

An alternative is to use the same pose, but take the photo from floor level. This is simpler and can be done without specialist equipment.

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6. The Head Tilt

You’ve probably seen your pet tilt their head when trying to figure out something. It’s as cute as it is weird.

Well, if you face the same way and tilt your head, you both can be looking at something mystifying.

This pose should work best if you can sit down and place the pet directly below your head so they almost touch. A side-by-side head tilt can also be cute.

However, this one might be tricky to replicate in a studio, as you can’t really control when your dog tilts their head.

Try placing a mirror behind the camera and tilting your head, which can prompt the dog to do the same.

7. Back-to-Back

Show how you have each other’s back forever by immortalizing it in a photo.

This pose might require a few tries to get right, as pets might not be inclined to look directly away from you unless prompted.

As such, you may need not one but two accomplices here: one to hold your pet’s attention and the second to take the photo.

If you can make the dog face the camera, then do the same, and you can get a similar result.

8. Tongues Out

Stick out your tongue, and your dog will most likely do the same.

This photo is relatively simple. All you have to do is take it from up close.

In some cases, you can even do this from your smartphone with a well-placed selfie.

However, a more complex professional camera can have high enough shutter speeds that allow it to take the shot while you’re sticking your tongue out and your dog pants.

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9. The Watchers

For a more artistic perspective, you’ll need someone to take a photo of you and your pet from the back, looking out into the distance.

The scenery here will make the shot. In a house environment, try looking out of the window.

For an outdoor shot, you can use a particularly pretty scene, such as a cliffside, park, forest trail, or anything close by.

10. Matching Outfits

You might have a cute pet outfit or jacket you put on them for wet or chilly weather walks.

Well, if you can find something in your wardrobe that matches that vibe, material, or even the complete outfit, you can have an excellent shot.

The simplest choices here are likely going to be raincoats or sweaters, which you can pair with woolen hats.

Pose-wise, you can simply have the dog sit down and face straight into the camera, then stand or sit next to them to show off your outfit.

Alternatively, you can have a bit more fun with accessories. Sunglasses are the best choice, as most medium or large dogs can fit them on their heads (and keep them there for the duration of the shot). Hats or headbands can also work.

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11. Sunbathing

This is similar to the lying down pose, but it doesn’t require as much setup or working around camera angles.

For this pose, the scenery is likely going to be more important, but the photo doesn’t technically have to be taken at the beach.

However, you can get a more funny image with props. You can get the pet to lie on a beach chair and do the same, or lie together on a hammock.

Alternatively, you can make it look like the dog is sunbathing like a human, such as wearing sunglasses, reading, or enjoying a cocktail.

12. Blanket Burritos

This pose is best for kids, but who doesn’t want to wrap themselves up like a burrito now and then?

You can either use a separate blanket for you and the pet, or get wrapped in the same blanket.

The first option is funnier and more on-theme for mirroring, but the second is arguably much easier to accomplish since your dog might not appreciate being snuggled into a burrito for long.

13. Peek-a-Boo

There are two variations of this image that you can accomplish, depending on whether you’re shooting at home or outside.

For photos at home (or in the studio), peek from the opposite sides of the doorframe while looking at the camera. Alternatively, you can peek from the same side.

If you’re taking a picture outside, find a tree or bush that can obscure you, then peek out from the opposite sides. You might be able to replicate this pose at home with a larger piece of furniture, like a sofa.

14. Walking in Sync

This image might be one of the more difficult to capture, as it needs to be done in motion.

The key here is to take a pose that exactly matches your pet’s stride. So if they’re holding their right front paw out, you need to be stepping with your right leg out.

Angle-wise, shooting from a medium distance allows you to capture the shot better. However, you can also use a more close-up shot or have only the dog be the subject with your legs more in the background.

Using a camera with a fast shutter and setting it to burst mode can make this a bit simpler to accomplish.

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15. Loafing Around

This pose is more suitable for cat lovers out there, as cats are more prone to tucking their legs and tail under their bodies.

All you’ve got to do is try to match that as closely as possible by snuggling close to the cat.

Alternatively, you can adopt a sphinx-like pose, which is more achievable for most people.

16. The Synchronized Yawn

Out of all five of the poses on this list, this is probably the trickiest to pull off, but still not necessarily as difficult as it might first appear. And if you can get the timing right, the result is one of the very best pet mimic photos you can take.

As the name implies, the idea here is to have the animal and the person yawning at the same time. It works particularly well with cats and dogs, which tend to open their mouths wide and stretch while they yawn.

There are two tricky elements.

First, the timing. The person needs to keep a close eye on the animal at all times and be ready to yawn at the same time they do, so you can capture the shot.

Second, triggering the yawn. You can just wait around for a while until the right moment presents itself, but that could take a while. Instead, actually yawning yourself, while the animal is looking at you, may trigger them to yawn as well. Playing videos of other animals yawning can also sometimes stimulate a yawn. I’ve had success with both of these techniques, so I encourage you to give them a try.

Additional Pose for Bird Lovers

Bird-lovers out there, don’t think we forgot about you.

Simple poses here include having the bird perch on your shoulder or hand.

However, if you want to go all out, then you can use the wing spread. Simply spread your arms out like you’re trying to fly, and get your pet to repeat it.

Again, since birds are less cooperative, you may need to try multiple times to get a shot, but it’s going to be worth it.

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How to Get Your Pets to Cooperate

Trying to get the best pose here is more about making the pet cooperate with you in matching your movements or sitting still for the duration of the shot.

In general, I’ve had most success with shots where there’s another family member behind the camera with a treat to make the pet hold their attention on them.

Note that this might be one of the few times you’ll need to get out high-value treats from the cupboard. Pieces of cheese, chicken, or premium pet crackers can work, as well as tuna for cats.

Where and How to Take the Best Shots

Pets also respond better to being in familiar environments. This might limit what poses you can take.

Professional studios will often give you stellar-looking photos, but your pet might not be willing to adopt the same pose as you and hold it for as long if they’re in the studio for the first time.

When it comes to camera settings, burst mode will be your best friend.

Pets will switch their positions rapidly, and you might get one perfect mirror pose from two dozen spontaneous shots that will get thrown out.

For more tips and tricks, check out this beginner’s guide to snapping the perfect pet portrait.

Final Words

Most importantly, make sure that both you and your pet are having fun or doing something interesting.

For one, if you’re calm, your pet is likely going to stay calm and listen to instructions, allowing you to take more photos.

Secondly, if your pet starts to look anxious or wants to leave, it might be time to end the session or try another day.

After they’ve made their disapproval known, it’s going to be pretty much impossible to get anything more done.

Finally, these poses can be pretty difficult to achieve if your pet is relatively young. You might not get the perfect result, and that’s completely fine.

We hope you take some of these poses as inspiration and have a great time shooting.