Post your CAT pictures here! (2)

The eyes do not seem to be sharp on my screen and the shooting angle is a little bit high.
I noticed that you use aperture 6.3 - I usually close mine down to f11 or even further to have enough depth of field. Breeders and exhibitors do not necessarily like the artistic shallow depth of field, they need pics which clearly show all qualities of the cat.

Thank you very much CyberCat for the comments. The eyes are all good on these, at least at 100% on my computer, so I imagine I have some compression issues going on. If DOF that is shallow is not desired, I may switch over to my 7D2 then, more DOF at the same f stop, and the lights recycle fast at this power. Agree on the observations I need to stay at eye level, I will put that on my mental checklist. Just starting into this avenue of cat shows, really amazed at how many varieties are even at this small one I went to.

I have a 7D2 as well but for portraits I prefer now the fullframe 5D3.
Client requirements also impact the gear choice and lighting set-up. I think you did a great job, the mental checklist is pretty long but by time and practice one can get used to it. Actually I skip a couple of months without studio shoots I always have to warm up for the next photo session.

Do you have any suggestions on reading or videos on cat behavior? there were a couple that we just couldn't get them comfortable enough to play and sit up strait - One I think another photographer pinned it down physically and will take time to get back to 'normal' in a studio set up, the other is just a very very timid cat.

Not really, I did shows with my cats and I was also a steward for the judges and the best in show - so I have experience with cats.
Usually you just need to be patient, give enough time for the cat to relax. Also the cat should be trained to a certain extent, they should have a favourite toy that the owner can offer them during the shoot and make them play. Also there are cats which are just too timid and you need to accept that there is no way to take pictures of them.
The same applies to dogs - they need to be trained and well behaving to a certain extent.
The photographer is responsible for the lighting and capturing the right pose but the pose itself is the owners responsibility in case of animals.

So many gorgeous cats!

Tommy's Eyes.
He had stars in his eyes. Unfortunately Tommy passed away a year and a half ago.

Sorry to hear that. R.I.P Tommy

Thank you.
Tommy was a stray that adopted us and we had the privilege of his presence for nine years before he passed.

Just got this one a week ago, and the first cat I've had in about 20+ years. Had some barn cats growing up. This stray has really made herself at home. I think she's around 4-6 months old. Giving me good reason to use the 85mm I bought a few months ago that hasn't seen much use yet. Really liking that lens, and the cat. Ended up naming her Katrina.

What a pretty girl she is. Enjoy you live together...

SpiderMonkey wrote in post #18250810
Tommy's Eyes.
He had stars in his eyes. Unfortunately Tommy passed away a year and a half ago.

Sorry for your loss. I lost my dog earlier last fall after having him for fourteen years. It's hard to say the least, but I'm glad I had him.

Today is 10 yes since I lost my cat Gil, he was the first of 7 cats. To this day I tear up when I think of him. It's hard to loose such a good friend, but I can't image not having them in my life.

Thank you all for the kind words, losing a pet is much like losing a member of the family, I've had losses on both sides of that coin.

Just to give a little background on Tommy. Tommy showed up on our doorstep one day and would not leave, I actually had to step over him when I would leave the house to go to work. I was on a work related trip to San Diego a month after Tommy had shown up, my daughter called me and said that there was a really bad storm moving in, she was worried about the stray cat living on our front porch. I told her to get the cat inside somehow and we would deal with it after the storm. Tommy came in and from that day on until he passed, he never had any desire to go outside again.

It's always extra special when a pet adopts the family.