The animals featured on the Animals Being Derps subreddit are the kings and queens of this kind of content. The community is gargantuan: they have 8.4 million members, all ready to say "Aww" at their or someone else's pet's silliness.

Some of the submissions in the group are bloopers or failed moments from home photoshoots. Truly, capturing your pet in a really derpy state usually happens completely by accident. But, if you're anything like me, your phone is brimming with photos of your pet(s), and a photography trick or two never hurt anybody!

Capturing something akin to the photos in this list can't be staged, probably. The subreddit's rules even state that they don't accept any staged photos. It thrives on completely authentic derpiness. However, capturing a pet's personality is also possible with staged photoshoots.

The most common problem owners face when photographing their pets is that they just won't stand still; it's like someone gave them a Red Bull right before the photoshoot! Canine coach Callie Jennings says that the trick is to wear out your beloved pet before you want to take some nice pics. "A calm mind leads to a calm body," she told The Washington Post.

A new environment makes pets either excited or very stressed. That's why Jennings also recommends planning to have some time ahead so that your pet can explore their new surroundings. Once they feel bored with the new place and have explored all the stimuli, you can begin the session. They'll probably be more focused and calmer, just as you need them.

Dogs are easy to bribe with treats to hold their attention and get them into the desired spot. But cats don't recognize other figures of authority; you might have a lot more trouble with photographing them. So, Jennings advises using a catnip blend with silver vine. It elicits a euphoric feeling in cats, making them more focused and giving you the opportunity to snap the perfect shot.

Lighting is usually your worst enemy when it comes to taking good pet photographs at home. Pets can find your phone's flash frightening, and natural lighting almost always looks better anyway. So, make sure your pet is always facing the source of light, most often a window, preferably. If the source of the light is behind your pet, they'll most likely end up backlit.

Photographing outdoors is also a very good choice. Surprisingly, overcast days are the best for photoshoots, since there won't be any shadows that might cover your pet's face. Animals with dark fur can be especially hard to photograph since their features do not always register. Dark-haired animals turn out better when photographed against a bright background, so try out colorful pet beds, blankets, and even bandanas or collars to make them pop more.

Dogs look really cute with their mouths open and their tongues out, don't they? If you want to get that kind of quirky shot, try wearing them out so they're panting. I have some personal experience here: my beagle always looked the best (almost like he was smiling) after a long walk, with his foot-long tongue that was definitely too big for his mouth out in all its glory.

This tip is very useful for owners of dark-haired pets but can be applied to pets of all colors. The contrast between the eyes and the fur looks really good in pictures of dark-haired pets. According to pet photographer Rhian White, snapping your pet from above really helps. If it's a long-haired pet, use water: wipe the hair off their eyes with a wet flannel or let them splash around.

White writes that darker-haired pets also look majestic in silhouette photos. Of course, you could do that with your white furry friend as well. Position them in front of a sunset or a sunrise when the sun is almost touching the horizon line; otherwise, the light will probably be too bright.

I don't know about you, Pandas, but these pictures turned me into that kid from the "Can I pet that dawg" meme. I just can't stop saying it while looking at these dogs and not-dogs alike! If you're like me and just can't get enough of these wonderful derps, check out our previous articles about the subreddit here, here, and here!