Posted by Ron Crawford on June 20, 2012 at 3:49 PM
I have been asked to take 25 photos of a cat for publication in a book to be published nationally. Can anyone give me advise on lens types and exposure and shutter settings. I am not a cat person so I don't know really how they act.
Bengal Tiger in the wild, or a Tabby sleeping on the window sill? Big difference!
Cats are notoriously fickle creatures. One minute they are calm and relaxed, and the next...
Basically, you have to be prepared for sudden movement, so good lighting and faster shutter speeds will be helpful. Cats with lighter colored fur will benefit from + (plus) exposure compensation, and darker animals from - (minus) compensation. As with other animal photographs, try to get a catch-light in their eyes. If the lighting is dim, the cat's eyes wil dilate very wide, so the actual color of their eyes may not show up well--another case for brighter light. If you use a flash, be mindful of red eye.
These are just basic guidelines. If you need more specifics, we need to know the set up--studio, natural light, out of doors, etc.
I am not a cat person so I don't know really how they act.
That is not a good basis for cat photos IMO. Cats are notorious for sensing the attitude of people in my experience and if you are uncomfortable around them I suspect that will show in how they behave and how the images look. But if you can be non threatening and friendly then the odds of good results go up a lot.
If you are shooting in the home where the cats live then a fast short telephoto would be my first choice. I'd use natural light if possible and shoot at a wide aperture. I'd go to ISO 800 if the camera can produce clean images at that setting.
If you need to use flash then you want it off camera and diffused by an umbrella or matte reflector.
I've got many cat photos (our own two indoor-only cats plus feral cats from the Gilbert Water Ranch) on my blog. I usually state all shooting parameters with the images; if I haven't the EXIF is likely in the image so you can check.
Your asking for lens types, exposure and shutter setting for taking pictures of a cat. hmm maybe there is a video on youtube that will show you them things.
Conventional portrait settings - Mid range zoom, e.g. 24-105 or 28-135, f8-f11, 1/125-1/250, ISO 100-200, off-camera strobe(s), if needed. or adjust settings as needed for available light.
The eyes are important, also pay attention to paws, whiskers, and ear position. Watch your backgrounds.
Posted by Lindy Martin on June 21, 2012 at 7:11 AM
if you have access to the cat before the shoot, it may be a good idea to visit. Most domestics are skittish with people they don't know and it may be a help to you to know the cat first. They also don't particularly like the shutter sounds. I use fast shutter speeds, high iso and almost always no flash. Natural light shows the eyes of a predator . I also try to be lower than the cat, they like the hierarchy principle. Mind you, if it is a 30 pound cat and you are doing images for diet foods or something, you probably won't get action shots.... Good luck
Posted by Ron Crawford on June 21, 2012 at 8:58 AM
Thanks Lindy. I have an appointment at 10:30 today to meet this cat. I will schedule the shoot later after I scout it out.
Posted by David Graham on June 21, 2012 at 10:57 AM
Medium tele zoom; available light; and total understanding that it is the cat owner's responsibility to maneuvre the cat into comfortable (for the cat) situations thay you can capture from a comfortable (for the cat) distance. Charging for that number of images of a cat should be on a per-day basis...hourly won't cut it!
Charge what your time is worth and keep your cool...and your distance! .NO impatience!
Use of a lazer poInter to attract attention and to guide stalking/pounce behavior is a great help to setting up otherwise totally unpredictable situations..but don't aim it at the cat!
Take along some catnip toys...very helpful if the cat isn't already used to - and jaded by - their use by the owner as attention getters and as calming influence in an unrestrained situation whence it is desired that the cat not roam.
Check out the rooms where the shoot will be held and spend some time picking up and putting away stuff you'd rather not have in the BG of any shots! Time spent doing this will NOT be wasted!
Its kind of like getting informal portraits of a hyperactive child...only an order of magnitude more challenging!
When in doubt, shoot. Count on no more than 0.5% keepers! Twenty-five publishable keepers fom a one-day cat shoot can be an unrealistic expectation!
GOOD LUCK (it's definitely involved)
Dave in East River, SD
Posted by David Graham on June 21, 2012 at 11:01 AM
...and whenever possible, use large apertures/ shallow DOF....save lots of P.P. time cleaning up FG and BG.
Very good advice given above. Most important of which is getting to know the animals. If you are going to get good cat pictures you MUST become a "cat person". Of course this is true for any animal photography, including wild ones. Getting to know the subject is vital for capturing their true personalities.
Discussion
11 repliesRon Crawford
Cats are notoriously fickle creatures. One minute they are calm and relaxed, and the next...
Basically, you have to be prepared for sudden movement, so good lighting and faster shutter speeds will be helpful. Cats with lighter colored fur will benefit from + (plus) exposure compensation, and darker animals from - (minus) compensation. As with other animal photographs, try to get a catch-light in their eyes. If the lighting is dim, the cat's eyes wil dilate very wide, so the actual color of their eyes may not show up well--another case for brighter light. If you use a flash, be mindful of red eye.
These are just basic guidelines. If you need more specifics, we need to know the set up--studio, natural light, out of doors, etc.
Good luck!
--P
That is not a good basis for cat photos IMO. Cats are notorious for sensing the attitude of people in my experience and if you are uncomfortable around them I suspect that will show in how they behave and how the images look. But if you can be non threatening and friendly then the odds of good results go up a lot.
If you are shooting in the home where the cats live then a fast short telephoto would be my first choice. I'd use natural light if possible and shoot at a wide aperture. I'd go to ISO 800 if the camera can produce clean images at that setting.
If you need to use flash then you want it off camera and diffused by an umbrella or matte reflector.
I've got many cat photos (our own two indoor-only cats plus feral cats from the Gilbert Water Ranch) on my blog. I usually state all shooting parameters with the images; if I haven't the EXIF is likely in the image so you can check.
The eyes are important, also pay attention to paws, whiskers, and ear position. Watch your backgrounds.
Charge what your time is worth and keep your cool...and your distance! .NO impatience!
Use of a lazer poInter to attract attention and to guide stalking/pounce behavior is a great help to setting up otherwise totally unpredictable situations..but don't aim it at the cat!
Take along some catnip toys...very helpful if the cat isn't already used to - and jaded by - their use by the owner as attention getters and as calming influence in an unrestrained situation whence it is desired that the cat not roam.
Check out the rooms where the shoot will be held and spend some time picking up and putting away stuff you'd rather not have in the BG of any shots! Time spent doing this will NOT be wasted!
Its kind of like getting informal portraits of a hyperactive child...only an order of magnitude more challenging!
When in doubt, shoot. Count on no more than 0.5% keepers! Twenty-five publishable keepers fom a one-day cat shoot can be an unrealistic expectation!
GOOD LUCK (it's definitely involved)
Dave in East River, SD
DAVE, SD
Very interested in updates on this. How did your initial meeting with the cat go?
-P