Your cat is beautiful and talented. But every time you try to capture all that beauty and personality to share with family and friends or place on your Christmas cards - presto-chango Fluffy disappears or worse begins cleaning herself in a most graphic way. Here are some ideas to help you get a natural and attractive picture of your pet.

First, select a place where your cat feels comfortable such as his napping chair. Add some favorite toys into the area. Your cat most likely will not tolerate being posed by you. But, if you have some patience and a good setting that he likes, he will begin to pose himself. Bribery is also a useful ploy. Next, take the shot quickly. If you take too long, your cat may become distracted and move. Take lots of pictures and select the good ones later.

Make your cat the focal point of the picture by removing distracting objects. Fill about 70% of the frame with your cat.  About three feet is a good distance for non-zoom cameras.  If you have a zoom lens, zoom in from a distance so you don’t distract your pet. Take pictures from your pet’s level by kneeling or sitting.

Don’t allow the flash to distract your cat. Try using special film such as KODAK MAX that does not require a flash. For outdoor pictures, you can select a slower film such as KODAK GOLD 100 film or KODAK GOLD 200 film.

If you use artificial light, watch out for "red eye". "Red eye" is caused by the light source being too close to the camera, causing the light to reflect off the back of the cat’s eyes.  To prevent it, just raise your light source and move it away from the camera. You can also remove the eye reflection with image processing software such as Photoshop.

Posted by Barbara.