Having previously covered tips for photographing your cats, particularly your beloved senior pets, I’m circling back to encourage a deeper practice: establishing a regular, consistent visual journal of the cats you cherish.
Let me give you an example of an informal record that showcases a single cat. This is a challenge I would love you to accept over the coming months, whatever the season in your part of the world. Your images can be the foundation of a photo book or a display of photo canvases. It can be the start of a whole storehouse of memories.
I have set myself a few limitations for this particular challenge.
- All of the images are Landscape orientation. You can choose Portrait orientation if you like.
- The photographs are all in colour. You can choose black and white, or sepia.
- The amount of editing is minimal. This encourages you to get it right in the camera.
What is your message?
When you create a series of photos ask yourself what your message or story is. You may be keeping a casual record of a kitten’s progress as it grows, covering the journey of a cat from bedraggled rescue to happy home; or like I am here, gathering a collection of portraits for a photo book.
Remember that as a cat photographer your skills continue to grow as you practice. No matter what you think, you are improving slowly and steadily. If you consciously compose your photographs, and keep an eye on the exposure of each image, I know you can assemble a collection similar these portraits of Jack, our ginger boy.
Keep Your Images Together
Your record, like mine, may develop from slightly enthusiastic cat snaps to serious portraits that you take more care over. Eight or nine years ago I had a small compact Samsung, now I have a Canon DSLR and a Nikon Mirrorless camera.
Don’t forget that cameras like us as photographers, evolve and grow. In recent years photographers have begun rediscovering film cameras, and unearthing vintage Box Brownies as well as grabbing smartphones. They know that the photographer behind the lens is what matters most – this means YOU.
- TIP A collection of images on a theme can take months or years to accumulate. Keep a copy of your images in a folder with a backup copy on an external drive or small flash drive.
Know Your Camera
Each camera has assets you can make use of. Knowing your camera is important (yes, that might mean reading a manual * gasp *). I am learning about my new mirrorless camera and, the more I learn the more confident I feel taking photos. You will feel the same, the more you discover about how your camera works, the more you will use it.
Compacts are versatile, lightweight and you can adjust the exposure, modes and a lot of amazing tricks. Their portability and versatility means that manufacturers are considering expanding the range of models available.
Smartphones have developed beyond basic snapshot level to include options like shooting in RAW mode, adjusting exposure, bursts of images and even creating artistic double exposures with apps you can purchase.
Mirrorless and DSLR cameras can make use of modes like Auto or Shutter Priority, as well as manual (where you tell the camera everything). I use the mode Aperture Priority (A/Av) a lot for my cat photos. I leave the camera set up in Av mode in case I need to grab my camera and start shooting quickly.
This is helpful when I don’t have time to stop and work out the settings for a manual photo or check my notes. This way I get a pretty good photograph and, most importantly I don’t miss the moment. Aperture Priority is a great way to take a step up and improve your confidence.
Aperture priority, often abbreviated A or Av (for aperture value) on a DSLR/Mirrorless camera mode dial, ….. allows the user to set a specific aperture value (f-number) while the camera selects a shutter speed to match it that will result in proper exposure, based on the lighting conditions as measured by the camera’s light meter.
Wikipedia
A Final AI Note
In spite of what many people think, AI (Artificial Intelligence) will never replace your creative hands on the camera when you capture the cat or kitten you love. The fluffy unreal kittens AI generates are nowhere near as convincing as the portraits you create. Yes, AI is a major part of photo editing software programs, and can enhance an image in many ways as Luminar Neo and Adobe will tell you know, but you are the cat photographer, your creativity and integrity have immense value.
If you feel your photograph is good enough to enter into a competition such as the Mono Awards, the limitations and prohibitions on AI enhanced images are very clear. AI photographs are not welcome in many contests, if they are welcome this will be clearly stated. It is better to work to build your skills as a photographer and learn the basics of editing. Then you can submit an image with a happy heart and a clear conscience.
I love looking at photos of our pets over the years. It’s the best way to remember all the memories we’ve shared. I’ve been lax lately but this reminds me that I need to keep taking all the photos!
Such great advice! Keep the images together is where I fail! Being a photojournalist for almost 50 years, I started off really organized – photo albums, negative files, then moved to photo boxes…then…came digital. Woooo boy…I have all my digital cards, but between photographing my own family, then a daughter, then my five Huskies from puppy to seniors, along with 20 years of work photos…I have a mountainous stack!
I actually just ordered some albums to try and organize the mass of hard copies I amassed in a Rubbermaid totes, then go through all the negative files…is a massive undertaking. I think on the positive side, I have duplicates (sometimes triplicates) due to those fantastic days of getting free doubles, and soooo many negatives. And digitally, have everything…spread out over several backup drives…I just need to get back into it and organize it all. My heart is pounding just thinking of this!
However, there is much joy in looking back over all the memories. I made a commitment to do the loose photos (by Thanksgiving) because I have the totes stacked in my dining room and need to! GREAT advice you have here – organize from the get go! Pinning this to my Shutterbug board to share, and as a reminder to myself!
My husband was always yelling at me to “put the camera away!” when Icy was a puppy. I missed so many great photos of her as a puppy. We did have some but my husband screwed up & all the photos somehow got lost or corrupted – we are still not sure. I regret that so much. Take photos of your cat or pup at every single stage and save them in a safe place – keep a duplicate copy of all the great ones you collect. Those moments will soon be gone, never to be recaptured. Thanks for this reminder Marjorie.
Ooh man I am sorry to hear this Cathy. These moments are, as you say, very precious. I know you got some lovely grown up moments with Icy.
I use my camera and try so hard to take good photos but I think there are more bloopers than good photos but am learning every day and your posts always kick my butt to work harder on the photos, your photos here are amazing as always and your post awesome, thank you
Your posts are always a wonderful reminder not only of the importance, but fun we can have capturing our pets’ lives. Instead of holding back because we don’t think we’re “good enough” just get the phone or camera out and start snapping. Not only will you improve as you go, you will have captured so many precious moments to look back on.
Lovely post, Marjorie, on how to create a memory in photos. I completely agree with your stand on AI. It will never replace the human touch. Super photos of Jack!
I always cheated and took my photos and videos with an iPhone. Since I already had it, why bring something else? Not good enough for a gallery, but good enough for memories. I have an insane number of photos of my dogs. The memories it helps recall when browsing through them is priceless.
Yes! 100% the memories are priceless and the skills we build work with every camera. There are smartphone photographs competitions now, and it is a serious genre of photography.
Great advice and beautiful photos!
Your photos are wonderful and they do always tell a story! Thanks for joining Angel Brian’s Thankful Thursday Blog Hop.
Brian’s Home
I did take pics of my kittens, PIpo & Minko, and took more once a week or so…sadly they are not digital, and need to be scanned to make such a memory/photobook.
I liked seeing all the wonderful images of Jack!
I did the same with our sons. Always in the same place when they were infants so you can really see how they changed from week to week…after a while I just did that montlky, and then gradually stopped…life got too busy!!
I still have lots to learn on my iPhone which is a 13pro. It’s already outclassed, but I like it a lot…to the detriment of my ‘real’ camera.