Outdoor Creatures

Choosing and photographing (wildlife creatures) cats

By Garrett36 Pierson36

 When looking for a pet cat, you can easily find yourself being wooed by the first cute kitten that looks up adoringly into your face. Nonetheless, there are some things you should take into consideration before committing yourself.

Firstly, check the cat has a sleek coat, with no bare or thin patches, a cats coat is a useful indicator of general health. A cat or kitten should also be clean on the hind legs and under the tail and it’s always a good idea to visit the cat a few times before committing yourself and, while your there, see how it responds to handling and play. A lack of response or lethargy may indicate an unhealthy cat or neglect. If you have any concerns, it’s sensible to consult a vet.

Owners who live in the country will be looking for a cat that can roam free and maybe keep mice or rats at bay. For this, a short-haired tabby that’s been brought up in the country will be very happy here.

Cats more familiar with towns will be happier with a few more home comforts and tend to dislike the cold and wet outdoor conditions. You can also choose from the more prized breeds that you see at cat shows. If you choose a thoroughbred, it’s a good idea to visit a large cat show, you’ll be able to see many varieties such as shorthaired types like Siamese, Burmese or Abyssian and the long haired types, Persians, Colour-points and Chinchillas. As well as seeing these cats in the flesh, you’ll be able to talk directly to the breeders who will be able to offer expert advice on keeping such breeds.

For all cats grooming is prudent and even more so if you have a long hair, choose a brush or comb with rounded ends, this will help stimulate the cats skin and remove loose hair. Long-hair cats will need grooming up to twice a day to keep them in good condition.

Once you have them looking at their best, you’ll be wanting to take a some great photos for posterity. Here are a few points to consider when taking photos of your pets.

Firstly, be patient! Chances are, as soon as you rush off to get the camera, our little darlings will promptly wander off or turn their back on you. If there is somewhere were they like to play, leave the camera somewhere in the vicinity, so that it can be easily grabbed when the moment arises. Plus, make sure you have enough film or memory left in the camera, there is nothing worse than to start taking the pictures only to find you’ve only got one picture left in the camera, and that one went wrong!

Secondly, think about the background. If you have a black cat, avoid dark backgrounds, and similarly white cats don’t show up well with light backgrounds. Also, steer clear cluttered backgrounds. Too much going on in the background will distract the eye from the main feature (your cat!). Many cameras now have an auto focus facility, if there is a lot going on in the picture it will have difficulty in focussing on your cat rather than the furniture behind it.

Thirdly, lighting. If you take the picture indoors, try to do it in bright natural light and avoid having to use the flash. A flash will cast a very strong directional light that will produce hard shadows and the “green eye” effect. If you have the chance to photograph your cat outside, do it early in the morning or evening, strong midday sun can make a picture look ‘flat’ though overcast days will soften hard shadows and make it more conducive for photography.

Lastly, try different angles. Avoid taking the picture from ‘a human point of view’ as this is the angle you see day-in and day-out, take it at ‘cat level’ to get something more unusual. Also, a toy can be a useful tool to distract your cat and get them to look in the right direction.

Rob Tyrrell is a professional artist and proud owner of two cats, he specialises in pet portraits using oils. To find out more about his work or see samples, go to www.robtyrrell-petportraits.co.uk

Information On Outdoor Creatures And Pets

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Tuesday, May 25th, 2010 at 10:10 pm and is filed under pets. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.