Cats are fun, but mine are always moving

[trevorus]

Which makes it hard to get a good shot of them standing. They always want to be near me when they are up and about, so this was a rare shot:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/__4dN6-aaTZc/Sy6atlpKdTI/AAAAAAAADw0/SeLo1Nn1Vqc/s800/Odie001.jpg

My XT, nifty 50, hooded, and my sunpak flash bounced off a textured (ugh) ceiling.

[trevorus]

Another quick shot:

http://lh4.ggpht.com/__4dN6-aaTZc/SywRWI2XLdI/AAAAAAAADoI/yWj-bAvPVlo/s576/IMG_2420.JPG

Low flash, bounced again off the ceiling, nifty 50, aperture wide open.

[Meanderthal]

Fine cats, focus nicely on the eyes. The first seems over-exposed, though. Also, maybe use smaller aperture to get more depth of field. Crop the unnecessary, especially in the first (try portrait shape). Read up on the Rule of Thirds - which, of course, should not be followed blindly. Good luck with the shooting.

[suecassidy]

I find cats hard to shoot, but what works with dogs doesn't work as well with cats, mainly, SOUND. While a dog will react to sounds, squeaks, special words cats tend to be either bored, or freaked out by sounds. I find that sight and MOVEMENT is good with cats. A feather on a string, a toy mouse dangling on a string, or a candle flame will capture their attention. give it a try and see what happens.

[quadrant6]

I find my one younger male cat always blinks when I use flash, even bounced strangely enough. Thus most pics I get of him are of him with his eyes half-closed. I thought the flash was supposed to be too fast to blink for a shot.. guess not.

[m3n00b]

Wait until they get old. They stop moving so quick.

Here's my 15YO Egyptian Mau, handheld, no flash hence the blur

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=413765&stc=1&d=1260908733

[trevorus]

I find my one younger male cat always blinks when I use flash, even bounced strangely enough. Thus most pics I get of him are of him with his eyes half-closed. I thought the flash was supposed to be too fast to blink for a shot.. guess not.

My youngest cat does the same thing. That's really amazing reaction time.

[JohnBurrows]

Thanks for an interesting thread. I have tried for some time to 'capture' my cats with little success. This image is the best I have acheived to date!

[deci]

My youngest cat does the same thing. That's really amazing reaction time.

I'm just wondering if turning off 'red eye reduction' in the cam would prevent the pre-flash that your cats are probably responding to?

It's supposed to cause a humans iris to close slightly so the full amount of flash can't enter the eye and bounce off the retina.

[FXRev]

Amazing quality - very nice.

[trevorus]

I'm just wondering if turning off 'red eye reduction' in the cam would prevent the pre-flash that your cats are probably responding to?

It's supposed to cause a humans iris to close slightly so the full amount of flash can't enter the eye and bounce off the retina.

He does it with my external flash that doesn't do that. I hardly ever use internal flash. No pre-flash, 1/200th, and he still blinks in time to make it in the pic.

[deci]

I'm not sure, but I think it makes no difference. If you have red eye reduction chosen in the camera menu, I'm sure an external flash will also fire a 'pre flash' burst. Mine don't usually notice anything, so I've never tried it and I don't use flash at all in the shelter.

Probably better off asking in the flash forum.

[trevorus]

I'm not sure, but I think it makes no difference. If you have red eye reduction chosen in the camera menu, I'm sure an external flash will also fire a 'pre flash' burst. Mine don't usually notice anything, so I've never tried it and I don't use flash at all in the shelter.

Probably better off asking in the flash forum.

Nah, no pre-flash at all here. It's a Sunpak 333, trigger only. No red-eye reduction or anything. No partial triggering either. It's just an extremely fast reflexes. That's why the phrase "reflexes like a cat" became a well known phrase.

[deci]

It's just an extremely fast reflexes. That's why the phrase "reflexes like a cat" became a well known phrase.

I know those.......... It's them that enable a cat to squeeze in between my bum and the chair when only 0.001 second earlier they where on the floor.

Was just a thought, a bad one, but just a thought.:)

[jimmy_racoon]

you could try catching them when they are relaxing!

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/136/400772998_9421927ddb_b.jpg

[quadrant6]

http://quadrant6.smugmug.com/photos/735099691_S4KJb-L-2.jpg

My aunt's cat..