Manipulative-Witch.com

Pet Photography

This page is dedicated to my pal Mr Bob who sadly passed away unexpectedly last year.. missya buddy.

Lighting - If you can use natural light conditions you will get a much more pleasing result without the color cast that can be produced by using indoor light. If indoor light is your only option you can also use software such as Paint Shop Pro to correct color temperature to remove the blue or yellow cast.

Background - Trying to get your cat to pose can be a problem sometimes and when they do, usually it's in the wrong place. One solution that SLR users can use is the long zoom close up, this reduces the depth of field and blurs the background considerably but the overall sharpness is reduced so try to focus in on the eyes, as they are what is most likely to captivate and give you the image you are looking for.

For those of you using point and shoot cameras, this isn't so easy as you don't have the focal length range, but there are still tricks to getting a good shot. You can still get in close and lose a lot of the background, but a major problem is that if you have to use flash due to lighting conditions you will probably over expose your kitty or get a nasty glare on the eyes.

Red eye - Quite often when photographing pets you will experience problems with red eye or glare due to the flash, Paint Shop Pro has a great tool that fixes red eye problems for both humans and animal eyes. I use this feature when necessary.

Flash Tricks - If your camera suffers from an over zealous flash, as some do ( i.e. Sony Mavica) one trick is to cover the flash with the low tack masking tape.. it reduces the output and gives a more natural flash as opposed to something that resembles a WW2 search light *grin. Alternatively if that reduces too much light output, try taping a small piece of baking parchment in front of the flash using low tack tape. This will give you a temporary solution when needed. Note This also works great in the passport photo style photo booths which also often suffer from strong flash. If your camera has a fill in flash option try using that, as it's not so strong and may still achieve the lighting conditions you need.

Setting the Scene - Some of the problems mentioned in this section can be overcome by planning ahead. If you take the time to look for good natural lighting conditions within your home, and set the stage so to speak..it can really pay off. I gave my cats the guest bedroom as a play area, it's filled with cat furniture, baskets, boxes, cushions and other great photo backgrounds.

I also have a tree downstairs in the lounge area that has a plain cream wall as a backdrop which works well with the cream colored cat furniture. If you cat has a favorite sleeping place, try and move it to an area that is uncluttered and well lit with natural light... and then just wait.

Props - Sometimes your cat will choose it's own props but you can help out by choosing a few well placed items that are inexpensive but will help enhance your photos. Choose props and settings that suit your cat's personality and the feeling you want to convey. If you are limited in space, there are cheap and easy ways to create the right settings. Use backdrop clothes to eliminated cluttered backgrounds, simple backdrops are more than enough, there is no need to spend money on specialist equipment.

Plain colored flat bed sheets
A large piece of satin or velvet material material thrown over a box or chair or table
Plain colored sheepskin style rugs.. thrown on top of a large box near a window with a plain wall.
Wicker baskets throws, bed blankets, picnic blankets, fake plants, cat beds, plush toys, cat toys

.. the possibilities are limited only by the imagination and your cat's natural instincts to choose their favorite spot.. work round your cat.

Our cats like to sleep on top of the computer monitors, so we make sure the walls behind stay clear, they love to sleep on the sofa bed so we have a furry throw and cushions on it...

Let your cat dictate where they feel comfortable and then do your best to improve the surrounding to suit your needs.

Don't expect to stage the scene and have kitty automatically oblige.. it takes time and patience, just be prepared to grab your camera at any time. Not all great shots are staged and it's those candid moments that are totally unplanned that really show your kitty's personality.

Additional Light - Mirrors and reflective materials (roasting foil) can help create more light when needed, if placed correctly they can bounce more light back from a window to create a more balanced light. If you have spotlights look for the natural light bulbs to help correct color balance issues, spotlights can be useful with kitties who constantly move from one spot to another.

Depending on the type of photograph you want to take you may leave the window uncovered and use strong sunlight for a strong dramatic look or silhouette, or drape a cream sheet over the window to subdue the light for a softer look.

Scrap that idea - If you see a picture that appeals to you consider building a scrap book of pictures for reference and ideas later. Pay attention to things like lighting and props and backgrounds and then try to recreate a similar environment for your own photos.

Digital repair and enhancement - Don't despair, the worst photographs can still be useable. I have never deleted a single digital photograph since I switched from film to Digital over 5 years ago. The vast array of filters and effects available in programs like Paint Shop Pro can turn your photo failures into works of art..... great for using on websites, as wallpapers or to print out for personalized notepaper etc.

You can hide a lot of flaws, like lighting issues and bad focus with a few simple techniques. Don't be afraid to experiment. just make sure you save them as new files not over the originals.. you never know when you will want to use it again. If you don't have a CD burner it's a purchase worth considering, prices have dropped considerably and if you catch the photo bug you could end up with thousands of pictures.

That's the shot !!! - Don't forget that most photography stores now offer to print your digital images. Professional prints are generally higher quality than the average home user can achieve so the service is worth considering for those "special" pictures.

There are many services that you might want to explore, everything from having your own personalized clothes, watches, mugs and the suchlike, right the way through to producing your own photo book. Check the speciality printing link for ideas.

Check out my gallery for some of my own pet portraits ..and no; they aren't ALL my cats, I'm not that brave or rich. These aren't professional shots of posh pets, they are just ordinary kitties doing what kitties do best.. I'll be adding more as and when I get time so keep checking back.