How To Photograph Kittens

 Photo copyright by Amy K Roberts

How To Take The Cutest Pictures of Beautiful Kittens

Recently I had the joy of doing some photography for a pet rescue organisation. They wanted me to take pictures of quite a few kittens and cats on the same day. This was a dream come true to me. Not only am I a photographer but I love all cats and kittens. I felt this task was a lot of enjoyment yet especially challenging.

You may have been told that cat photography is very challenging. It's hard to think that photos of sweet little kittens could be very difficult. What is so tricky about this sort of photography? It is the same thing that makes other types photography difficult; quick motion. Let’s discuss ways to work with some of these familiar issues.

Kitten photography

If you are taking photos of kittens the primary point to appreciate is that you will be working with an unpredictable subject. It is very rare for a kitten to just sit and stare at the camera. You must use toys to guide your kitten with no intimidation or fear. It is crucial to keep the kitten as calm as possible. A playful kitten is very hard to photograph. A relaxed kitten is ideal.

How can you relax a kitten? One of the ways that kitties relax is by letting them use up as much energy as possible. Once they begin to fatigue then you will have a better opportunity of gaining the photographs you need.  You can ask a friend to rattle a toy or blow a whistle over your shoulder so that the kitten stares in the direction of your camera. You may also give them a little bit of kitten food and as soon as they pull their head up following eating, shoot the photo. Strive to get them to look at the camera if possible. This can be tough if they are still in play mode. This is why I say it's easier and less stress for you to take photos of them when they are beginning to calm.

If you would like a spontaneous and entertaining playful shot then it might be at a nice idea to let your kitten play. You can take some splendidly spontaneous photos using this method. You can take a photo of your kitten stretching up and trying to reach for a toy with toy. You can also take a photograph of your kitten appearing very interested in something. These natural and fun and candid photos work very well as an substitute to the average pet portrait photo. I have taken many natural and fun images using this method.

Professional Pet Photography Tips

What are the correct shooting modes to use for kitten photography? People who have not understood manual mode correctly are likely to shoot in semi-automatic shooting modes. I do not believe you can get the accurate exposure when the camera dictates the controls for you. You are more clever than the camera. I always photograph in manual mode for absolutely everything. Kittens included.

What is the reason for this? It is because I understand more than the camera does. I know what will work. I need to have absolute control over my aperture because I want to control my own depth of field. If you let the camera control your f-stop then you are enabling the camera to dictate your depth of field. Your camera will not be aware of how to create a first-class image, it simply knows that it needs to expose for lighting and capture depth of field. It does not comprehend how to get sharp photos of moving kittens.

I typically position myself about a meter away from my kittens. As the focus point changes all the time I make use of auto focus. (Due to the movement of the kittens). Using manual focus can take too much time for your kitten to jump into the plane or focus, if at all. I pursue the kitten about with my finger on the button, constantly focusing and refocusing. To help me to get sharpness of the kittens eyes I am careful and specific about what F stop range to use. I tend to use an f-stop somewhere between F5 .6 and F8. This makes it possible for me to have a rather small depth of field without focus challenges.

I use a shutter speed of around 200th of a second or higher. Your kitten can move very quickly and you want to be able to freeze the movement without blur. If you are making use of the speedlite you will see that you do not need to fret about shutter speed. Flash will freeze the action at around 250th of a second. This is really helpful to work with due to the fact all you have to do then is set your aperture knowing the flash will handle the shutter speed, in effect.

If you set your f-stop to a large setting, like F2 .8 or F4, you may discover clarity eludes you. This may be due to the fact your kitten has moved out of the focal range and the image is no longer holding sharp focus. However, if you use a slightly smaller f-stop you may find you usually do not be subjected to this predicament. Aperture and depth of field are very much related. It is important that you get the true aperture for the distance from your kitten. In other words the larger the f-stop the further in to your subject you need to be. Contemplate this when you are photographing your kittens.

What happens if you don't have flash?

Just prior to one of the photography sessions my flash decided to stop working. Fortunately I was shooting with  continuous studio lighting. I made the decision to take my flash off the camera. I then produced my shots at 6400 ISO, 200th of a second and F 7.1. I chose a very high ISO to compensate for the soft lighting. I wanted to get as much light as I possibly could. I also wanted to use a high ISO so that I could use a rapid shutter speed. Using an F stop of 7.1 enabled me to get some clear and tack sharp images.

How to photograph kittens

I photographed a mixture of typical and candid, yet lively, photos. I made the decision to produce a series of these photos in monochrome. I call this my "Black and White Kitten Series". There are many chances to produce some very innovative photos of kittens. You may capture some intentional blur, side profile photos, intense close up pictures or even use aids such as baskets or flowers.

Just remember the key to photographing kittens is light and movement. It is preferable to get as much light on the kitten as possible. Window light is fine but you also want to light up the scene from the opposite side. You may want to employ reflectors but it might distract the kittens. Alternatively you may want to bounce the light from the flash off the roof as I did. (Before my flash stopped working.)

Bounced flash is terrific. It is also valuable to have a white card on top of your flash unit. This white card aids in leading the light from the ceiling down onto your subject. It is not a good idea to blast your kitten with direct flash. The direct flash may damage their eyes and unsettle them.

You need to be spontaneous and open minded when you photographing your kittens. Always get on the ground and shoot from a low angle. This will assist you to hold sharp focus on the eyes. Be ready to move about with your kitten. It is essential to offer them praise as you go. After you capture them offer them a little indulgence. Animals understand when they are appreciated.

Photographing kittens calls for practical skill and good light. It also requires the photographer to be calm and relaxed. Some days are more productive than others. From time to time your kittens are not scared of the camera. They will look at the camera with curiosity and even move toward you start sniffing the camera. This is a terrific image if you can get it. If you are working with unsettled kittens then be very gentle and very enduring.

Photographing kittens is a fun and interesting experience. Always take care of your animals with utmost respect and love at all times. Kittens and perceptive little beings and must be be treated with respect.