PETCAM, The World Through the Lens of Our Four-Legged Friends
by Chris Keeney
Copyright 2014 by Princeton Architectural Press
144 pages with almost 100 photographs
I know many of you are familiar with PetCams – the lightweight digital cameras you can attach to your pets’ collar or harness. They automatically take photos from your pets’ point of view. This book is a collection of just such photos taken by a variety of pets and farm animals from all around the world.
Each group of photos has an introduction to the “photographer”, with photo – dogs, cats, pigs, cows, chickens, and more! The descriptions are amusing statements about each animals’ artistic style and philosophies, and many of the photos have humorous quotes describing the shots.
One of my favorites is Coulee, a border collie/golden retriever mix from Canada, who includes a photo of his human cleaning up after him (with his tongue hanging out at the top of the photo as he watches). His quote reads: Who doesn’t get a thrill from watching another creature clean up your own poo? I’m holding on to this one for blackmail purposes.”
Hamlet & Walter, two miniature potbellied pigs from San Diego, share some beach photos. Did you know potbellied pigs hung out on the beach? I didn’t! Walter shares a photo of Hamlet, “nosing for clams. Oh, wait a second. Hamlet…? “Ham”-let…! All these years together, and I just got that!”
There’s more to this book than just the photos though. The author also provides advice for purchasing and using your own PetCam, should you decide to do so. I’ve always thought it would be fun, but even more so now! In addition, he tells the history of putting cameras on animals, which dates back to 1908 when a German photographer and inventor put one on a passenger pigeon.
I loved this little book, it just brought a smile to my face over and over, and who doesn’t need that? At the size of 6″ x 6″, I think it would make a perfect stocking stuffer for your animal loving friends. It would fit nicely right on your end table or coffee table, and give your company (and yourself) something to flip through and chuckle over.
You can purchase this book directly from the publisher, through this link. It is also available through other book sellers. I believe it is available in digital versions, but I think a book like this needs to be in hand!
About the author: Chris Keeney is a professional photographer from San Diego. He also wrote another book Pinhole Cameras – a DIY Guide.
Giveaway! The publisher has generously offered my readers a chance to win this book for themselves, and I am authorized to give away 5 copies! Whether you would like it for yourself, or to give as a Christmas gift, enter the easy Rafflecopter below for your chance to win (I kept this one simple). This giveaway is open to everyone 18 years of age or older, and void where prohibited by law. It will be open until Wednesday December 3rd at 11:59 pm.
*Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest review. I was in no other way compensated, and Wag ‘n Woof Pets only shares products we feel will be of interest to our readers.
On our puppy when she gets a bit bigger
Our young pup Luke, at over a year old, still wants to chew on anything we put on him…so we’d have to wait longer with him too!
I think it would be fun to have the PetCam on my cat. I think he sleeps all day, but who knows!
It would be fun to find out, wouldn’t it?
Sounds like fun!
It sure looks it!
The world through the eyes of my Border Collie/Great Pyr mix..great fun…great giveaway!
What a great mix!
The world through the eyes of an almost 6 month old Borador puppy with a Petcam.
Now that sounds like fun!! 🙂
Shiloh and Wager, my two Shelties. Especially Shiloh- I’d love to see an agility run from his point of view.
I think watching an agility run would be an excellent use for a PetCam! I’d love to see it myself!
I would use with with Ginger (dog).
I would love to have one for my rats, but I think it might be too heavy for them!
I think you’re right….the smallest animal I saw in the book was a guinea pig, I think!
my rabbit 🙂
I love it! We had rabbits as kids, and what fun they were.
I have 2
What a cool product! Would be so cool to see what photos our pups took!
It looks like you have a cute crew, and I bet they would get some fun photos of each other!
I’d put this cam on my Mini Poodle Leroy!
I bet Leroy would get some fun photos!
This is a FUN giveaway!
Thanks, so glad you think so! 🙂
Cool shots, I would put the pet cam on my chessies and if MK would allow it she could wear it too, some day I will get one.
I bet MK would definitely want to be in on the fun, and you’ll get some great photos of all of them when you do get one.
That sounds very helpful! We would put a petcam on Bentley! BOL!
I’d love to see Pierre from Bentley’s perspective! 🙂
It sounds like a lot of fun!
It sure does!
Sounds like a cute book!
I would of course, put it on my husky!!
ღ husky hugz ღ frum our pack at Love is being owned by a husky!
It would be so fun to see the other dogs, the cats, and the kids from their perspective, wouldn’t it?
Oh, that looks like a fun book! (Can’t get the Rafflecopter to work with my iPad at the moment. Will try to enter later! If I remember… so forgetful!)
Believe me, I know how that is! Hope you don’t forget to come back!! 🙂
We often film with a GoPro. We have mounted them on dogs for a drug search, agility. lure, a big show and days at the park. It’s a bit hit and miss- lots of wasted footage but a few gems. The POV at events from Atom the pug was hilarious and the action footage is amazing, especially agility.
Oh, drug search and agility, those sound really interesting! I hadn’t really thought of them for more than just every day stuff….that must be really cool. I’d especially love to see agility.
What a cool book! The mom wants to get us a camera we can hang around our necks.
With three of you, you guys could do some fun stuff!
Hubby picked up a go pro camera, we’re thinking of attaching it to Delilah. LOL
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your Jan!
Oh, I can just imagine the kind of photos we’d see from Delilah! LOL
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family as well!
My Pug Olivia
I love Pugs!!
We have our Sony Action Cam with dog mount, but it is always so shaky because of our moving around. It is still fun for Mom to see things from our point of view.
I think it is fun, even if the quality of everything isn’t the greatest. Seeing things from your perspective is so cool!
WOW……the PetCam is a cool idea…….of course if we had one it would go on ME!!!!!
Hugs, Sammy
Now I wonder what kind of photos we would see from you, Sammy? I bet that would be very interesting!
I think a squirrel would be fun. Or a hawk.
Oh, both would be so cool. But a hawk might really have an interesting perspective!