Practicing with new T2i on cat

Got a new T2i for Christmas and been practicing on the cat.
Other than the overblown background what else can be done to improve.
Used 18-55 kit lens and a little work in the software that came with the camera.
Any C & C is welcome.
Thanks,
Randall

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looks soft, and I think your white balance is off. what were your camera settings?

A reflector in front and a little to the right would have helped with shadow details in the face and also would have toned down the background some (because the brighter face would need a smaller aperture). Try a piece of white cardboard or even the dull side of a piece of aluminum foil. If Miss Kitty doesn't object, place it 18" or so from the face.

Thanks for the feedback.
Camera settings:
5.6
1/30
ISO 1600
Focal Length 55 mm
Shot Manual in RAW

The cause of the softness?
High ISO, quality of the lens, all of the above!
More likely my skills or lack thereof.

TRACER wrote in post #11528972
ISO 1600

Yikes! That makes no sense.

TRACER wrote in post #11528972
Thanks for the feedback.
Camera settings:
5.6
1/30
ISO 1600
Focal Length 55 mm
Shot Manual in RAW

The cause of the softness?
High ISO, quality of the lens, all of the above!
More likely my skills or lack thereof.

If you're handholding and/or shooting a moving target like an animal you can't reliably have a shutter speed of 1/30 and eliminate motion blur. At least I can't.

it's not super-noisy, so I wouldn't blame the high ISO. I'd say it's a combination of shooting at 1/30sec shutter and f/5.6... mainly the shutter speed. you definitely need to be faster than that (usual rule is shutter speed should be the inverse of the focal length, in your case ~1/60 of a sec.).

A better option would have been to turn around, use the light from the window to your advantage, and compose a completely new photo.

"Yikes! That makes no sense."
Not sure what you mean on this statement, could you explain a bit.
Thanks.

TRACER wrote in post #11529490
"Yikes! That makes no sense."
Not sure what you mean on this statement, could you explain a bit.
Thanks.

Yes, with bright sunlight, you should be able to shoot at a much lower ISO. If you can't, then you need either fill flash or (as I suggested before) a reflector to get more of that sunlight on your dark subject.

weird. I was going to suggest using ISO3200 and 1/60sec shutter.

@Peano-Gotcha. Thanks.

There doesn't appear to be anything in focus in the image - a good indicator of camera shake.

And I think you've gotten the idea that you need some more light on the cat's face.