Improving Your Cat Photography

If you’re anything like me, first let me say I’m terribly sorry. However, you’ve probably also wondered how to take better photos of your cats. You know, without red eyes and swirling fur, like they just popped out of Stephen King’s “Pet Cemetery.”

Well, dear readers, you’re in luck. I recently did some reading on the subject, and learned enough to pass along some tips which should help improve your cat photography. Hopefully, this comes as a nice surprise to some of you — I mean the ones who wondered if I knew how to read. OK, let’s begin.

First, you must have a camera, so go get yours. If you don’t have one, and you get yours from your neighbor’s house, please don’t tell me. That will change my status from teacher to accomplice.

Now according to what I read, you may want to concentrate on candid shots, as opposed to still photography. That’s because cats only are still until you point a camera at them. Then, they immediately start break dancing. And you get the feeling they’re thinking, “Trying to take pictures?  Not with me. Gotta sing, gotta dance!” So, just shoot and shoot, and you may get a picture or two that look like your cat is sitting … in the air!

As for lighting, cats love windows, so try to go with natural light. If it’s a cloudy day, put a lamp in the window and create fake natural light. Studies show that cats either don’t know the difference, or they’re too polite to point it out. Of course, these same studies show that cats can take just as good photos of us as we do of them, so let’s take this information with a grain of salt.

If you are determined to get some still shots of your cat, the book suggests that you try snapping away while they are sleeping. This, of course, can have wildly mixed results. You might catch kitty with a blissful look on her face. Then again, you might spook her so badly you will be forced to remove her from yours.                

For action shots, the book recommends that you give your cats their favorite toys. From my experience, though, cats will look at this stuff and not move a muscle. You know how perverse they can be. However, this is a great time to try out your still photography. It will serve a double purpose. You’ll get some great shots and also prove to your cats that you sometimes can outwit them.

Best of luck. And just for fun, give your cat the camera some time and see what sort of photos she takes. It may be just a bunch of self-portraits, but so what? You have to admit, the prospect is tantalizing.

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