You don’t have to be an expert to take photos of your cat that look like they were shot by a pro. By following a few simple tips, you can achieve a “purr-fect pose,” and capture memories of your cat you’ll love for a lifetime!
10. Use Lots of Treats
If you want to ensure your cat will participate, make sure to bring lots of treats. When your cat wants to swat away the camera, offering a tasty snack will help your pet associate the camera with a positive experience. When your cat wants to move on, use a treat to lure your kitty back.
9. Wait for Golden Hour or Overcast Conditions
If you don’t have the best lighting, let nature provide that for you. Golden Hour is the part of the day shortly after sunrise or before sunset when the daylight provides a softer, warmer, and more flattering light. Cloudy days are also good. The light will be more diffused and there won’t be as many shadows.
8. Consider the Surroundings and Background
Make sure that whatever background you use, the surroundings aren’t cluttered. Simple backgrounds are best. Solid backgrounds are even better. Choose a color that contrasts with your cat’s coat (opposite on the color wheel). Your cat is the star of the photo. You don’t want a busy or distracting background that pulls the eye away from your cat.
7. Set the Stage
When it comes to capturing a “magic moment” in photography, staging is everything. It begins before you shoot. Think about what kind of photo you’re after. What do you want in the picture? Props can make a statement. Outdoorsy? Climbing a tree? Use a touch of catnip and let them loose. Lots of forethought stages the shot you want and leaves less to chance.
6. Get on Their Level
You can create a much more interesting photo by getting down to your cat’s level and viewing the world from their perspective. Photographing your cat head-on can make your cat look larger-than-life, regal, and the focus of the photo. Zooming in can also create interesting and more personal-feeling perspectives and angles.
5. Capture Their Attention
The key to capturing great photos of your cat is to capture their attention. Try holding a treat or a favorite toy next to the camera. You can also use hand motions, a high-pitched sound, or other interesting noise. All these will draw the cat’s attention toward the direction of the camera lens.
4. Focus on Their Eyes
Eyes are arguably one of a cat’s best features. When you’re aiming to photograph a close-up of your kitty’s face, focus the camera on their eyes. Some cameras may try to autofocus on their nose. By focusing on the eyes, you’ll get a clearer picture of their face, and their peepers, too.
3. Don’t Use a Flash
While camera flashes can be annoying to humans, they can be downright frightening to your cat. Discomfort with the flash will create a negative experience your cat won’t want to participate in. Plus, the flash gives them “red eyes” transforming them into a “hellcat.” Flash also washes out colors from the image.
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2. Act Fast
Your cat won’t hold that “super cute” pose for long. Therefore, when trying to capture the “purr-fect portrait,” the key is not hesitating, snapping quickly, and taking a lot of shots. With digital, it’s easy to toss the bad shots. Remember, if things aren’t working, and you don’t get the shot you want, it’s easy to try again another day.
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1. Be Patient and Don’t Force It
Getting your cat to pose is already something it isn’t inclined to do. It’s likely to get bored or distracted quickly. Pet photography requires lots of patience. Most importantly, make the experience fun for your cat. Don’t try to force your kitty into a pose or into doing something it doesn’t want to do. That will create a negative association.
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