Take a picture of my cat
5 Ways to Take Great Photos of Your Cat - Vetstreet
Snapping a great picture of your cat can be a challenge. Often the cat is moving so fast the shot is blurry, or he’s looking in the opposite direction, or he darts out of range and all that’s captured is the tip of his tail.
I’ve worked with Joel Riner, a commercial photographer from Quicksilver Studios in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, on a variety of animal shoots over the past few years, and I’ve learned a lot from him about photographing animals. Joel was kind enough to talk with me about snapping the perfect cat photo. His first piece of advice: Decide ahead of time on the type of picture you want and get things set up accordingly before ever bringing the cat into the shot. Your cat’s willingness to stay in one place and be photographed may not last long, so being prepared will allow you to take good pictures quickly.
Here are five more simple tips for getting great photos of your feline.
1. Keep the background simple. Your cat should be the focal point of the picture, so opt for a backdrop that is not busy. Pull your cat forward and away from the background to make him stand out more. Perhaps the shot you want is of him sitting on his favorite perch; if so, move the perch away from the wall or other furniture to make your cat the focus of the photo. Using a shallow depth of field setting also helps; it will focus the camera on your feline while blurring out the background.
2. Choose the best lighting. Ideally, opt for soft, natural light. Indoors, an area with a large window often works best. Overcast days make for the best pictures; bright sun can cast odd shadows or make the background too bright. If you are shooting on a bright day, the best pictures often happen when the sun is low in the sky. Avoid using a flash if possible; in addition to causing the dreaded red eye, it can make your cat uncomfortable.
3. Choose a comfortable setting. Your cat may get uncomfortable if he is forced to stay in a certain area or position for too long.
Make the area where you are photographing your cat relaxing and quiet and he will be more likely to stay put. Choose an area the cat is already accustomed to, such as his cat furniture. Tasty treats or toys can make staying in this one place more appealing.
4. Create a calm atmosphere. Soft classical music can help your feline relax during a photo shoot. Synthetic feline facial pheromone products can be sprayed on surfaces the cat is resting on to promote relaxation in some cats.
5. Get down on your cat’s level. This may mean lying on your belly to snap a picture — you almost want to be looking up at your cat when you photograph him, rather than looking down at him. If it’s easier, photograph him on a climbing structure or perch — anything that puts you both at the same eye level. To get your cat to look at the camera, try making a strange noise. You may want help to get the cat’s attention; have a helper stand behind you and rustle a paper bag or bounce a feather toy.
Here are more Vetstreet photography articles you may enjoy:
5 Tips for Capturing an Unforgettable Portrait of Your Pet
Free Apps Make Pet Photo Editing, Sharing Easy
Shelter Photographer Talks About Her Hilarious Series of Dog Blooper Snapshots
5 Tips for Perfect Holiday Card Pet Snapshots
Photos Make the Difference: 8 Adoption Success Stories
11 Cat Photography Tips for Improving Your Pet Photography
Many of us are cat lovers. These little felines have beauty and personality that make them great photography models. Cat pictures are everywhere, from Facebook to Instagram to just about every other photo on Pinterest.
I used to live in a town full of cats. As a photographer, this meant I photographed many cats and learnt a great deal about cat photography. I ended up taking cat photos almost every day.
Cat photography is a fun and interesting niche of pet photography. Here you have my best 11 tips to improve your cat photography.
[Note: ExpertPhotography is supported by readers. Product links on ExpertPhotography are referral links. If you use one of these and buy something, we make a little bit of money. Need more info? See how it all works here.]
11. Use a Semi-Automatic Shooting Mode
Unless they are sleeping, cats can be fast and unpredictable. It’s good to be ready to shoot fast and shooting with a semi-automatic mode can really help you to speed up.
Aperture mode (called Av or A in most of the cameras) is the favourite among wildlife photographers. Be aware of using really low apertures though (f 1.8 f 2.2…). You might unintentionally set the depth of field to be too narrow. That can ruin your cat photo (if the cat moves, it will be out of focus).
You need to choose which aperture will be best to keep everything important in the image in focus. To compensate for higher apertures, you will need to use slower shutter speeds. This is not always the best option when the animal is moving.
Or you can increase the ISO instead.
Shutter priority mode (often called Tv or S, depending on the camera) is another helpful option.
With this one, you choose the shutter speed. With cats, it is usually good not to go under 1/125 or 1/250 seconds. Your camera will then adjust the aperture to get a well-exposed photo.
This might be a good approach when you are working under good light conditions. But with low light conditions (dark environments, dusk, etc.), things get a bit more complicated.
When pushing the camera to use really fast shutter speeds with low lighting, it will select really low aperture values. You will also need to use such high ISO values (more than 6400) that you might end up with a really grainy, out-of-focus photo.
10. Photograph Cats Using Different Angles
Cats are not the tallest animals. Photographing cats from your eye-level downward you can get really nice high angle photos.
This perspective emphasises the face and eyes of the cat.
Pay attention because it can cause a bit of distortion to the photo, so it might give a comic touch to the image.
Cats are pretty good with heights. They like climbing on trees, walls and any other tall structures. You can emphasise this behaviour by taking photos from a low angle (pointing the camera up). If you go down to the cat’s eye-level, you can take really nice photos without distortion. As you are at the cat’s height, you are also looking at the world like they do.
9. Use Continuous Shooting Mode
Cats can be unpredictable, so getting that amazing cat photograph can be quite hard. You can increase your chances of catching a good moment by using the continuous shooting mode. This is also called Burst mode or continuous high-speed mode. Most cameras these days have it.
It will allow you to take several images in quick succession. Try to read the cat’s behaviour, when you think it is about to act, start to take pictures.
You will end up with quite a few photos, so it will take time to sort through them and find the best shots.
But your chances of getting the best shots will increase!
The number of photos and how to activate it depend on your camera model, so I recommend going through your camera manual. Just make sure to deactivate it once you don’t need it. Shooting all the time in continuous mode will fill-up your memory cards really fast!
8. Focus on the Cats Eyes
The point that is in focus in the image is the point where the eyes of the viewers will be drawn. In portrait photography, it is recommended to focus on the eyes of the model. Eyes convey emotions, and we are naturally attracted to them.
The same is true for cat photography. Cats have these mysterious and beautiful eyes. If you get them sharp, it will look stunning.
You can also break this rule and get great cat photos focusing on other parts of their bodies. Paws are great for close-ups, for example.
7. Take Medium Shots and Close-Ups
You can tell different stories about a cat depending on the distance between you and the subject.
You can take a wide shot that includes a lot of the environment. This shows where the cat lives or stays.
Keep in mind, though, when taking wide shot photos, you can easily miss the cat. Although these little guys have a lot of personality, they are small in size.
As you want the cat to be the main character, medium shots and close-ups are a better choice.
In a medium shot, the subject takes up more of the frame than in a wide-angle one. They include a bit of the environment too. These are great images to introduce the subject and their surroundings.
6. Get Close to Your Subject
In a close-up, the subject (the cat in our case) fills up most of the frame and the environment is barely visible. The subject is clearly the main focus of the image.
For these types of shots you will need to get really close to the cat.
Depending on the cat, you may need to be silent and approach it really slowly. Make a little step towards the cat and stop.
Check if it looks suspicious or about to bolt.
If not, take a second little step, stop again and check if the cat is fine with you being there. Repeat until you get to a comfortable distance to shoot from.
Don’t make any sudden movements or change from standing to kneeling too fast. The trick here is to move slowly and softly, like the guys from the National Geographic documentaries.
Another option, as in other types of animal photography, is to stay far from the animal and use a telezoom.
If you do so, take into account that the longer the focal length you use, the faster the shutter speed you need. This is because longer focal lengths increase the effect of camera shake.
5. Be Patient
This tip is especially relevant when you are taking photos of stray cats or cats that don’t know you. Cats are usually suspicious by nature. If you get too close to them too fast, they will run away before you even have the time to take a single shot.
Don’t take it personally. Instead, let them get used to you progressively.
Cats are territorial, so they tend to hang around specific places. If you have the chance, spend time close to them as frequently as possible.
This doesn’t mean that you should go there and try to touch them or play with them. Just be there, observing, learning about their behaviour, getting to know them a little.
Each cat has its own personality, so after some time you can get to know which one is the boss of the territory, the fearful cat, the extra curious, or the friendly one.
These two last are especially relevant. They are the ones that will open up towards you first and be easiest to photograph.
4. Take Advantage of Their Curiosity
Cats are curious animals. You should use this to your advantage. Some cats are more inquisitive than others, but in general terms, these little felines like to know what you are doing.
Thanks to that, you can use some tricks to make them look at the camera. Make noises with some leaves or crumbling paper, and they will probably look in the direction of the sound’s origin.
Show them something, especially if it is hanging from a cord, and move it from one side to another. They will follow the movement or even go and try to catch the object.
Some of the cats, especially if you close to them, show curiosity for the camera. They are attracted by the DSLR noise made when shooting. After taking a first photo, chances are that the cat will look straight at the camera, so be ready to shoot again!
3. Be Open-Minded About the Results
If a cat is familiar with you and it is tamed, you might be able to make them pose in a particular way by using some tricks.
But with stray cats, the most common situation is that the cat decides to show its own personality and will end up either ignoring you or doing whatever it wants. Usually, this is exactly the opposite of what you wanted it to do. Cats have this talent.
At this point, the best thing to do is to be open-minded and accept that these little felines are a bit wild. Take a deep breath and keep taking photos of whatever the cat is doing.
You might be pleasantly surprised by the results.
2. Always Be Ready to Shoot
This is an easy recommendation, and it might seem quite obvious. But in real life, it is quite common to miss a shot just because it took us too long to get the camera ready.
With cat photography, it is even worse. Cats are fast, and they usually don’t repeat their actions just for us to take photos.
Always be ready. Pick the settings needed for the light situation and keep the camera close at hand.
If you want to check the images on your screen to make some adjustments, do it fast. Don’t get distracted going through all your photos. It might happen that when you raise your head form the screen, the cat is gone!
1. Don’t Use Flash, Especially with Kittens
If light conditions are not the best, you might think about using the flash. But cats are not the biggest fans of these strong and sudden light bursts.
You might scare them to the point of running away.
And in the case of kitten pictures, you might even damage their delicate eyes.
Instead of using flash, open the aperture of your camera, lower the shutter speed, and increase the ISO value to increase light sensitivity.
Another alternative is to use an LED light that won’t annoy them nor make them run away. You can start by using the LED light at really low intensity and increase it progressively when the animals get used to it.
Conclusion
Cat photography is both challenging and fun. Set your camera to a semi-automatic mode and always be ready to shoot. To increase your chances of catching a perfect cat photo, use a continuous shooting mode.
Be patient when photographing cats and give them some time to get used to your presence. Be open-minded about the results, and you will take fantastic cat images!
Once you have the purr-fect cat pics, you can edit them in Lightroom for the finishing touch. Learn more about how to edit with our Effortless Editing in Lightroom course!
We also give you some more great tips in our post: what’s inside a pet photographers bag.
Cat Scanner - Identification of cat breeds on Android and iOS
See a cat, but don't know its breed?
Just take a quick photo or video of your cat and with the Cat Scanner app you can reliably identify a cat breed in just a few seconds! Our built-in camera with Pinch To Zoom and Tap to Focus makes it easy to identify a cat of any breed!
Of course, the Cat Scanner app also supports downloading images from your gallery.
Is there a mixed breed?
No problem, your app also recognizes mixed breeds! We provide you with detailed data and interesting facts about the different breeds of your mixed breed cats.
All cat breeds in the Cat Scanner app!
Cat Scanner currently identifies about 60 different cat breeds. Our database includes all breeds officially recognized by the International Federation (FIFe) and even some more!
By the way, our extensive database of information and photos of all cat breeds (including unofficial ones) is also available completely without scanning!
Is there a cat nearby?
It doesn't matter! Simply scan yourself, your friends, family or those around you and find out which cat you look like the most!
It may seem a little strange, but it really works: the Cat Scanner app also recognizes people.
Just take a quick selfie and find out what kind of cat you are!
Be part of our cat scanner community!
Share your results and compare with the community! Upload photos of your favorite cat to our Social Feed and share them with other cat lovers! Browse profiles and photos of other users, comment on our feline community posts and filter them by date or popularity!
In addition, you can easily share your messages with your friends by simply sending a photo directly from the Cat Scanner app.
Catch all breeds of cats and become an expert!
Catch all cat breeds in Pokémon Go. Scan at least one cat of each breed, complete the challenges, earn virtual treats and become a true cat expert!
Compete against your friends or community members and climb to the top of our rankings!
Give us feedback on the Cat Scanner app!
Let us know if the cat breed has been correctly identified. If not, you will receive useful tips to improve your own results.
If you also indicate what breed of cat is in the picture, you will help us improve our software as the app automatically learns how to provide even more accurate results.
Suggest or vote for (unofficial) cat breeds you want us to add to the app in the future!
Get your premium upgrade!
With our premium version, the app will no longer show ads and your results will be available faster. What's more, you can now choose whether to recognize your cat's breeds fairly quickly or with greater accuracy. In the premium version, scanning cats is also possible offline, so you no longer need an active internet connection to identify their breeds. By purchasing our premium version as an option, you will also help support this app.
Find us on social networks!
On our social media channels, we bring you the most beautiful community cat pictures. You will also find many interesting facts about your favorite pet. Also, we will keep you updated on all the new added features of the Cat Scanner app in the future.
* Instagram
* Facebook
* Twitter
Just try it!
Download the Cat Scanner app for free. Find him at Google Play for Android devices or Apple App Store if you're using an iPhone or iPad! Despite the small size of the application, you will get all the features and be able to determine the breed of a cat or access our extensive database at any time!
Have you ever seen a cat and wondered what kind of cat it is? Maybe you even know the breed but can't remember its name? Or do you have your own cat whose breed you still do not know? Well, you may know that you are a mixed breed, but what breeds are actually part of your favorite?
Before you consider getting an expensive DNA test, the Cat Scanner app will help you answer all these questions! Just scan the cat with the app and the cat's breed will be automatically determined within seconds!
Disclaimer:
This app cannot turn your smart phone into a crazy spaceship that can extract your cat's blood with a magic laser.
The app gives educated predictions based on what it sees. On average, these predictions are fairly accurate. However, obviously the result can only be as good as the image/video you provide to the app. Moreover, it is impossible to correctly identify every cat. People tend to take it personally if their own favorite cat is not predicted correctly. If you give the app a chance, you'll see that its overall performance is pretty decent. Instead of paying a bunch of money for a DNA test, you get this app for free. Enjoy!
19 dads who fell completely in love with cats they couldn't stand before
animals
cats and cats
videos
stories
kind
touching
12/21/2019
1374
Sometimes, people categorically refuse something without even trying it, but as soon as they encounter it, they realize that this is exactly what they wanted. Today we want to melt your heart with touching "I-don't-want-a-cat" dad stories that later became "I-went-to-the-shop-because-she-doesn't-like-the-blanket-you-bought" .
Love always wins.. and cats.
"My dad, who 'didn't want a cat', shows Lucas [the cat] every item he buys in the store because 'he also wants to see what we bought'"
" My dad last year: "No cats in this house""
"My dad now"
My dad last year: “No quiero un gato en esta casa”
My dad now: pic.twitter.com/gKYfpzqUrt
— Rey (@Reyyx2) April 30, 2019
"My dad: "I don't want a cat in the house""
"My dad too"
"My dad who didn't want cats" they are sitting in the barn
2) He made a mound of sand and a pool for them (he walks them on harnesses because we live near a big road and he is afraid that they might run there)
"My dad: "Just don't bring the cat home""
"My dad too: Take a picture of us"
"When I was a kid, my dad never let me have cats.
Fast forward 20 years, and a few cats later, and this is how I look found him sleeping"
"Dad: "NO CATS! THEY ARE FORBIDDEN IN MY HOUSE!""
"1 year later:"
Dad : NO CATS ARE ALLOWED IN MY HOUSE!
1 year later : pic.twitter.com/G08CUkOepN
— Bulu Bulu Kehidupan (@ulat_bulu_bulu) 19November 2019
"My dad: "Don't you dare bring a cat into this house""
"My dad too:"
my dad: don’t u dare bring a cat into this house
— trip (@triparnax) September 4, 2019
also my dad: pic.twitter.com/swNqkacfRh
"My dad went from not wanting a cat to watching basketball with Simba"
"Daddy, don't need another one back cat. From him there will be only dirt ""
"My dad too:"
dad: “take her back, we don't need another cat.
she'll make a mess around the house.”
also dad: pic.twitter.com/qDiANHbClZ
— Sabrean (@Sabbyq23) June 22, 2019
"Six months ago my dad hated a cat"
"My dad 2 months ago: "We'll never have a cat. None of yours cat won't live in this house""
"My dad now: "I spent two weeks building this shelf so Gizmo could sit by his favorite window because the one you bought on Amazon isn't good enough"""
"My dad: "NO CATS IN THE HOUSE!""
"My dad too:"
My dad : NO CATS IN THE HOUSE!
Also my dad: pic.twitter.com/ohLOzvYlFw
— Noor Albasri (@Noor_Albasrii) June 17, 2019
"My dad: "No we can't have a cat. I hate cats!""
"My dad too:"
"My dad: "We don't need a cat. I hate cats!""
"Dad after we got a cat:"
Dad: “we don't need a cat.
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