We are hopping on the Pet Parade today with photographs of Phoebe who is our dark cat. Do you struggle with dark fur? We do too, so our post might surprise you.

This has added a whole new dimension to my upcoming ‘how to photograph black cats post’ idea. I might need a whole black cat photography series. Scribbles out draft post.

Phoebe is a Black Cat (or is she?). Well, you may remember seeing my Phoebe cat portrait in our ‘depth of field‘ post.

Take a look at her basking in the low sun’s softer rays. She looks like a brown cat.

The Intensity of Light Makes a Difference

It is summer in New Zealand, mid-February, and the light can be surprisingly intense so I asked myself a question. When can I take the best pictures in summer if it’s not during the day?

I did what every learner does. I checked online with my growing list of photography websites for photographic tips. All of them recommend morning or evening light for better pictures. The light is softer and you can take pictures with lots of definition.

Morning and Evening Light

You can see many shades of colour in Phoebe’s coat and the shadow is not as dark as it might be at mid-day. There is a softness to her fur and while her eyes are closing, she is not squinting into strong sun.

Try Exposure Compensation

If you are desperate for a picture and know you will not be able to repeat an event you could try exposure compensation.

Exposure compensation is an override function for you to ‘disagree’ with your camera’s settings, or make an informed ‘artistic’ decision.

I mentioned discovering it in my Where do I start? post for newbies. I am suggesting it here because you may not be sure if it will work but if it’s your only chance to capture a moment, then try it. Just make sure you practice first.

Adjusting Canon Exposure Compensation

If your DSLR is different you may find the settings by looking in your manual.

• Make sure your dial is set to Av. This is the mode I am exploring right now.
• Press the Av Button at the back. Under my thumb in the picture.
• Press and simultaneously turn the adjustment wheel in front of the dial.
• Towards the lens darkens your image. Away from the lens lightens your image.
• You will see the small mark under the horizontal line move as you adjust left and right so you always know what your exposure is.

As a newbie I did not think to try exposure compensation to change Phoebe’s cat coat colour but it is something I will experiment with in future.

I took the picture of Phoebe using Av mode and ISO of 200. Phew, I hope this made sense.

Join Dash Kitten and co-hosts Bionic Basil and the B Team and Barking from the Bayou Don’t let the Pet Parade pass you by.