How to photograph your cat

Cat photography can be lots of fun. Here are some of the best short tips you need to know to photograph your cat.

Light

As in any type of photography light is crucial. Two things to watch out for are the quantity and the quality of light. Firstly, make sure it is not too dark and there’s enough light to capture your playful fluffy cat. Secondly, make sure the light is not bouncing off some colourful things (like red or green) which might add colourcast on your images.

Natural light is great to photograph your cat. Especially window light if you photograph your fluffy friend indoors. If you want to take some pictures outdoor, it is better not to shoot in harsh light as it causes strong shadows. Artificial light / strobes are also fine. It all depends on your style and the look are you trying to achieve. I personally prefer natural light.

Background

Try to choose simple and plain backgrounds. This way all of the attention will be drawn to your cat. There won’t be any distracting elements in the image. And the image will look more pleasing to the eye.

This cute cat was sleeping on a very colourful blanket. To improve the image I just picked him up, put a single colour blanket on top of this background and put him back to the exact spot he was sleeping. Same cat. Same spot. Different background.

Pose and interaction

Cats are adorable no matter what they do! They are adorable when they sleep and when they don’t. There’s usually no need to pose them. Just make sure to capture their personality while they are doing their important cat stuff.

You can get great pictures while playing with your cat. That said, photographing a cat in action can be a little challenging, as they move so fast. Make sure to set higher shutter speeds to avoid getting blurry images. Also it helps if you have an assistant, someone who will play with a cat while you are taking images.

Eye contact

Look for eye contact. Images with eye contact are usually stronger. The first things people look at (in an image with a person or an animal) are their eyes.

Angles and view points

Try to shoot from different angles to make your images more versatile. Also photograph your pets from their eyes’ level. Getting down to their level will make your pictures more professional and unique.

Use props in your cat photography

Incorporate some props to your cat photography. Why not? Images with a story behind them evoke more interest. Just make sure they are safe and won’t hurt your fluffy model.

Final thoughts

Have fun! 🙂