How to Photograph a Cat

Cat photography is a real art. Since I don’t have the artistic skill, for me it is a crap shoot. I shoot endlessly and sometimes get decent pictures. There are many crummy ones along the way, however. One of the most frustrating aspects of using a digital camera is that the cat often moves before the shutter clicks. I have more pictures of the tip of Sophie’s tail, Max’s butt, a blur of Lily’s fur… And then there is the matter of capturing the true spirit of your cat.

Do you have trouble catching the essence of your cat in photographs? I’ve been photographing Lily for almost a year and finally, FINALLY, captured her personality in a photo. She is just about as sweet as they come, yet her photos sometimes seem to show a hint of attitude—or should we say “catitude.”

The photo of Lily that I’m sharing today represents my vision of her—my sense of her. Here, you see pure innocence and sweetness. Or is this simply my perception?

For this shot, I had to lay belly down on the living room floor and focus on Lily as she relaxes inside her blue tunnel—a delicious splash of sunlight glowing from behind her. I did not have to use the flash, so her eyes look more natural. I just love this shot. What do you think?

Catscapades, True Cat Tales is illustrated by around 40 photos of Lily and many other cats: Winfield, Katy, Daisy, Frigie, Tober, Bootsie, Gomer, Crystal and others. One reader told me that she really enjoys having the photos so she can put the cat more visually into the story.

Speaking of reader comments—oh my, they are so positive. I’m preparing to post a new collection of comments at the Catscapades page: http://www.matilijapress.com/catscapades.html.

Order your copy today—remember, Mother’s Day is around the corner. If you order it early enough, you’ll have time to read it before wrapping it for your mom, mother-in-law, grandma…

You can also order this book through Amazon.com.