How to Take Great Pet Pictures: Recipes for Outstanding Results with Any Camera [Paperback]

Ron Nichols (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2001

Photographing beloved family pets can be fun and rewarding—but also challenging. This book lays the foundation for taking fantastic pet photos by covering all the basics, from choosing a camera to deciding between color and black and white film for the portrait. After discussing all of the necessities of photography, various aspects of animal behavior and reasons why animals are difficult to photograph are explained. Also covered are techniques for composing pet portraits and turning snapshots into beautiful pieces of art. Incorporating a person into the picture, taking pictures of exotic animals, and inspiration for displaying and sharing photos round out this comprehensive guide to pet photography.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Ron Nichols is a photography instructor and animal enthusiast. He lives in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Product Details

• Paperback: 80 pages
• Publisher: Amherst Media, Inc. (November 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1584280662
• ISBN-13: 978-1584280668
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,019,704 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not what I'd expected..., July 29, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: How to Take Great Pet Pictures: Recipes for Outstanding Results with Any Camera (Paperback)

As other reviews have indicated, this book may be very good for many people who might be interested in this title. I think it gives some great tips for amateur photographers on lighting, composing pictures, etc., and the tips can be applied to a wide range of pets -- not just cats & dogs, but birds, other small mammals, reptiles, etc. If you're not sure that you "have an eye" for photography, but you know a good picture when you see one, you may be very pleased with this book. However, I think it should be emphasized that the tips are very much oriented towards photographing your own pet, or possibly a pet with its owner -- not so much "pet pictures" in general.

Let me explain: I'm very happy with the pictures I get of my dog, and in general I have a reasonably good eye for photography. However, I've been volunteering at a local animal shelter, and I'm trying to get pictures of the animals there. Some of my dog photography skills transfer, but the cats can be a problem. I was hoping that this book would provide some specific technigues for getting your subjects to relax, catching their attention long enough to get a good shot of their faces, etc.

Basically, I need an approach that's more "Sears portrait studio" than "downtown art gallery". Instead, the author's first two tips on animal behavior are to start them young so they get used to being photographed, and to study their individual behavior (from the book): "Wildlife photographers spend weeks, months, and sometimes even years observing their subjects in pursuit of elusive images." This is very good advice for someone looking to get pictures of their own pet, but neither of these is really an option in my circumstances.

As I've said, for many people, this may be just the book they're looking for. However, if I find a title which better meets my criteria, I will try to add it to the "recommends instead of" field of this record. Happy photographing!

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No bones about it, December 17, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: How to Take Great Pet Pictures: Recipes for Outstanding Results with Any Camera (Paperback)

What a delightful read. With a witty pen and great examples, Nichols has crafted a wonderful book for pet owners who want to capture important moments on film. There are tips for those of us with modest camera skills and even some for professionals.

Bravo!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Out dated book, June 12, 2009

By 

S. Rook - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How to Take Great Pet Pictures: Recipes for Outstanding Results with Any Camera (Paperback)

The book has great information regarding how to take great pet pictures; however, it is outdated when it comes to technology.