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Beautiful Beasties: A Creative Guide to Modern Pet Photography

Book Description

The book pet lovers have been waiting for: professional advice on pet photography

Every pet parent knows how difficult it is to get that calendar-quality photo of a beloved cat or dog. This guide to pet photography is long overdue! Pet lovers will find terrific tips to help them capture their pets personalities in photos, while professional photographers who want to extend their business opportunities will value advice on the unique challenges of working with animals and creating the portraits their clients want.

  • With pet owners comprising more than 62 percent of Americans, there is an eager amateur market for a book that reveals how to get great photos of those furry family members

  • Zeroes in on pet photography as a growing specialty among professional photographers, and this book offers advice for creating great pet portraits as well as tips on working with animals and their owners

  • Explains how to capture expressions, avoid spooky eyes, edit for better images, work with multiple animals, and much more

As the first serious guide to pet photography on the market, Beautiful Beasties has what pet parents and professional photographers need to capture memorable pet photos.

Table of Contents

  1. Chapter 1: The History of Pet Photography
    1. The Backstory on Pet Photography
    2. The True Value of Pet Photos
    3. The Pet Photography Industry
    4. Classes, Schools, and Workshops
    5. Forums
  2. Chapter 2: Equipment
    1. Cameras, Lenses, Bags, and Accessories
    2. Computers, Software, and Computer Accessories
  3. Chapter 3: Working with Pets as Models
    1. Animal Behavior, Body Language, and Communication
    2. Working with Dogs
    3. Working with Cats
    4. Working with Other Animals
    5. Learning About the Individual
    6. Photographing Your Pets
  4. Chapter 4: Pre-Session Checklists
    1. Checking Your Gear and Accessories
    2. Shot Lists
    3. Defining Session Goals
    4. Twenty-Five Tips to Keep in Mind, Before and During a Shoot
  5. Chapter 5: Photography Basics
    1. Exposure: ISO, Aperture, Shutter Speed
    2. Exposure Modes
    3. Focusing
    4. White Balance
    5. RAW vs. JPEG
    6. Quick-and-Dirty Pet Photography Settings
  6. Chapter 6: Lighting
    1. Lighting Tools
    2. Studio Lighting
    3. Lighting Safety
    4. Lighting Pet Peeves
  7. Chapter 7: Composition
    1. Negative Space
    2. Pet-Level Photography
    3. PLP in Motion
    4. Capturing Expressions
    5. General Ideas
    6. Using Lenses for Variety in Composition
    7. Photographing Pets with Their Owners
    8. Photographing Multiple Pets
    9. Location Ideas
    10. Ten Ideas for Getting Variety in Every Session
    11. Capturing the Stages in a Pet’s Life
    12. Pet Photography Don’ts
  8. Chapter 8: Pet Photography Challenges
    1. Common Challenges
    2. Behavior Challenges
    3. Lighting Challenges
    4. Weather Issues
    5. Location Challenges
    6. Elderly or Sick Pets
    7. “Stage-Mom” Owners
    8. Working in a Studio
    9. Legal Considerations
  9. Chapter 9: Post-Production
    1. Establishing Your Workflow
    2. Archiving and Naming Conventions
    3. Editing Basics
    4. Culling and Processing in Lightroom
    5. Editing in Photoshop
    6. Alternative Editing Software
    7. Common Novice Photography and Editing Errors
  10. Chapter 10: Developing Personal Style
    1. Defining Your Photodogstyle
    2. Processing Techniques to Help You Attain Different Styles
    3. Expressing Your Artistic Voice
    4. Finding Inspiration
  11. Chapter 11: Going Pro
    1. Self-Evaluation Questionnaire: Should I Turn Professional?
    2. The Start-Up Process: Getting Started, from A to Z
    3. Portfolio Building
    4. Expenses
    5. Working with Clients
    6. Post-Shoot Client Process
  12. Chapter 12: Business Essentials
    1. Pricing
    2. Products
    3. Branding
    4. Marketing
    5. Strategies to Increase Revenue
    6. Competition and Colleagues
    7. The Top-Five Biggest Keys to Success
  13. Appendix A: Resources for Pet Photography
  14. Appendix B: Dog Breed Notes