Lens Accessories

Before you take your big, expensive lenses out to the shelter to photograph the animals, you should first take some steps to protect them. I don't know why, but dogs often have a tendency to want to lick the front of the lens.

To protect against this, I have a lens hood and a UV filter on the front of every lens that I use to photograph animals. The lens hood usually keeps the errant tongue a safe distance away. However, one time a dog with a particularly well endowed tongue got through the lens hood and gave my UV filter a nice slimy lick. I was able to clean it later but if this is going to happen, I would rather it happen to a filter instead of the front element of my lens. A lens hood has the added benefit of reducing flaring from the sun when working outside, another helpful feature which makes the use of a lens hood pretty much mandatory.

<- Back