Sheep are naturally timid and feel most comfortable in familiar surroundings. Before you try taking a front-facing photo, spend a few days building trust by hand-feeding them, speaking gently, maintaining calm eye contact, and offering reassuring touches. When the time comes to photograph them, kneel down so you’re at their eye level. If they’re still too shy, you can tether them as a last resort. And if your sheep seems more at ease when you’re close by, go ahead and snap a selfie together.

Avoid cloudy days, especially if you’re photographing darker breeds—good lighting really makes a difference. When you’re ready to snap a few shots, start by finding even ground so the cattle’s hips and shoulders are on the same level. Then, try photographing them from the side or while they’re moving uphill to really show off their muscle condition. Standing about 10 meters back is a good distance to capture their entire outline—underline included—and make sure the sun is behind you so you don’t end up with a silhouette. For the best angle, position yourself slightly off their shoulder, crouch down a bit, and aim to shoot from around 1.5 meters in height. Avoid getting too close or using a wide-angle lens, because both can distort the image and give it an unnatural look.

Pigs require patience, patience, patience. Spend time playing with them in their pen so they learn to feel comfortable around you. Once they’re calm, slowly introduce food treats (like grapes, pumpkin, carrots, or melons) a few days beforehand so they get used to them—these same treats will help you guide the pigs toward or away from you when it’s time to take photos. Giving them a wash and a brush helps them relax even more, and the longer you spend together, the easier it will be to snap a good shot. If you plan to photograph them outdoors, let them out a few days early so they can get familiar with their new surroundings. Finally, be ready to take lots of photos in quick succession, from all angles and distances.

Getting your goat’s attention while positioning thier legs and head can be tricky, but not so tough if you enlist a few friends and a fluffy toy.. If you’re the photographer, stand about two meters away and get your camera or phone in focus. One friend can hold the lead and position the goat’s feet, while another uses a colorful object to catch the goat’s eye at the right angle. For the best overall view, consider taking a side profile, a rear udder shot, a front view to show chest width and straight legs, and an overhead shot to capture body capacity. Because goats are so curious, they’ll want to sniff and chew the toy, so keep it just out of reach—both from them and your shot.