Black and White Photography With Cats?

While we usually expect a pet portrait to be in color—a bright snapshot of a cherished memory—sometimes a black and white photograph can be even more captivating. By removing the distraction of color, the true soul of the pet is revealed, highlighting the texture of their fur and the emotion in their eyes.

Join me as I share three portraits that demonstrate the timeless power of black and white photography for cats, and maybe even inspire you to try it too.

• I am adding a link to my post on taking your best black and white cat photographs under the portraits.

Award Winning Sam

First, meet Sam.

Sam caught the attention of the Judges at the Cat Writers’ Association 2022 Communication Awards for his journey back to health after a tough start in life and his emergency shelter with us as the rescue was temporarily out of space. His recovery series of portraits won a Muse® Medallion which I am proud of because the series was shot within a very small space set (one room) with my modest Canon 1500D and 50mm lens.

Your smartphone in portrait mode will achieve something similar, or try a shallow depth of field on your DSLR/Mirrorless camera (e.g. f.2.8 or near as you can get).

Why does this work?

• There is strong light coming from the window on the left which lights Sam’s body and profile.
• The image is sharp enough to allow Sam to stand out from the background. (You can sharpen your photo in editing software, if you need to. Work on a copy first).
• There is a gentle triangle shape that focuses on Sam.

“When shooting with a black and white image in mind there will be a greater focus on the light, textures and patterns in the image, rather than the colours”

luketscharke

A Senior (Ginger) Reflects

The result here is a portrait that catches the heart. Jack is our senior ginger boy. He is hyperthyroid but is still thriving and loving life right now.

The photo shows how a single cat capture can create a magical moment. The quote by Luke Tscharke, highlighted above, rings true here. The texture in Jack’s fur and how the light falls play a key part of how the final black and white image turned out.

This is a RAW image and if you try RAW you will increase your options to adjust and edit. RAW has allowed me to make fine sharpening adjustments, and add more contrast. [Note: RAW can be worked on in several software options you don’t need to buy new ‘stuff’.]

Why does this work?

• I cropped closer in to Jack’s face.
• Then adjusted the highlights and shadows with dodge and burn tools. These are great when used lightly.
• I made small adjustments to the exposure.
• I added a small amount of sharpening to Jack’s fur.

Once you become confident adjusting an image in your photo editing software you will realise that each tool or option can make a big difference; so adjust with care and a light touch. Remember too that if you don’t like an effect or result you can undo the adjustment (Ctrl/Cmd Z) and try something different.

Camera RAW a Guide for New Users

A Serious Thomas Portrait

I have to include a portrait of our beloved Thomas who passed in September. This is a simple portrait of a tuxedo cat that proves that black and white photography with cats can be elegant, and fuss free.

Why does this work?

• The portrait is of a single cat shape – no distractions.
• The focus is on the face and lovely white tux shape below it.
• I gently adjusted the exposure so bring up with highlights on Thomas’s black fur.
• Lightening the exposure also lightened the whiskers which is a bonus!
• As a finishing touch, I framed the portrait with a soft dark vignette to focus is his face.
• TIP: A vignette can also soften any background after you work with an erase tool.

I write about black and white here with lots of tips!

A simple image works well with bright light (natural or a soft box) so you get nice shadows. Yes, shadows are a good thing sometimes! Try to think in black and white with your focus on strong shapes and fur texture. Look through your photo library and also take a look at my black and white post (link below) for more focused tips for success.

So, what are you waiting for? Go and take a black and white photograph and inspire us all!