|
Cats
can be the easiest, most difficult, most fun or frustrating subjects
you ever photograph. If you are finding your results are not as good
as you’d like, here are some tips to make it a little easier to
get good, clear photos.
1)
Light,
light & more light! Preferably natural filtered daylight. If
you're taking photos outdoors, wait for an overcast day or move your
subject to an open shady area. Bright sun will create ugly shadows
& harsh bright spots in your images. An even, soft light is the
answer. Indoors, try & use the filtered light from a large
window. Bounce the light back onto the subject by using a light
coloured background. Pic 26 was taken indoors with the cat facing a
large window & a white background behind.
2)
Flash? Most onboard camera flashes aren't designed for anything more
than fill-flash in daylight. Use the flash for adding a bit of
"sparkle" to the eyes or to brighten up a face.
3)
Get your cat interested in "posing" for you by producing
an item they haven't seen before, or tuck some of their favourite
treats into something for them to smell & find. Make the most of
their inquisitive nature by giving them something to be curious
about. Pics 24 & 25 were taken when I spread out a length of new
fabric on the couch. Both cats had to investigate and roll around on
the fabric & so a photo opportunity presented itself. Pic 27 was
arranged when I balanced a saucer of puss's favourite food in the
neck of a vase. She couldn't resist!
4)
Put the cat up to your eye level, or you get down to theirs. Most
cats look awkward and out of proportion when photographed from
above, so be prepared to spend time rolling around on the floor to
catch the action.
5)
A
dining table near a large window makes an excellent “studio”.
Stand a couple of chairs on the table, cover the whole lot with a
large length of plain, light coloured fabric then add a prop or two
to get the cat interested. Pic 28 was taken with this
arrangement.
6)
Make the most of your cats waking up time for photos. Most cats take
their time to yawn, stretch, open and close their eyes a number of
times, stretch some more….before finally getting to their feet.
Their slow, sleepy movements can make taking some photos a lot
easier than when they are busy playing.
7)
Make use of another person to stand behind you and attract the cats
attention by waving a toy or offering some food.
8)
Look for photo opportunities in your cats regular daily routine. A
photo of an indoor cat sitting on a window sill; a reflection in a
mirror; a big stretch on the scratching post……these are all
effective pictures. Take close up photos of their paws (pic 29),
profile (pic30) or sleeping little faces (pic31).
9)
Practice composing your photos correctly. If you are photographing
the whole cat (head and body), fill the frame with the subject
without cutting off paws, ears or tail. If you are photographing the
cats face, don’t cut off part of the ears. Either include all of
the ears or crop them off completely.
10)
Learn to use your camera settings to good effect. If your camera has
a “portrait” mode, this is an ideal setting for cat photos. If
your camera has a “rapid-fire” mode, use it to take frame after
frame in quick succession. If you have a macro mode, or a lens that
allows close focusing, use it to get close up shots rather than
zooming in. The further you zoom in, the more light you lose and the
harder it becomes to hold the camera still enough for a sharp shot.
11)
Take lots of photos. Firstly, it will get your cat used to the
camera, but more importantly, you will have more practice. Take note
of the situations and lighting conditions that yield good photos and
keep them in mind for future shots.
The
photos used to illustrate this tutorial remain the property of Gayle
Knowles and may not be used, published or distributed without the
permission of the photographer.
|
