Cats are independent creatures, so if you expect your kitty to stay still while you take some happy snaps, you are probably going to be disappointed.
If you want to get some good photos of your cat, you’ll need the following:
- Patience;
- A camera of some description, preferably a working one;
- Fresh roll of film / empty memory card;
- Treats;
- A favourite toy (or two); and
- Patience
It is a good idea is to feed your kitty before the shoot, or get him/her during nap time – a docile kitty is more likely to cooperate than one that wants food and/or your attention.
Try use as much natural light as possible – turn the flash off on your camera. This means that you’ll need to either need to have something to rest your camera on, or steady hands to make sure your photos don’t come out blurry. Turning the flash off means that your cat wont get pissed off with you constantly firing a flash in their eyes, and also you’ll lose the orange/green reflections that are equivalent to the human ‘red eye’ issue with flashes.
Get down to cat level. You’ll generally end up lying on the floor, or crouched in some kind of awkward position (unless your kitty’s favourite spot is up high), but it will be worth it.
Let them do their thing. Don’t interrupt them, or put them where you want them (to start with). Get the kitty used to your camera (and you invading their space!) first. Sometimes the best photos are where the cat is just lying/sleeping/playing/cleaning and it requires no effort on your part to pose them.
Get their attention. This is where the toys and treats come in. If your cat is anything like our cat Train, her favourite toy will hold her attention much longer than the promise of a treat will, but do what will work best for your cat. If you can get a friend to hold the toy / treat just above or below the lens of the camera, their eyes will look like they were looking down the barrel of the lens.
Try different positions. While your cat may not move, you should. Take a few photos in one position, then get up and move around for a different positions- you don’t always have to be front on, or have all of the cat in the photo. Try different angles, heights and distances.
Take lots of photos! With digital cameras you have the luxury of taking as many photos as you need, and deleting the ones that suck. So take heaps of photos – this is the best way to learn what works and what doesn’t.
Be creative. When you and your cat are comfortable with taking photos (and being the subject), get creative. You can use windows, torches and lamps for different sources of light (without using your flash) which can also result in some cool effects. You can also use props if you’re brave, or set kitty up on a specific background to get a better result.
Be prepared. If you’re getting to the creative side of things, make sure you are prepared. Unlike humans, cats generally aren’t willing to wait around while you get that prop / light in the right spot. Know what you want and how you’re going to do it before kitty comes along.
While the photos above may make it seem like Train is a bit of a poser, she only kept the boa on for about 10 seconds. She was sitting on the edge of the couch, and I had my partner point a lamp at her, while I quickly wrapped the feather boa around her. Straight after the photos were taken she shook the feather boa off and jumped down off the couch.
Train was lying down on the bed when I took this photo. I got quite close to her face (and was trying to get her whiskers in focus) but got this instead. This is a good example of ‘getting away with more’ when kitty is a little sleepy. Usually train would not let me get that close with the camera. The light is coming from a nearby window.
Train has a favourite box which has some little ‘peep holes’ in it. I positioned a torch facing into the box from above, and got her attention with one of her toys. The torch lit the inside of the box enough for me to be able to capture her little face peering out.
Do you think I’ve missed anything, or do you have your own tips and tricks? Let us know in the comments.
savvycat x
