Beautiful Beasties: A Creative Guide to Modern Pet Photography

Equipment

Cameras, Lenses, Bags,and Accessories

Before we delve into techie-talk about gear, I’d like to share a little anecdote with you. The story goes that famed photographer Helmut Newton attended a dinner party at the house of an acquaintance. The host/cook approached Newton and said, “Your photos are very good. You must have a great camera.” After dinner, the host/cook turned to Newton and asked what he thought of the food. Newton’s reply was, “It was really excellent. You must have great pots and pans.”

The point of this story is that cameras and lenses are mere tools that help you to get the job done. How well the job is performed is entirely up to the person using those tools. You can place a cheap, crummy camera in the hands of a skilled, creative artist and she can produce incredible images. Conversely, you can place the finest digital single-lens reflex (dSLR) body in the hands of a person who lacks even a basic understanding of exposure and composition, and you will end up with awful, poorly exposed photos. It’s always a better idea to place more emphasis on capturing expression, creating artistic and interesting composition, and nailing proper exposure than trying to get the latest and greatest gear. With that having been said, there are important things to keep ...