Goats In Pictures

One of the first thing I learned when trying to photograph my goats is don't take too long when trying to get a shot or you will get an extreme closeup. They are very curious and want to know what you are doing. So I take lots of pictures and then pick the few good ones from each session. I have gotten more pictures of eyeballs and nostrils than I can count! You have to be quick. I will try to sneak into the goat pen and get pictures before they realize I am there. Because once they see me the race is on to see who can get to Momma first.

Kids (baby goats) make great photo subjects. Besides being adorable you never know what they are going to do. We get lots of pictures of babies in peoples laps. They definitely think that laps are the best place to take their naps. The adults will sometimes try to get in your lap or sit on the chair with you. It can get challenging and just a little crowded. Even better than pictures is videos with the babies. They hop around like they have springs in their little hooves. Patience is needed to get good pictures of babies or adults. Just sit for a while and they will go back to being goats and ignore you and that is when some of the best pictures and videos get taken.

The key to getting great pictures of your animal subject is patience. Sometimes I will spend 2 hours outside with my camera and not get any good shots. I will lay on the ground and just click away trying to get the "perfect" shot. I have taken literally hundreds of shots to get a handful of ones I keep. Just enjoy your subjects and have fun. Go for a walk in the field and take pictures while burning calories. Snap pictures and see what you can get.

There is no better subject then a mother with her baby. They will give you some of the most beautiful and touching photographs. A baby getting a bath from Mom makes a great photo. Babies also love to climb on Mom when she is laying down trying to nap in the sun. They will also jump on her back while she is standing. They have to grow a little before they can do this. Then they will be jumping on and off the top of the dog houses.

Goats love to run, jump and play. Be quick and attentive and you can get some awesome shots of goats doing what goats do best. A picture of a goat in mid jump is something to be proud of. I have only gotten a few of these over the years and love when I capture them just at that exact moment. Some of them can be very comical and getting pictures of them being silly is very rewarding. We have several trees that came down in the field. We have left them for the goats to jump on. This is one of their favorite past times and we have gotten some very good pictures on their favorite playground.

When I go outside with my camera I am always hoping to take a lot of great pictures but am always prepared for the chance that I won't take any.

Sometimes I go outside and end up hanging my camera on the fence and just playing with the goats and other times I come inside with over 100 pictures.

Just have fun when you go out there and be happy whether you get any pictures or not. Enjoy being with your four legged friends and watching them having fun and enjoying life. A great picture can be taken any time. I never know which one is going to be the best of the day. So many times the ones I am sure will be my masterpiece will be horribly blurred or be a picture of the back half of a goat! But no matter how many pictures I do or don't get I have fun and love spending time with my goats.