`If you’ve always wanted to photograph your cat and don’t know where to start, today we’re going to explain some tips that will help you know how to photograph cats.
Cats are notoriously fickle animals. They can be a real challenge. But with enough time, patience and creativity, you can create some very interesting cat photos without needing to buy more equipment than you already have at home. Let’s take a look at how to do it.
- Photographing outdoors, in the morning or in the evening
These are the times when the light is best and you don’t have to worry about using a flash.
Most professional pet photographers recommend photographing cats in the backyard if there is no chance of them escaping. This is where we should set up everything, backdrops if we use them, toys and other props to make the shots easier.
- Ask someone to take care of the cat
This is a great help. Cats are fickle. They don’t know what the camera is doing, and they don’t think to look directly at it.
We need to be gentle, but our hands are busy taking the pictures. Someone to take care of the cat makes it much easier. We can ask that person to do some kind of play while allowing us to take the pictures.
It’s good to have lots of toys to distract the cat
As a last resort, we can bring treats for the cat. Do this with some degree of modesty, and you will keep the cat entertained long enough to take the pictures.
- Taking natural photos
There are three methods for taking natural pictures of felines. They work best when not used with a flash, as this also helps to capture their attention.
If you are indoors, instead of using the flash, set the camera to high ISO, sport mode, or any other mode that allows you to take pictures in low light conditions.
Here are three methods you can use to catch the cat by surprise:
Stealth photo: go into stealth mode and surprise your cat. Keep your camera at face level, so you don’t scare it away with sudden movements. This is the hardest part, because cats have a very keen sense of hearing.
Zoom: If you have a zoom on your camera, use it! That way you can be far away from the cat and capture that adorable photo without distracting it.
Camera extender: The extender is an extendable pole that you can attach your digital camera to (works best with smaller cameras because they are less heavy).
- Surprise your cat into action
The idea is to have someone help you and play with the cat while you take the picture, as shown above.
You can use a rope or similar object to get pictures of the cat jumping, and other types of toys to get better pictures.
- Put yourself at the cat’s level
It is best to avoid taking pictures from above, as this makes the cat look like an insect about to be squashed and takes away its strength.
This is exactly the same as photographing babies and small children. You have to get into their little world and show things from their point of view.
If you think you’ve zoomed in enough, zoom in a little more. Most amateur pet photography is taken from a distance. By zooming in, you’ll get the cat to fill the frame, which makes the photo more visually interesting.
It’s also a good idea to incorporate a person into the photo.
- A big challenge: photographing black cats
Black cats are certainly difficult to photograph. A key element to capturing the expression of black cats is to focus directly on their eyes.
You also have to trust your own eye, you have to move around and find the right spot.
Black cats need to be black in photos, so it’s very important to choose good lighting that brings out the shape of the cat, but doesn’t make it look too dark, too white or artificial. Although it doesn’t look like it, this can be quite difficult to achieve.
