Cat Pictures for an animal shelter C&C please

[JFP]

So for the last 3 months I have been volunteering time at a local animal shelter called A Helping Paw near Cape Cod Mass. Yesterday I got them to let me take some new pictures of the cats for them. I have posted my favorite of the bunch (25+ pictures in total) and another one just because...well you will see.

C&C welcome, It is sad but a good picture could be the difference between a cat getting adopted or not so please C&C so I can do better next time.


Favorite:

IMG_0659 by fluKeKe, on Flickr

For the lulz:

IMG_0621 by fluKeKe, on Flickr

 

[jenko]

First, thanks for helping out at the shelter. It's a great thing to do!

There are a few things, based on the shots, I think you could do to improve the appearance of the animals.

The first shot looks a little underexposed. That could be improved in post-processing--Lightroom or photoshop, etc. To me, the animals eyes are very important. Cats have pretty eyes, it is one of their best features, so show them! It can be tough to get an animal to look at the camera, but I would make it my top priority in "adopt me" photos. The orange cat's fur would also stand out more if the back of the chair was not a similar color.

Hope that helps.

 

[JFP]

Thanks for the critque jenko! I have to agree with you, I do have some shots of baileys (top photo) eyes and they came out great. I'll load one

Sent from my SM-T310 using Tapatalk

 

[The_Traveler]

These are portraits, treat them that way,
Try to get the animal as large in the frame as you can, without space behind them.
Try not to clip feet.
Darken what doesn't count, brighten what does.
Sharpen the animal's fur.

 

[The_Traveler]

And these will probably never be printed really large so you can crop the originals SOOOO step back and give them and you some room for best crop.

 

[dxqcanada]

Yes, cats are about their faces/eyes ... so try to get them head on.
Get their attention with some string.
Do not keep any pictures which may make them look vicious, like that yawning picture ... no teeth or claws out!!
Sleeping/resting/lounging cats are always great shots (though that may be difficult at the shelter).

I was considering doing the volunteer photographer thing also ... I got a wireless flash with a softbox head to do OCF, as the lighting is not so great in these shelters. Get a setup area, stick the flash on a tripod, then one by one take one cat for the photo shoot.

 

[JFP]

Thanks guys afyer reading everything it all seems like things I should have known but was rushing a bit.

Dxqcanada: all I have is my cannon so I was battleing lighting the entire time. Half the time a proper exposure would cause bluring which was a hassle because we all know cats wont sit still.

As far as the photo with the cat yawning. I sent it to them simply for the fun factor, they wont put it out in the flier or anything.

The traveler: im using an extremely basic editor right now that would not let me adjust areas of the photo only. What software did you use for your edit?

Sent from my SM-T310 using Tapatalk

 

[The_Traveler]

Your DOF and sharpness was good and you coped with the issues you had just fine.

There are many ways to go about this.

Online editors (pixlr.com, fotoflexr.com)
free editors - gimp and others
low cost editors - Adobe elements, corel paintshop
rent editors - Photoshop CC

or ask others to help you with the editing.

 

[JFP]

Just downloaded Lightroom any C&C on my Re-edit?

 

[dxqcanada]

Try not to over do it ... but you are getting the idea.
Now edit the other shot of Baileys, and show us your new powers.

 

[The_Traveler]

Try not to over do it ... but you are getting the idea.
Now edit the other shot of Baileys, and show us your new powers.

and remember, you must pledge to only use your super-powers for good.

 

[JFP]

Try not to over do it ... but you are getting the idea.
Now edit the other shot of Baileys, and show us your new powers.

How about Miss Weebles

Original:


Edit:

 

[Rick58]

I'll play...


Original


Edit