Dave Boys LRPS, 57, has been a professional photographer for the last five years and has been photographing pets for 35 years.  He gave up his career as chartered accountant when he and his wife decided to run a dog hotel from their home near Chichester.

It was while commuting to London for his accountancy job that Dave decided enough was enough, and took up photography professionally. He often takes photos of the couple’s Cocker Spaniels, and now successfully runs WhyWhatWhere Photography where he also offers photography training sessions.

Dave’s passion for photography goes hand-in-hand with his love of animals. For him, the key to taking the perfect pet picture is having empathy with your subject.

“It’s about my love and understanding of animals. The best photographs you take are when you’re really interested in the subject. If you like football, you know when the striker’s about to kick the ball which might then go in the goal. If you see the photograph in your viewfinder then you’ve usually missed it. A lot of it is about anticipation and knowing your subject.”

Tip 2: Get the Right Equipment

The right equipment is important but when starting out, most amateur photographers can’t afford a top of the range DSLR.

It’s important to get a camera that suits your style of photography, so if you’re taking action shots you need a camera with a fast shutter speed.  But just as important, says Dave, is knowing how your camera works.

“I’ve now got a top of the range Canon 1DX DSLR, but until last January I had a Canon DSLR that was seven years old. It was an eight megapixel camera. Most people say you need at least 20 megapixels to take decent photographs, but a lot of the pictures on my website were taken on my older camera, and it can be done.

“You can take pictures with whatever photography equipment you’ve got. It can be easier with a better camera, and the more expensive ones will generally take better images in low light, focus better and have faster shutter speeds.. But the main thing is to understand how your camera works.  That will help you get the best picture.”

When it comes to buying a camera, the quality of the pictures depends on the lens. When buying your lens, it’s important to get the best quality one you can afford.

“With a good lens you’ll get really sharp pictures, particularly when you’re doing close-ups or fast action photos. The better the lens, the better the photograph regardless of the camera body,” he adds.

Tip 4: Learn the Tricks of the Trade

Although there’s a lot of talent involved in pet photography, you also have to learn how to take the perfect photo. You can gain this knowledge by attending a course or even joining your local camera club.

But the best way to learn is through practice and experience. It’s important to have an understanding of things like depth of field – which is the blurring effect in photos.

“By controlling the aperture on a camera, you can control how much of the picture is in focus and how much is out of focus. If you set up your equipment properly, you’ll get the best shot.”

By putting your theory into practice in a variety of scenarios, you’ll soon understand what makes a good photograph. You will then progress with your own style and technique.

Tip 5: Be Prepared for a Challenge

Whatever animal you’re photographing, you need to keep your wits about you and remember that pets can be unpredictable creatures. Some animals are much easier to work with than others, as Dave knows only too well.

“I once photographed two guinea pigs and it was an absolute nightmare. The lady wanted some prints to offer as a Christmas gift for her daughter. It took us ages to get them together. Guinea pigs are the hardest animal I’ve worked with,” he laughs.

Dave mainly photographs dogs, partly because he can empathise with them and partly because dog photography has a bigger market than any other pet.

“I once had two sisters asking me to photograph their eight Dalmatians. With dog photography it’s no good standing up with your camera looking down at them, you need to get down to their level. I’m often found on my knees or even lying flat on the ground at eye level with the dog.

“In the case of this picture, I was trying to get a shot of the dogs running towards me. The idea is that the owner will call the dogs so they run past me. The dogs got closer and closer, and one of them ploughed straight onto me and knocked me flat on my back. I had this huge Dalmatian licking my face. One of the owners dived in and grabbed my camera to protect it and she ended up taking a great photo.”