How to photograph your cat: practical tips
As a loving owner, you know how adorable your cat is. Most likely, you even have a new hobby – amateur photography, because the whole world should know how pretty she is.
But have you noticed that it’s not always easy to take a good photo of your pet at home, especially if she doesn’t want to have anything to do with these sudden photo shoots?
Don’t worry – there are tons of ways to help you capture this cuteness! Here are a few tricks to take your pet photography to the next level and get the perfect picture.
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Be patient
Let’s tell you the whole truth: photographing cats can get impatient. Undoubtedly, your pet seems to be a very accommodating model – after all, cats wallow most of the day, but when she sees a camera or phone in your hand, she calmly changes position, covers her face with her paw, or simply gets up and leaves. The stars are what they are. You will be able to catch some cute poses… but we still advise you to wait for a good shot, because it’s worth it. So relax and get ready for a long journey.
Let her be the boss
She already thinks she’s in charge here, right? So let her take the lead in the photo shoot. Since she is most comfortable in her favorite cozy places, try to focus on her habits as much as possible. This may require some spying skill on your part, but try to follow her while she goes about her normal daily (or nightly) activities. Very soon she will notice you and try to make it difficult for you, but before that you will have many opportunities to catch a great shot.
Meet her in the middle
On the ground, if you will. Try to get down to the level of your cat’s eyes, even if you have to lie on the floor to do this, you can get a great photo, notes VetStreet. If your cat is a climber, let her climb onto her favorite perch, such as the back of a sofa, a cat house, or a window sill. Experiment with different angles, but try not to shoot your cat from above because it can look skewed in the finished shot. Well, or, on the contrary, try to do this – if this is exactly what you want!
Pay attention to the background
Surely you have at least once seen photos of cute kittens on the Internet and thought at the same time: “The photo would be even cuter if it weren’t for the dirty laundry in the background.” Pay attention to your cat’s surroundings, especially things that can’t be cropped in the photo. It’s easy to get distracted by a kitten’s cute face when you’re photographing it, but an uncluttered background will make it the real star of the show.
Bribe her
When photographing cats, do not shy away from bribery in order to get a good shot. If she reacts to the treat, toss some bites to your pet to get her up her tree. Throw the toy in the air for a dynamic shot of her jumping. Some cats are quite indifferent to treats (yes, that’s true), so you might want to try catnip. The double effect of catnip on her favorite toy will give you great photo and video frames, but be careful not to bring it to unsafe movements.
Ask someone to help
It is true that photographing cats can sometimes require the efforts of two people. For example, while someone distracts her with a toy or a laser pointer, you can wake up your inner paparazzi and capture all the most beautiful shots. You may need to practice a little to get a good photo of a pet and to keep your assistant out of the frame (unless you want him to be in the frame, of course), but over time you will get the hang of it.
Try not to use flash
If you’re using a camera (or even a camera on your phone) and need some extra light to reveal your cat’s prettiest pose, you can use a flash. There is nothing terrible or wrong with using a flash when photographing a cat, but it can create more problems than you might like. If your pet is easily frightened, the outburst may cause her to run for cover. And then the view of the camera every time will cause unwanted poses. In other cats, however, an outburst can cause curiosity that is impossible to resist. While you’re trying to get some great close-ups of your cute cat lounging around, a curious kitty can make the process very difficult.
Experiment
No two cats are the same. Sometimes reportage shots are best when the cat doesn’t know it’s being filmed. You can try to tire her out with play and exercise ahead of time to get charming shots of her napping. String toys or cat perches can help capture her hunting prowess. Try taking selfies of both of you to show your close relationship. Whichever method you choose, it will take a little time and practice before you get it right. Also, take lots of shots until you get one you like. Just be discreet and try not to annoy the cat, otherwise in the future she may refuse to participate in photo shoots at all. And, of course, be careful when posting pictures of your adorable cat, as moderation sometimes gets the best response from friends and family.
And in general, the most important thing – do not be afraid to fool around! Animals do strange things to get our attention, and we can do the same to capture them. You know your cat better than anyone, and no one can capture your special relationship with her better than you.
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