Through the years I’ve found that I have 1-3 “foundation” lenses.  Those that, if every other thing in my bag malfunctioned, was lost or stolen, I could complete a session, give the client depth and variety, and still expect a good sale.

Those lenses will differ for everybody -depending on your style, whether you’re a studio shooter or location photographer, and your client base.

For me, my go to lenses are the Nikkor 70-200mm 2.8, Nikkor 85mm 1.4 and the Nikkor 17-35mm 2.8. These are my “base” lenses. If I wasn’t shooting pets I probably wouldn’t use the 17-35mm but it’s the perfect lens for “hip-shooting” and while I’ve found that style isn’t necessarily a big seller for me, it allows me to deliver a really well rounded and thorough session.

Please note, all of my lenses are FIXED APERTURES! I’d rather see you save for a fixed aperture lens rather than buy less expensive variable aperture lenses just to round out your kit.  You can do a lot with a 50 mm 1.4 lens!

After the set of base lenses I think it’s up to you. Give it some time. Develop your style and see what you like to shoot. And what your clients like to buy.  I’ve bought and sold many lenses through the years. Sometimes I’d try a lens because I liked a certain look, only to find my clients weren’t as enamored as I was. Sometimes I tried a lens, such as a perspective control or “tilt-shift” to find it really fit my style and added a touch of uniqueness to images I delivered.

The good news about quality lenses – you can sell them! I bought a fish-eye lens years ago because I liked the quirky distortion the lens rendered. I found, while it made my clients laugh, my client base, known for purchasing large fine art canvases, wasn’t really buying these shots.  So, I sold it for about 90% of what I paid.

Of course, renting is always a great way to go. Many Unleashed attendees rent a specific lens for the workshop. What a great way to try out a lens and get some great shots in the meantime!

Wherever you are in your pet photography path I recommend you go slowly, develop your style, and build a kit of quality lenses that will help you be a better photographer.

Below is one of my images, shot with that fish-eye that left my bag about 8 months after I purchased it!

June Bride

We start early and go late so book your flights accordingly. And bring your running shoes for some non-stop action!

DATES: June 8-10

Where: Northern Virginia (Dulles [IAD]), Leesburg and surrounding area

Cost: $1395 (see Workshop and Agenda tabs for more info on what’s included!)

Email us through our contact page here for registration links.  Hotel links will be available in the registration packet.  See you in Virginia and come ready to be Unleashed! There are only 15, 14, 13, 12,  11, 10, 9, 8,  7, 6, 5,4,3, 2 spots remaining so make your decision soon!

It looks like we’ll be teaching June 8-10, 2013 in the Northern Virginia/Washington DC area.  Please check this blog for all the details on cost/hotels/etc. and send us an email via the contact page if you’d like the registration  packet emailed to you.

Stay tuned for more information in the next few weeks!

Unleashed pet photography workshop

We’re putting the final touches on our list of dog models and it looks like we’re going to be super busy setting up lots of cool shots in a wide variety of locations.

Will you be the one to snag the last seat???

So don’t delay! Airfare discounts are the best when you book 4 weeks out –and the hotel will be holding our deeply discounted rooms only until September 1st. Contact us today!

If you’re looking for a program that cuts through all the fluff, gets down to what it really takes to succeed in the genre of pet photography, and gives you TONS of shooting time – you won’t want to miss Dallas in September.

Our program is fast paced and action packed – bring your running shoes! (And camera gear!)

See you in September!

Blogging is very important for photographers and it’s something we talk about at length during Unleashed.  Check out these great blogs and leave them some comments!