The Raw Materials of Black and White Pet Photography

Being a good photographer means that you must make conscientious decisions about every possible minute aspect of your imagery. For example, I'll give you a list of a few things that I'm constantly aware of: film type film speed chemistry type chemistry temperature chemistry solution ratio lens focal length lens glass type aperture depth of field shutter speed lighting proper metering of subject proper metering of background paper choice enlarger set up enlarger lens length burning dodging size of grain paper development contrast tonal range zone system mattboard choice mattboard window cutting framing

Those are just a few of the things I keep in my mind constantly when creating my analog black and white pet photography. With every frame I expose (or, every photograph I 'take'), this laundry list of elements swirls around my head, creating the perfect recipe for my final photographic print. Because nothing about my traditional photographic process is automatic, I have an endless world of possibility at my fingertips (and my eyes).

For me, analog photography is like painting, or drawing, or sculpture. There are no machines within my process that allow me shortcuts, make decisions for me, or tell me where to go next. I take raw materials into my hands, and create within my medium. This is why I love what I do.

Black and White Pet photography