How Do I Take a Prize Winning Cat Photo?

A recent conversation with a reader, sparked by their interest in my Kuykendall Image Award win, led me to consider what truly makes a compelling cat photograph and what makes an image ‘competition worthy’. I’ve gathered a few of my thoughts on the subject.

How do you take a prize winning cat photo?

What Makes A Prize Winning Photo?

Contests like the prestigious Mono Awards, Pet Photography Awards and the CWA have a set of clear rules you must stick to.

Contests are unpredictable and surprising because photography is a highly subjective art and every submission by a professional or an amateur, like you and I, is a step into the unknown. Every judge in every contest is different with different ideas of interpreting a contest’s guidelines.

What Do I Mean By ‘Subjective’?

DEFINITION: Generally speaking, subjective is used to describe something that exists in the mind of a person or that pertains to viewpoints of an individual person.

Dictionary.com

Here’s an example of how unpredictable and subjective judging can be. My submission of a local rescue’s gorgeously adoptable ginger kitten and a second black and white sombre portrait. Both were submitted to a contest. Each one will appeal to a different person.

Here’s the question. Which of the images do you prefer? Sit in the judge’s seat and decide which is the ‘better’ image? It’s an unpredictable game – right? So let’s maximise your chances of success when you submit an image to any contest.

What Do You Submit?

Only submit the best work you have that fits within the guidelines of the competition. This does not mean perfect, it means the best work you are happy with, and that you are proud of.

Sharpness helps, as does a focus on your cat’s eyes, but if your photograph captures a stunning moment of beauty or a startling comic moment that is really special – add it to your ‘under consideration’ pile. A prize winning photo is not always the most perfect.

Read the Rules

This is very important. Some competitions demand a certain quality e.g. 72 dpi (low res) or 300 dpi (high res), or a certain size of a certain number of pixels. Check what is needed and adjust your image accordingly.

What Goes Into A Prize Winning Photo?

* Subject
* Intention
* Composition 
* Lighting

All of these play a part and this works for you and your cat photography as much as for high-flying professionals who shoot for newspapers, magazines or portraits.

For cat photography many people are not professionals and some never travel far from home. Rather than compare yourself with others, remember that location isn’t everything and you don’t have to travel to the Greek Islands or Japan’s Cat Island to capture a prize winning photo. Here’s how I know.

My Muse® Medallion winning series of emergency rescue Sam was shot in one room and on the side of the house that doesn’t get the sun. Critically, it captures not simply Sam’s face but his journey through the damage you can see on his neck and his recovery. It tells a meaningful story of hope and rescue without travelling far from home.

Are Rules Intimidating?

Rules are meant to be helpful and stop you wasting time and money (because, yes, most photography/other competitions require payment. Look for early bird discounts to save $$). 

To give you an idea of the kind of rules you may encounter, here are the guidelines for the Cat Writrs’ Association Single Image Category (for 2023). They are clear and simple:

• Without the need for words, a photograph tells a story that delights, moves, amazes, and/or stirs the viewer. A single image, black & white or color, may illustrate a point in a text or stand alone as with greeting cards, book covers, and posters. On its own, it may enhance a blog/website/social media. The photographic artist has unique challenges using shadow, light, tone, and composition to influence the story and mood in the direction they seek to express.

The Issue of AI in Photos

You will find as you read the rules that one thing comes over very clearly. AI (Artificial Intelligence) is not welcome in most photography competitions.

AI is different to the use of masks, dodge and burn and cropping. Many software programs like Photoshop, Affinity Photo and Luminar Neo have access to, and are able to adjust many small elements but, the impression I get (and this is a personal observation) is that the usual photo processing tools are OK but radical adjustment using AI leads to images being disqualified.

Luck, Chance and Skill

Submitting photos is very much a matter of chance and luck, as well as skill. You stand as good a chance is anyone else. The bigger the competition the fiercer the contest will be and even amateur standards are climbing all the time. BUT…

• Don’t let comparisons intimidate you.
• Don’t be put off by the photos of others.
• DO SUBMIT if you believe your photo is worth the submission fee.

Above all take pride in your photos and the work you do. A photo can be a precious memory and it can win a contest, so stand tall as a cat photographer and submit your best work with pride and hope.