Lion Selfie

Grey to white ombre rectangle with a faint pale cat portrait and outline of a camera shape

Friday was Wellington Zoo day and the weather was absolutely perfect. Warm, sunny and packed with enough excitement to share several selfies over the coming weeks. Lions, Otters, Giraffes and Ring Tailed Lemurs were out for the crowds that slowly filled the Zoo.

AND LIONS!

Sunday Selfie graphic and a cartoon lady and her cat

Today’s portraits are a bit special. I have visited the zoo several times in the past 12 months but seen very little of the two lions. Usually they’re napping, or hidden from view but we arrived at the lower viewing area in time for a lady to tell us that she overheard a keeper saying that they were about to ‘Let the Boys Out”.

And out they came to enjoy a meal of rawwr meat. You can imagine our excitement as two huge lions prowled out of their night time enclosure, as only a big cat can. Long loping strides packed with lion confidence.

I managed some closeups of one lion enjoying it’s meal but, as the reinforced window was badly scratched (due to lots of enthusiastic viewers in the past), I had to manoeuvre around the scratched centre of the window. Then we rushed upstairs to the outside viewing balcony were I got the second full-length shot you see here.

It was worth it though. I managed a wonderful closeup which I am really happy with and a sunny lion enjoying a meal. Like every photographer I took lots of photos to get the ‘one’ portrait I really liked and, thanks to Luminar Neo’s ‘Enhance‘ AI tool I was able to remove a lot of the damaged window texture.

Me, Use AI? On this occasion I confirm a definite yes. The Enhance tool is not one I would use on a image I am considering entering for a photographic competition as AI is emphatically prohibited but for a special portrait where circumstances were not in my favour it has been successful ,as you can see in the first portrait.

Here’s the lion closeup before I enhanced it, and a below that image that shows you how scratched the window is.

BEFORE ENHANCEMENT
SCRATCHED WINDOW

A Black Cat Filter Exploration

Blue banner showing smartphone outlines

You will remember our boy Taz from our adoption post and several successful portraits, including this one taken with a smartphone using simple ‘Portrait’ mode. This is a really effective and successful tool that takes fantastic cat photos. Find it and use it on your ‘phone!

black cat sat on a rug draped on a bannister
TAZ SMARTPHONE PORTRAIT

I wanted to showcase Taz in a series of portraits I took using the iPhone Portrait mode ‘Stage Light‘ option which frames your portrait with a dramatic dark frame similar to the recent cat vignette portraits I took. I have created these over a period of time and wanted to add them together as we near the end of the year.

Black Cat posed on a bannister

Black Cat Squares!

These are all square format as one or two have been shared on Instagram but, never seen all together here on the blog.

The stage light effect can be very dramatic if you are close up to your cat and I am not sure the first one (above) is too successful. But, when you step into the more creative and, almost, abstract look using a tool like Stage Light, things can change dramatically.

SUNBEAM

Add Filter Drama

You have the choice of keeping the drama focused on your cat by just using the tool or, to add a touch of interest you can experiment with some of the extra lighting effects in Photoshop Camera and Snapseed.

Sadly Photoshop Camera has been withdrawn from the market which is a pity as it is the perfect user friendly solution for a simple effect like the sunbeam you can see above.

Cat in a dark vignette with light shining off their fur
BLACK AND WHITE

This dramatic and shady version of Taz, is a black and white adjustment that throws lots of the darker fur into the background. It highlights the fur touched by sunlight giving you a cat shaped ‘idea’ your mind fills in.

LAYOUT APP

Combining Photos in a Montage

For a portrait with added interest, I have used the ‘Layout’ app on my smartphone to make a couple of images to show you how your cat portraits ca be combined. You ca, of couse, add more than one cat into your portrait mix!

Here you can see a couple of options. A montage and (below) a dramatic triptych that, if it was a greetings card, might fold into three separate leaves.

Cats in a dark vignette triptych with light shining off their fur
LAYOUT APP

The effect is not one I use often, but it shows that if you explore your smartphone you will find it allows you to do so many things. My best ever smartphone tip is: explore yours. Even a simple, older ‘phone might surprise you with added filters on both iOS and Android.

Lego® Tuxedo Cat 2024 (Review)

Faint paw prints and box showing a Lego tuxedo cat

Remember Lego® from when you were small? Maybe you had a set or a friend had a box and you would be absorbed for hours with the blocks? Well, Lego has grown up, in spectacular style with jaw-dropping results!

Dash Kitten is an Amazon/Luminar Neo affiliate. We receive a small remuneration at no cost to you.

Meet the model causing a delighted stir in 2024 in the cat community. A Tuxedo Cat model that captures the ‘who me?’ look of a cheeky but cute (almost life-size) tuxedo cat. Could you make the kit? Yes you can, so let me share this fun project in a bit more detail.

Thomas the Tuxedo and his Alter Ego
Almost Thomas Sized!

Meet Tuxedo Cat

The model is part of the Lego® ‘Ideas’ range and this particular ‘meowdel’, the Tuxedo Cat, is spectacular. Cat lovers will have so much fun, and be totally absorbed assembling this kit.

Let me give you an idea of the features:

  • Highly detailed, easy to follow instruction book
  • Stands 30 cms/1 foot tall (which is huge!)
  • For 18+ age group
  • 1,710 pieces
  • Cat’s head rotates, ears, paws and
  • Posable tail
  • Customisable eye colour (Blue/Brown)
  • BONUS: An add on set of lights (available separately)

The step-by-step guide includes an illustrated booklet featuring an interview with the set’s Lego® designer, plus very clear instructions to guide you through every step of this creative activity.

Amazon
Image Credit Highlighting Store.

Just like their Notre-Dame popular due to its historic reopening) or Harry Potter Hogwart’s Castle this is a model of substance packed with creative playability.

Lego® Cat Looks Complicated

I can hear the questions piling up:

  • 1,710 pieces?
  • Where do you start?
  • The box is huge!
  • What do I do first?

Don’t worry, because this is where the quality and preparation of Lego as a company really ‘owns’ a kit of this quality. A Lego® kit this size is not cheap and you are paying for something that justifies the price tag.

What’s in the Tuxedo Cat Box?

When you take the lid off the box, you would expect to find dozens of bricks and shapes and be prepared to be a bit overwhelmed…

But no! As the lid slips off you see the kit is carefully packed into smaller packets of Lego parts. Each recyclable packet is carefully numbered from 1 – 20 and yes, you DO start with number one. Each packet links to a section in the instruction manual and you open one packet at a time and assemble one section at a time.

BOX WITH 20 PACKETS!

A clearly organised kit with instructions that you can follow, and beautifully organised components.

  • In addition, each element of the packaging is recyclable, from the clearly labelled component bags to the splendid presentation box.

Putting Your Cat Model Together

I have a few suggestions about how to start your kit based on my own experience.

Your guide and most important tool with any Lego is the assembly book. For the Tuxedo Cat this is a full-sized paperback; not a brochure, or a foldable instruction sheet. Each assembly instruction has a clearly drawn illustration, and each assembly piece is clearly shown. Every single block, and every single step.

ASSEMBLY BOOK
MANUAL PAGE

Take a look at this page from near the start of the model:

  • A picture of the numbered packet from the box
  • A clear image of the pieces you need
  • Easy assembly instructions

Every page is like this. You see the pieces you need, and how you put them together. It’s just like the joke about eating an elephant (one piece at a time), you assemble a complex model in lots of small steps.

How do I know this works? Because it’s what I did with my first model, the smaller Halloween Cat and Mouse. I thought I would get anxious about the assembly, but the instructions are the best I have ever seen for a model and I feel any of you can tackle the bigger project with confidence.

Lego model of a cat sat beside a large orange pumpkin

Tips from Our Lego® Experience

  • Open the box and check you have the manual and the correct number of bags.
  • Find a workspace e.g. a tray with a lip to avoid losing pieces.
  • Open and assemble one bag of pieces at a time in the order the manual tells you to. You will rarely find a manual so well thought out and presented than this.
  • You will need to focus. The kits are not hard but you do need to pay attention as you go.
  • Work on one step and one page at a time. The exact number of pieces you need will be listed for each step.
  • The images are very clear and helpful – you can see where every piece fits. The pieces and placement for each step are outlined in red.
  • Some sections of your cat are created twice, like a leg or paw. You make the first part, turn the page and repeat the process again. You are always moving forward with no frantic leafing back to find where to start the repeat.
  • Lost? It happened to me! Dismantle your cat to the start of the previous step then begin that step again. You will have an ‘A-ha!’ moment when you realise what needs moving or adjusting. There is an orange tool to help if you struggle to separate pieces.

Bonus Tips from Experience

  • Sticks: There are several small ‘sticks’ that help align the model. Some of these have one circular end, and one + plus sign end. Make sure you position these correctly.
  • Working Solo: If you want to make your cat on your own, do it on your own. If people offer to help, politely decline. Tell people this is your ‘me time’ (and suggest they get their own kitty!)
  • Team Work: Set ground rules and boundaries. Making a kit together can be fun but everyone needs to be respectful and patient with slower workers. Everyone gets to participate, and to make suggestions. Everyone celebrates when each bag is complete.

Lego® Cat Summary

There are a lot of pieces and a lot of steps involved in the kit, and you want to enjoy the creative process as much as the end result. Work patiently through the manual, step by step and between stages store all of your pieces and packets in the large box your cat kit arrives in.

You will really enjoy yourself and get lost is a world of Lego® creating something thrilling and spectacular that will make a superb display piece you can be really proud of and display for your friends to see. Hmm where will I put mine? The living room? My desk…….

Tuxedo Cat Out Take

This was too cute not to include!

Thomas and Tuxedo Cat kit from Lego

Quick Cat Gift Ideas

Grey to white ombre rectangle with a faint pale cat portrait and outline of a camera shape

You have been so busy with birthday or holiday preparations you forgot a favourite cat and you need a gift fast! What do you do? You have a few options even if time is very sort so relax a little. Let me give you a few quick ideas for quick cat (and human) gift success.

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Don’t look at the clock ticking and panic-buy a terrible gift! Take a breath for just – one – moment…

Speedy Gift Planning

WHO? This might sound crazy but who is your gift for? Is it for the cat(s) or their parent(s)? This will let you focus on what kind of gift you should be looking for.

BUDGET? How much do you have to spend? Don’t let guilt bump up the amount of money you spend on your gift. These are tough times and sensible, small, practical and helpful gifts will make a bigger impact.

WHERE? Buying your gift depends on where you are, your online access and the availability of local shops and retail centres. Local shops will carry gift cards, not just Amazon although for a friend further away they are a great resource.

Remember that shopping local means you support a small business close to home, and there may be some last minute gift fairs too. These can be a great place to support handmade crafters and artists.

Here in New Zealand Animates carries a huge range of pet gifts and foods.

collage of holiday books about cats

What Do I Buy My Cat Friend?

Don’t buy useless stuff. Don’t buy impractical things. Think useful. Think helpful. Let people know how grateful you are to have them in your life, for real or online.

Buying for a Cat? A gift card or voucher for a cat’s favourite food would be perfect. For local friends a jar of Inaba Churu’s would go down a storm with 99.9% of all cats, or half a dozen tins of Fancy Feast can be stacked and wrapped up as a fun gift. Premium catnip works too.

Further away? Have a small delivery of their favourites sent. A cat needing specialist food will always welcome a bag of kidney kibble, or box of essential Purina Urinary Special sachets. Not the cheapest gift but (once you know which one they need), one they will love.

book cover showing a woman on a bicycle with a cat in the basket being chased by a dog

What Do I Gift My Human Friend?

Buying for a Human? Libro.fm (an alternative to Audible) offer vouchers for bundles of audio books and allows you to nominate a local book store to receive a small amount of each sale.

If your friends love ‘real’ books or an ebook check out my selection of offbeat but fun reads here.

You can also support your author blogging friends with Chumley & Hudson Investigate by Erin the Cat Princess & dad Mark; and Pirates and Pussycats by Angel Valentine’s Mom Kerry and Mark Watson.

My own first ever story, about our cat Harvey, appears in Purrseverance both as printed and instant ePub at BookBaby and Amazon.

Not into books? Etsy has plenty of gifts and printables. One of the hottest gifts this year is a personalised neon sign.

© ManhattanNeons Image Credit

Handmade Gifts Are Perfect Too

Good with your hands? Creative on the computer? Make a gift yourself. I know I would be totally thrilled to receive a gift someone had spent time making one just for me.

  • If you sew, make a small cat quilt from themed fabrics. Think smaller and make a mug mat for a computer desk.
  • Crochet a cat toy. Derpy Monster has selection to choose from.
  • Create a fantastical sled project like Bionic Basil
  • Create Cat Art on your computer then let a bureau print it out.
  • Check our celebration portrait post for a how-to video…
Celebratory birthday cat Image with party backround in blue

For the Cat Who Has Everything

Honest, honourable and totally justified – DONATIONS.

Maybe donate to a shelter which has a cat which needs specialised food. Food is a big drain on rescues of all sizes and it is always welcome.

Not sure which rescue to choose? First, look local for shelter pets in need. Second, focus on senior shelter pets, disabled shelter pets and the less photogenic (and often ignored) pets.

How To Save Your Cat From Lily Poisoning

Cat looking up at the camera near a dangerous lily with red arrows to emphasise the danger of lily plants

Lilies. They are beautiful, fragrant, colourful and really dangerous to the cats you love.

Many people are unaware that beautiful lilies can be deadly to cats. Even the smallest amount of pollen or leaf ingestion can be fatal. What do you need to know to protect your feline friend? Let me tell you.

If you think your cat has licked (ingested) lily pollen.

Get to the Emergency Vet NOW!

Why are Lilies Toxic?

Although the exact toxin that kills cat has not been identified, every lily is considered lethal. In particular, three species of garden lilies are considered dangerous and I list them here.

NOTE: The flowers known as Calla Lilies (Zantedeschia aethiopica) and Peace Lilies (Spathiphyllum wallisii) are not members of the Lilium family and are considered safe.

Dangerous Lilies (Top 3)

  1. Easter lilies (Lilium longiflorum),
  2. Stargazer‘ lilies (Lilium Stargazer hybrid),
  3. Asiatic lilies (Lilium asiaticum) – are all considered highly dangerous.
pink lily flower bouquet

Nibbling a leaf, drinking the water from a vase, licking (stamen) pollen from a paw or fur, of any lily, can endanger your cat.

SUSPECT LILY POISONING?

GET TO THE VET!

According to UC Davis “A cat that has consumed the lily toxin can experience kidney failure, which can lead to death, within 36 to 72 hours unless he or she receives appropriate treatment.” Bluntly, your cat will die if it does not get immediate treatment.

‘Immediate’ as in stop reading this post and telephone your veterinarian or emergency vet service NOW!

Early treatment is absolutely critical if you are to have any chance of saving your cat from lily toxicity.

TIP: If you can identify the plant cat has has touched or nibbled, take a photo, or take the whole flower with you (safely wrapped in a plastic bag) to the vet’s office.

Lilies are lethally toxic to cats. In fact, they are so poisonous that a cat can suffer fatal kidney failure just from biting into a lily leaf or petal, licking lily pollen from its paws, or drinking water from a vase containing cut lilies. The lily toxin, which only affects cats, has not been identified.

UC Davis

Symptoms of Lily Poisoning

The clinical signs of lily poisoning you need to look for in cats include the following:

  • Vomiting,
  • Lethargy,
  • Drooling,
  • Loss of appetite.
  • Increased urination and dehydration may be seen 12 to 24 hours after ingestion and are signs of kidney damage.
Inforgraphic listing the dangers of lily pollen and how it can kill cats

How To Prevent Lily Poisoning

Avoid bringing lilies into your home and garden in any way.

If you are given the flowers (or plants) as a gift, thank the person and then put the flowers out of reach until the person has gone, then dump them in the bin. Sorry but do it, we are talking about a cat’s life here. Blame a black thumb for killing the gift and look apologetic!

“Most cat owners don’t know it, but lilies are lethally toxic to cats.. In fact, they’re so poisonous that a cat can suffer fatal kidney failure just from biting into a lily leaf or petal, licking lily pollen from its paws, or drinking water from a vase with cut lilies in it.”

Dr. Larry Cowgill, DVM, PhD, DACVIM.

Cat Safe Flowers

If you are gifting a bouquet to a friend or relative who owns cats, emphasise to the florist that you want only cat safe flowers. If they don’t know what you mean, be prepared and insist on no lilies (no matter how pretty and fragrant they are) and suggest these:

  • Sunflowers
  • Zinnias
  • Roses
  • Orchids
  • Gerbera Daisies
Flower of white lily, isolated on white background

Conclusion

I cannot emphasise this message enough

For the love of everything you hold dear; family, friends, your Faith, and your cat’s life, if you are in any doubt, telephone your vet or emergency veterinary service immediately. Every minute counts. The clock is ticking and the longer you worry or hop from foot to foot wondering if you budget can take the strain, your cat’s life is literally slipping away.

No. I. Am. Not. Joking.

Your cat’s life is at stake. Please call your vet.

If it turns out to be a false alarm breath a really big sigh of relief. Yes, you have a vet bill. But. You have peace of mind and a living cat, happy and sitting on your lap.

Lily Toxicity References

I am grateful to the information linked to in these articles from UC Davis Veterinary Medicine. They are essential reading to broaden your knowledge on the danger of lilies.

BE ALERT. Please, share this post so more people know exactly how dangerous lilies are.

Portrait of a Solemn Cat

Faint text on a coloured background

I don’t talk about Silver much on the blog. He is a complex character and spends a lot of time outside. His life turned upside down when he lost his best friend and neighbour Riley and I am not sure he ever recovered from the grief, even though it was eleven years ago.

Riley was a CH cat (cerebellar hypoplasia) and Silver visited his family every day. Remembering the day still upsets me, heaven knows what it did to Silver.

A solemn silver tabby cat looking at the camera while sat in a garden.

These pictures have a darker feeling and tone. I did not lighten the images because that would not have reflected his solemn personality or his strong streak of independence. He doesn’t always look so solemn, he can look more relaxed.

I have not seen him scamper or play for a long time but he is 12 now, like his littermate Miranda and maybe he stays closer to home and sleeps indoors sometimes because he wants to be nearer us as he gets older.

A pensive silver tabby cat looking into the distance while sat in a garden.

“My heart is broken, I can’t find my friend. Please, join me in wishing Riley a safe passage across the Rainbow Bridge to wait for his Mum and Dad.  Please, you don’t need to respond, you are not obliged – I wanted to record just how important Riley was to me and to my family.”

Silver 2013

He is still a much-loved member of our cat family and I wish Riley was still here. They would have been life long friends.

A pensive silver tabby cat looking downward while sat in a garden.

Holiday Kitty Photo Inspiration 2024

Red and gold background with gold stars and a christmas bauble in the corner

Thanksgiving Thursday, and I am here to spread some cheer with a paws-itively heartwarming cat photo roundup! Forget your frantic Black Friday shopping for five minutes. Sit down and put your feet up, grab a mug of coffee or a glass of wine (with extra catnip for your model), and cuddle up for a purrfectly delightful dose of cat photo and video fun. [Revised November 2024].

Browse these cat photo and video tips. Pick your project! Ready, Set, Go!

How To Film Your Cat Like a Pro

I have been making videos for over eight years and discovered what works, and what doesn’t on a smartphone. I make videos with confidence and that confidence comes from practice. If I can do it, you can too!

This post is full of fun tips you can use to make any movie, not just cats. Allow your self to play, have fun and laugh at the wobbly outtakes for your b-roll, as you build your skills and get ready to share your video on Twitter (X), YouTube, Vimeo or Tik-Tok.

hand holds a smartphone in portrait mode with a cat photo on the screen

A Fun Cat Photo Collage Project

This is a splash of lighthearted fun with the potential to create a lovely online holiday greeting to send to your friends, or a poster sized printable. You use the free version of design app Canva, although the Pro version works as well if you have it. Give Canva a try.

You choose the colours, the photos, the decorations, everything! This post helps you take your first steps to create your own design using the simple user friendly drag and drop interface Canva is famous for.

Screenshot of the Canva design app with a coloured background

Explore Black and White With Cats

If you have been enjoying cat photography then you might want to step outside your comfort zone with an expedition into black and white country. This post goes into the kind of things you want to look for, and has a quick photo tutorial that will give you an idea of how to adjust your colour photographs to black and white.

closeup of tuxedo cat looking to the left.

Find Your Photographer’s Voice

A slightly more thoughtful post, one that encourages you to find your own way beyond taking simple cat photos. You can move towards creating a stronger focus and a message.

Your photograph can speak as strongly as the written word, if it has two things focus and intention which are discussed in the post.

full face photograph of a tuxedo cat

Dusty’s Travels

If you remember the movie travels of our oldster Angel Dusty, they are all gathered on this page.

This page introduces you to his short fun and utterly sweet memories. They are a reminder that not every video has to be perfect, but a good video does tell a story. These were happy times, recording stories of joy and genuine happiness.

Have some low stress and casual fun with your cat during the run up to the Holiday season. It is lots of fun and oh so easy! What are you waiting for?

Tabby and White Curiosity

Pale blue banner showing photo of a cat sat with his back to the camera in the sunshine.

A neighbour recently asked for some of my shots of their tabby and white boy cat Wyatt

He is quite shy and I had not seen him close to for several months over the winter but, having sent them some of last summer’s shots two days ago, typical cat that he is, Wyatt turned up on the deck today and I was able to grab some more tabby and white curiosity!

Tabby and white cat peering around a corner, looking curious.

It was a bit of a difficult angle but if I’d have moved, so would he (you know the feeling, am I right?!) So, I have to turn from my spot sitting on the deck steps and carefully adjust my settings then raise my camera quietly and zoom!

Our Angel Peanut (lady cat) was an elegant tabby and white cat, taller I think than Wyatt who is a fearless explorer when he is not at home! I thought tabby and whites were ladies but not all of them it seems.

Tabby and white cat peering around a corner, looking curious.

He takes a lovely photograph although it took forever to get one of him with both ears nearly showing. My patience paid off though with the final tongue out shot!

Isn’t he just the sweetest tabby ever? AND to those who say cats and babies don’t mix, he LOVES his family’s little baby girl.

Tabby and white cat peering around a corner, looking curious.

Storytelling In A Cat Photo Series

Text and outline of a camera

Just as words can weave a tale, so too can a collection of images. Remember my earlier post about starting to capture your cat’s personality in a smartphone photo series? This post adds even more tips to inspire you to create your own visual story.

Telling a cat’s story, or recording an adventure, if you go hiking or travelling, in a photographic series is a forgiving way to practice your camera skills. You are going to take a lot of photos and you will have plenty to choose from.

Tabby in a wire topped carrier shouting and wearing a buster collar
READY TO TELL YOUR STORY?

Visual Consistency

This sounds fancy doesn’t it, but, don’t worry, it simply means applying the same rules to each photo.

Remember too that as long as you maintain one consistent format you can successfully combine smartphone and DSLR/Mirrorless images in your series. This means using either ‘landscape‘ – a wide rectangle or ‘portrait‘ – like when you take a selfie.

If you can, try to maintain a consistency of colour palette, or add this when you edit. You may be able to use a preset* for this (see definition below) or note down the settings for colour, tone and size so you can adjust your cat photos all together.

Take a lot more photos than you need and you will have plenty to choose from!

To Create a Series you Need

  • A dash of patience to create your photographic series/story idea
  • Time to create/curate your collection of images
  • Time set aside to to sit and create and edit your series/story
Tabby cat looks out from  a high wooden fence

Starting Your Photo Story

Think where you want your story to start. What is your first image to set the scene? Is it a cat on a cosy blanket after being rescued from the cold? A journey from kitten novice to Champion at the Cat Fancy or TICA? Or, a more reflective series like our series on Toulouse.

  • I have named my series ‘The Brave Tabby’ after a young cat’s journey back to health.

I start my series with a cat figure looking out from the top of a fence. This image has been on the blog before and it is a positive way to start my story. A survivor cat looking hopefully to his future.

A Change of Perspective

Remember that not all of your images need to be carefully posed or dramatic. A touch of humour or a slightly blurred shot that brings back happy memories is just as important and teases the viewer’s expectations. Engaging your viewer’s heart is much more important than being perfect.

For my second shot in the Brave Tabby series. I changed the ‘viewpoint’ to a surprising shot of Toulouse’s shaved bum fluff. This reflects on how his life was nearly snatched from us due to a horrible urinary infection. It’s an odd shot and the only one not showing his head or face, but it’s fun too.

If You Have A Good Shot

Use it.

The shot below focused on Toulouse’s face and is one I really like. You may find you have a shot you really want to include in your story. Always been a good selection to give yourself wiggle room about the order you want to add your images in.

Tabby cat in kitty loaf pose, on grass with autumn leaves

This shows a serious side to our fun loving boy and has a shallow depth of field (meaning his body is more out of focus).

Taking Your Story Further

  • You will find that one or two of your images will stand out as landmark moments.

Develop the story you tell with each picture and don’t be afraid to change direction a little if it helps you. After the closer shot focusing on cat face face, I chose a strong image of Toulouse striding towards the camera. This is an active and positive moment with the focus firmly on his determined face.

This is, for me, a statement shot. Toulouse is a tabby cat on the road to recovery walking forward to increased health. You can see a little bit of motion blur in his front paw but I love the shot, it says so much about recovery and moving forward.

Don’t Be Afraid of Humour

Tabby showing its teeth while cleaning its fur. Tabby has a paved area behind it.

This capture of our brave tabby turning to clean his fur looks fearless but funny too. I was lucky to get a really sharp shot and it makes me smile, so into the series it goes.

Experiment When You Edit

Don’t be afraid to experiment with different techniques. This can add depth and interest to your story. Consider one of these for your series:

  • black and white,
  • filters, or
  • different cropping and framing.

Finish With A Favourite or Two

I love these shots. The first gives a sense of the cat getting close and closer to the lens and I managed to keep a moving cat in sharp focus, and the second is a bright upward looking shot that is a final triumphant flourish

Tabby walks along a wide wooden railing towards the camera

Have A Collection of Images Already?

If you have a collection of images you can use the same steps to tell your story. You may have paper copies of photographs that you can scan, or ask a bureau to do this for you

Gather your images and select your favourites. You will find yourself drawn to the ones that resonate with you. Order them as a series to showcase your message or story.

Tabby and a Ginger cat laid on a bed looking at the camera - friends
Back Home With My Best Friend

Preset Definition

Preset – A” preset“, when talking about editing and design software, is a set of saved settings that can be instantly applied to an image to achieve a specific effect or look. These presets are designed to speed up the editing process by providing consistent looks or adjustments. Color

Hello Stranger A Grey Cat Photo Shoot

Blue background and image of a camera on the right-hand side.

Over the New Zealand winter and with noisy building work across the back fence, the chance to get outside and photographs the cats has been limited so I am looking forward to a change of season. (Maybe to a summer Christmas too!)

I know some of my friends are the opposite and love the cooler weather and even snow but, things began to look up for us weather-wise, on a trip up the Kapiti Coast earlier this month, I managed a capture I am really pleased with.

There is an annual arts event called the ‘Kapiti Coast Arts Trail‘ based in the local Kapiti Coast communities. Two weekends a year you can visit the studios, and exhibitions, by local artists from photographers, to painters and sculptors to glass blowers.

Distant photograph of a grey cat hiding in grass
Settings ISO 800 218 mm f5.6
  • I did not think to check my settings and this was the result…..

When we stopped at one of the studios, we parked a little away from the busy centre and walked towards the cafe and creative hub.

On our way I spotted a watching grey cat so I stopped. (He looked so amazing I didn’t want to ruin the moment by getting any closer) and I was able to take a few shots with my zoom lens.

Distant photograph of a grey cat hiding in grass
HELLO STRANGER (landscape)

I didn’t get the exposure quite right as you can see in the first picture which is rather gloomy. But, thankfully a little gentle editing with the exposure slider in Luminar Neo allowed me to show the lovely cat very clearly. I did not even have to do much sharpening as I had focused clearly on the lovely green-gold eyes.

Distant photograph of a grey cat hiding in grass
HELLO STRANGER (portrait)

I do have one problem though. I can’t decide which of the portraits I like best. The ‘portrait’ up right version or the wider ‘landscape’ shot! I am still wondering.

Rule of Thirds Grid
Distant photograph of a grey cat hiding in grass

A Last Edit

I thought about the presentation and decided I would adjust the crop so the portrait makes use of the Rule of Thirds like the graphic here and reduce the light to a more natural level. The grey cat sits roughly on one of the downward lines of the grid. I think I like it, he looks so thoughtful.

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