This week’s short post is a lesson in what works, and what surprises you, and works in a different way.
I often tell beginners taking cat photos that the perfect photo is not always the image you expect, this unusual ginger cat portrait is a great example.Think about it. What kind of image might people expect as a ‘cat portrait’? A clear, sharp image of a cat, nicely posed and looking calmly at the camera. The light is as good as it can be, and focus on the cat’s eye is pin sharp, as this is where people look first.
But, sometimes the photo becomes something else.
An Unexpected Portrait
You end up with an image like this unusual capture of our senior ginger boy Jack (who I have showcased in a lovely cat portrait). Take a look and you will see what I mean.
Why is it different? As I said at the start, we expect a portrait to face front, and be sharp and clear but this is the opposite!
If you need to make the photo bigger it should enlarge if you click on it. This is something I am trying in WordPress, so please let me know if it works for you.
The Story Behind the Cat Portrait
It’s a shot of Jack’s back and tail as he walks slowly away up the garden path. More importantly, for me and the family, this is the first time that Jack has ventured out for a garden stroll in many months.
He had plodded past me before I gathered my wits and grabbed by camera. So it may not be perfect but it is a sweet memory and this is its whole point. A family member portrayed with great affection and a smile.
In its favour the image has a leading line that guides your eye to his receding figure and a sense of movement from his body. You can see the pink toe beans of one paw as he walks.
That’s why I am sharing it. It’s a lovely photo, and to me it matters. That is your first call when you take a photo. Not its perfection but the message it carries from you to the world.
What do cats, cocktails and cameras have in common? They are all involved in the creation of an inspiring and fascinating book of cocktails and ‘mock’tails created and photographed by a group of cat lovers on Instagram.
No, you don’t have to be on Instagram to enjoy the book, but if you are, check out the links to the cool cats who appear in the links below the photos. Cocktails for cats may not be a good idea, but inspired by cats and photography with cats is a stunning combination.
Why do I love the book as a cat photographer? Because it is a source of some of the best cat photos you will see in book form this year and you will love browsing.
Best of all, the profits from the book are donated to a cat charity. You can read the recent exciting announcement below.
Who and What are Cats and Cocktails?
The Cats and Cocktails Club (CCC for short!) is a worldwide group of cat lovers on Instagram who love to create and sip cocktails. The group began to flourish during pandemic times and founders Kayla Tabish and Jenna Aviano say the group has been a source of strong and supportive friendships.
Meowdel Credit: @memphisandcash_
The Cats and Cocktail Book
Although you all know I am a cat photographer and the images are what first took my breath away, I need to spotlight the detail and very high production qualities of Cats and Cocktails. Why? Because I believe it this is part of the book’s pleasure. This is a real book that is an absolute joy to hold, to browse though and then to use.
A team of skilled volunteers contributed to the editing, mixology, design and proofreading, and they have created a cocktail book much better than many you will find in bookshops.
Here’s why:
The meowdels are all cats
The 144 colour images are superb
The paper is top quality heavy paper (130 gsm)
Superior quality hardback format
Clear instructions for the 52 cocktails and mocktails
Printed in the Netherlands – Grafistar B.V.
All the proceeds have been donated to a cat charity (see below).
The cocktails are divided into seasons, so I can enjoy Summer cocktails while my US and European friends sip their Winter cocktails. Each drink has a two page spread with a stunning image and a clear cocktail recipe with a mini cat bio at the bottom as a final flourish. I love this Harry Potter themed autumnal (fall) image from valor_mystic.
Meowdel Credit: @valor_mystic
The bio is great chance to explore the cats’ Instagram feeds (although being on IG isn’t essential to read the book!)
Can I Take a Cats and Cocktails Style Photo?
Yes, you can!
What is inspiring about the book (for cat photographers) is that many of the setups for the photos are simple with a touch of elegance There is a bonus page of helpful tips to help you create your own cat and cocktails portrait and a fun page of bloopers and a few sneak peeks that give you insights into how some of the cat photos were taken.
I am sharing one of my favourite ‘staged’ photos below. A little more work in this one I am sure, but Zimba just nails the cool cat look!
Meowdel Credit: @lotsameows
Cats and Cocktails Fundraising Announcement
A list of the charities involved can be found on the book page. The book’s success has been such that the following announcement was posted on Instagram recently:
The Cats and Cocktails Club is overjoyed with the success of our book. Thanks to all of your support, we are able to fulfill our goal of helping cats. Mission Meow will receive a $4000 donation, which is the proceeds from US sales of our first batch of books.
We will also be donating another $4000 in proceeds from our European sales to European charities. We can’t wait for batch two so that more people can enjoy the book and more cats can be helped!
Sometimes, if you are in the right place at the right time you will be taking photographs and your cat will suddenly let loose an epic yawn!
You need to be ready and have your wits about you. Shoot with burst or continuous shooting mode, and keep your camera or smartphone steady to grab a feline good selfie.
You will be rewarded by a photograph like this one of Phoebe. Isn’t this priceless? If you click the image you may be able to expand it (which is a new thing I am trying out in WordPress!)
There were about a dozen shots that looked like they might be cute and this was the best of those. I enclose the camera settings below.
To enable burst mode, you’ll need to find the setting where it’s located. Different devices have burst mode settings in various places, but it’s usually located within the camera app settings. You may need to scroll through the settings to find it.
One important tip for you. When you create a collection of burst photos they take up a lot of space on your digital card or smartphone.
Top tip: Take time to review your photos when you can and delete the images you don’t need.You will quickly see which images are not quite right, where you definitely didn’t capture a yawn.
Phoebe’s Yawn Settings (DSLR)
ISO 200
50 mm lens
f2.2
1/125
I have started off 2024 with my 50mm lens on my camera. I am curious to see if it presents any challenges when I use it in places and at times I don’t usually have it fitted to my camera.
Finally, have you kept your wits about you and succeeded capturing a fun feline selfie? Let me know in the comments!
Not every feline portrait needs the spotlight front and centre. Take Miranda, for instance.
This lovely shot, bathes her in the warm glow of sunlight. The sun lights Miranda’s fur with a bright halo, turning her whiskers into delicate strands of light.
How did I create this effect, which is called ‘backlight’? Let me tell you because you can do it too.
How I Created The Light Effect
As you can see, the halo of light fur around Miranda’s fur comes from me facing the sun. This is a specific move I made to surround her with light. The light itself is behind her and above.
This kind of shot can be taken with a smartphone too. I would recommend using Portrait Mode to soften the background and make the backlighting more effective.
If you try this kind of shot, make sure you move around to find the best location for your photo. Don’t just stand and take one photo – move, adjust your location and experiment. It took me a bit of stepping from side to side and,yes, I am glad Miranda sat still long enough for me to get the shot.
Miranda’s Backlit Portrait Settings (DSLR)
ISO 200
50 mm lens
f2.5
1/1000
Locations for Your Special Light Shot
You don’t need a special stage or studio. You can do this in this kind of area:
Inside your home near a window,
or back of a sofa,
or if your cat ventures onto a table,
or outside in a garden or catio.
The one thing you need is bright light. Yes, you can use a flash, if you have one, but my intention was to seize a natural cat moment, as most of you would want to do. So, bright but not super strong light.
In some backlit photos you might get more of a silhouette, unless you brought in a touch of fill flash as I used in Natasha’s photograph here. But, this might be perfect anyway so take a good look before you delete any photograph.
Here’s an excellent definition of what backlighting is that you may find helpful. It’s from Contrastly:
“Backlighting, defined in the simplest of ways, refers to the main source of light behind the photography subject. In other words, the main light (or one of the main lights) is positioned in such a way that it faces the camera.
The subject is then placed in the middle of the light and the camera. This creates a certain glow effect at the edges or at the back of the subject.”
Notice your once-fabulous cat tree is looking a bit worse for wear? The scratching posts, once the target of enthusiastic claws, are now a bit ragged at the edges. The platforms, your cat crew’s favorite launchpad to pounce on unsuspecting toys and fellow cat family, are sporting a worn look. It looks like it’s time to upgrade the feline fitness center.
Please note this is NOT a sponsored post. We purchased cat steps from Beloved Pets in 2022 and love them, in 2023 we added their cat tree.
If you are like me, you will be looking for something that might, with luck, last a lot longer even if it means budgeting to spend a little bit more than you expected. Let me show you the value of a slightly more expensive cat tree that could be perfect for you.
Choosing Your Cat Tree
This is what I did when I began looking, and I recommend you do the same. Start with a plan because this tree will be with you for a long time.
Look at:
Your space
The size you might need
How the tree you like might look when set up in your home.
I checked online, and reviewed many models available. There are lots made in China but these are limited in style and size. I had a budget, slightly more than usual as this was part of my Christmas present, so set yourself a budget and try to stick to it.
I also visited our local pet supermarket to make sure I got a good look at what was available. My local store’s scratcher selection did not appeal so I kept looking. Many of the scratchers I looked at were plush carpet and would look out of place in our chaotic and busy cat filled house. Most importantly, none of them seemed tall enough to fit our very specific location. As you can see our living room has a high ceiling.
Then I had a lightbulb moment. The local company that created Jack’s custom made senior cat steps, Beloved Pets, might be able to help.
It turns out that Beloved Pets don’t just make pet stairs and fine dog crate covers (that look gorgeous in any living room!) They make a large range of outdoor catio furniture and, exactly what I was looking for, a tall cat tree! Not only are they already trusted suppliers to Dash Kitten, they are a helpful and friendly company so I could ask questions without feeling silly.
If you are looking for a cat tree built to last, I suggest, wherever you are, you check out local craftspeople. Our tree was made to order for our 3 metre (9 ft approx) ceiling space.
What is in the Cat Tree Package?
You will find a sturdy base that the carpeted poles are attached to as you build the cat tree upwards. The base is plain wood and can be finished with a sealant that fits in with your decor [if this is something you need to take into account].
There are three broad, sturdy shelves that make comfortable perching spots and these are a popular look out point for our cat family. We have one low shelf positioned towards the window for Bird TV and the other shelf points into the living room. This second shelf is useful for watching out for first signs of supper and acts as a strong jumping off point for the cat bed on the next level up.
One thing I was worried about. Would the cats find the sleeping area too high to reach?
It seemed very high to me and I thought it would take a long time for anyone to jump to it, but I was wrong. Our senior cat Sienna is more than happy to be queen of all she surveys by leaping up with total confidence to the cat ‘sleeping cup’. Not bad for a 15 year old.
Cat Tree Assembly
The tree fits together easily with strong metal rods connecting each section and the pillars screw neatly into place. For those who are unsure of assembly Beloved Pets email a clear set of instructions for you to follow. The instructions advise that you ensure the poles are firmly screwed into place, so cat dad strength came is useful here.
In fact, I would suggest that an extra pair of hands to assist with assembling the tree is helpful. This is especially important when you add the final ceiling brace, (which has a degree of flexibility to fit different ceiling heights). A second pair of eyes helped me get the cat tree straight and then Paul’s height allowed us to tap the ceiling brace upright into place with a hammer (as the interior spring of the brace is very strong).
Please note that the cat tree is a bit more flexible than you might be used to, simply because it is so tall! However, our cats fly up and down at speed and ignore the slight flex of the tree which you can see from the video. Toulouse leaps up to the top with total confidence.
Who Was First To The Top of the Tree?
Our old cat tree was about 2 metres (6 ft. Approx.) and no-one ventured up high until Toulouse joined the Dash Kitten Crew about two years ago. Once he ventured right to the top others followed so, I was not surprised that he has been the first to scramble right to the top platform. After this I saw Thomas watching with a calculating look in his eye and knew he would venture up soon after.
If you a supporter of small businesses here in New Zealand or around the world, do not hesitate to explore the world of artisan pet furniture. You will find a community full of invention and creativity ready and able to help you with your own custom cat tree challenges, crate surround issues or wall platforms.
