[thesaxman547]

Hi everyone... I just adopted an indoor kitten last week and I've been dying to get a good shot of him but there is never enough light in my apartment. I'm using 100 kodak ektar film on my k2. I've tried using some strong lights that I have but they obviously bother him a lot. I realize that my options are:

a: using strong lights
b: external flash
c: higher speed film

What is your preferred method of lighting for pets and why?

I'm a novice photographer and any tips would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Ted

[Grimlock]

If the pet is fussy, I'd suggest:

-someone or something (like food or a toy) to distract the cat
-a flash set to a lower power level, and
-higher ISO.
-prayer.

[Allison]

Since the strong lights bother your kitten, I would stay away from them. Also, stay way from the flash. It with bother him too, plus I have always found that flash causes a strange effect on cats - similar to red eye, but not often red, just glassy or yellow.

Your best bet would be to get faster film, but you may also want to look into a faster lens, if funds permit ;o)

[Kerrowdown]

Use superglue or wait till it's asleep, this will allow slower shutter speeds and the use of a tripod.

[Pwn4g3_P13]

By sheer pestiliance, I have trained my grandmas dog to flinch and run away whenever I point my camera towards her

Good Luck

[WJW]

a: using strong lights
b: external flash
c: higher speed film

ASA 800 and turn on all the normal lights you can. Or, catch a decently light day when the kitten is sitting close to a window.

Jeff

[felix68]

Hi everyone... I just adopted an indoor kitten last week and I've been dying to get a good shot of him but there is never enough light in my apartment. I'm using 100 kodak ektar film on my k2. I've tried using some strong lights that I have but they obviously bother him a lot. I realize that my options are:

a: using strong lights
b: external flash
c: higher speed film

What is your preferred method of lighting for pets and why?

I'm a novice photographer and any tips would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Ted

There must be some windows in your apartment. Most cats love to lay in the sunlight coming through a window. If you figure out what time of day the light comes in and are patient, catch him by an uncurtained window.

[Marc Sabatella]

Definitely window. That's classic portrait lighting anyhow, and most cats *love* to be around windows, so getting them to pose is not a problem. You don't need super-fast lenses or film. This was f/2.8 and ISO 200 (digital, not film, but same difference). DOF would have been shallower at f/2, of course, but that would have allowed ISO 100:


K200D, M100/2.8, f/2.8, 1/90", ISO 200

[Mark2100]

Open the blinds, put some pillows under the window sill. Tie a string more toward the side you'll shoot from in the window that hangs just in his reach, wait against the wall for him... sounds like fun. Oh, be sure and get an exposure reading from the direction you're shooting, before you put the cat on the sill. Shooting in a window will likely underexpose the cat. So fill the frame with an eighteen percent gray card. Or, if you don't have one, a half faded pair of blue jeans is close. You could also hang a sheet a few feet from the window for some fill light. If the window was low enough, just draping the sheet over a chair would suffice.

[jbinpg]

Totally agree with window light. If you have a sofa next to a window, that is perfect. Cats need a throne from which to oversee their kingdom and the back of a window sofa is perfect for them. Mind you, a kitten never stays still for long unless it is sleeping so getting them to pose will be difficult. Older cats are easier. A 50/1.4 is perfect for cats.

Jack

[reknelb]

This cat would not sit still. I got on the floor and waited for him to pass by. He paused for a split second. I was shooting ISO 400, 1/125, f4.5, with bounced flash to the right, K10d, 50-135mm da. This was at night so I had no window light.

[bootsy]

This cat would not sit still. I got on the floor and waited for him to pass by. He paused for a split second. I was shooting ISO 400, 1/125, f4.5, with bounced flash to the right, K10d, 50-135mm da. This was at night so I had no window light.

It's still a great photo reknelb. Cats are notorious for being a pain when trying to get a portrait of them, it's almost like they are camera shy

Now give me a dog anytime of the day.

Nick

[pasipasi]

I've taken plenty of cat portrait shots. Recently I've left the flash unmounted though and I've used the K20D in TAv mode with a fast lens and I've even gone up to ISO 4000. With film slr though, I've used tri-x 400 @ 1600 and a fast lens and available light.

I don't think a bounced flash bothers the cats too much, they get quite used to it. Never aim the flash towards the cats though, unless you can set the flash power to something very low.

Cat photos - a set on Flickr

[Lowell Goudge]

new cats are so much fun to photograph

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/attachments/post-your-photos/22358d122679...p-ho-ho-ho.jpg
*istD @ 1/150 with M42 35mm F2.0 (actual apature unknown) and internal flash at ISO 400

but then again so are older ones

*istD @ 1/30 with M42 35mm F2.0 (probably at F2.0) no flash
https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/attachments/pentax-slr-lens-discussion/21...-club-eyes.jpg