Your cat is part of your family and cherished memories of your feline friend are something you will thank yourself for years to come. You may even frame a perfect picture or commission a cat portrait that you can hang in your living room or bedroom forever. But when it comes to taking pictures of cats, it’s not as easy as just pointing and shooting with your phone. Below, you can find a few tips on how to take the best photo of your cat.
Get Down on their Level
This will help you better capture your cat in its entirety, her facial expressions are also best seen from this position. Get down on the ground, or if your cat is on a piece of furniture, sit on a chair in front of them. Don’t take a photo of their back or tail as the centerpiece but focus on what makes them special, which is most often their face.
Use Natural Light Whenever Possible
For the best photo, find a room with lots of natural light coming in from a window. If it’s a sunny day, you can even try to take your cat outside. If you must use artificial light, try not to use the flash as it can startle your cat and cause red-eye. It is best to ditch artificial light altogether but if you have to use it, add it at the front of your cat at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. This angle is best for capturing portraits but anything between 15 and 70 degrees works fine, you won’t need to measure it strictly.
Get Close to your Cat
You can use Zoom on your phone or camera but getting closer to your cat will almost always result in a better photo. If you’re using your phone, get as close as you can without getting your finger in the way. If you have a point-and-shoot camera or DSLR, use the macro setting if you have one. If not, get as close as you can without losing focus. Here’s another guide for black cat photography.
Focus on the Eyes
The eyes are the windows to the soul, and that goes for cats too. If your cat is facing the camera, focus on the eyes. If your cat is not facing the camera, you can still focus on the eyes by using the rule of thirds. This means you want the eyes to be in the top third or left third of the photo. If you’re using your phone, you can tap on the screen where you want the camera to focus.
Use Props Wisely
A toy or treat can help get your cat’s attention and result in a cuter photo. If the photo is taken so that it can be turned into a watercolor portrait, use the prop that is dearest to your cat. You can also be that prop if you want to capture a moment of you two together! In that case, the same rules apply to the use of natural light and positioning.