You may have noticed that your guinea pig is a little camera shy, despite all your attempts to get good photos of your piggy. We have some tips for you to successfully have your own guinea pig photoshoot, and some guinea pig photoshoot ideas for you to try out.
The most important thing is your piggy’s comfort! There are some ways to hold a guinea pig photoshoot safely and in a fun and cute way, without putting your guinea pig in distress!
The steps
1. Have treats on hand
This is probably an obvious one! As you know, the way to a guinea pig’s heart is through their stomach, and the piggies are more willing to be in front of the camera if they know they’re getting rewarded for it.
You can use treats like pea flakes or herbal treats, or you can also use fresh veggies! GuineaDad Pea Flakes and GuineaDad Herbal Treats have proven to be a piggy favorite.
2. Use their hideys as part of your set!
Your piggies will be more likely to be willing to be out of the shadows if you use a hidey as part of the props. This still gives them a cozy and darker spot for them to find comfort in the open, and they can hide inside and peek out to eat treats and veggies. Try using the GuineaDad Crunchy Condo, or the GuineaDad Queen's Castle!
This is your opportunity to take photos of them enjoying their snacks, and this always, always results in the cutest piggy photos ever!
3. Take videos!
Most phone cameras allow you to take photos while recording photos, which can be super good if you’re trying to take photos and make some fun TikToks or Reels to make your piggy go viral. Taking photos while recording just makes the photoshoot super convenient and efficient.
It can also be useful if your piggy is moving quickly and it’s hard for you to take photos quickly! The photos are taken faster while recording, and there’s less of a delay than just taking photos on the camera function.
Make sure not to use flash, as this can startle your piggy and stress them out.
4. Make sure to take breaks!
Your piggies can get exhausted from this activity too! And we’re sure it can be a little taxing on you trying to get their attention and coaxing them into different spots to take photos, so this break is for you too. Let them rest, allow them to go running into their hideys and relax, and coax them out again later! They’ll be more willing to take more photos this way.
5. Don’t be afraid to get into odd and awkward positions
To take the great photos you want, you may need to hang off the side of your couch or may have to lay on the ground on your side, or a multitude of funny ways to get the perfect photo.
Put in the work so your piggies don’t have to! They’re natural cuties, after all. This will help with getting various interesting angles and make sure every photo is just as unique as it is fun and cute!
The final take
In general, make sure to accommodate your piggy and what they’re comfortable with! Their willingness is based on their comfort and how safe they feel.
Do everything you can to be attentive to their needs, and make sure to pay attention to whether they’re tired or fussy. If they show signs of being a little exhausted, take a break, and try again later!
And once you've taken your cute piggy pictures, make sure to post them on social media and tag us @guineadad and #guineadadmodel for us to see and share them as well!