Animals, whether they are in a zoo or out in the wilderness, make for fascinating photographic subjects. As with sports photography, it may not be necessary to invest in top-grade, professional equipment and lenses. A moderate tele-zoom lens can be equally useful in a semi-controlled environment where you get closer to the animals without danger, especially when it is augmented by tele-convertors and the crop factor of dSLRs. However, a good camera for wildlife photography should feature some kind of water or dust resistance or seals, since the equipment is literally exposed to the elements.

It opens up a whole new world for photography, especially if it is combined with another sports or hobby such as diving or snorkeling. It’s noteworthy that most marine photographers start off with a prosumer digital camera with a water-tight casing rather than a dSLR, since casings for dSLR cameras are notoriously expensive and can accept only a limited range of lenses.

The categories discussed above are just some commonly practiced by photographers. There are many more, and the one which will appeal to you will depend on what you enjoy most. You might also want to think about: landscape, macro, creative/artistic abstracts, and portraits, all of which have their own unique characteristics.

Be sure to read up and do more "homework" first before committing to any purchases.

Taking good portrait pictures can be one of the most satisfying aspects of photography. You will be able to capture the essence of a person and show them at their best in a single picture.

If you are likely to do a lot of portrait photography you should generally look for lenses with wide aperture values (f/2.8 is a good bet).

These will give a shallow depth of field, making your subject stand out from the background. You should also use a camera that has a good range of manual controls so that you will be able to try different exposures and aperture values. Other useful tools would include flash units that have built-in slave units, so that you can provide indirect lighting, and a sturdy tripod.

A high-end dSLR will give you the megapixel count to be able to print out large photos, suitable for framing and hanging on a wall or putting into a silver frame on the mantelpiece.

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