Kittentanz’s Customers often do not believe how easy it is to get good photos of your favorite Kittentanz Kitty! During these holidays, when you go to take pictures of your furry friends, we hope that these pointers will make you get better results!
The first thing we must discuss is your camera. Here at Kittentanz we use a Nikon d-90 with a 70-135 lens. This allows me the flexibility for slightly different exposures and the speed and response to get good photos. I know many of you might have cell phones and Ipads and those can still work to make great photos. However, there will need to be much more planning or luck for these devices to get the picture that you can get with even a lower level digital camera. So if you have one, or are asking Santa, use a mid level camera such as this – Panasonic Lumix ZS20 (http://tinyurl.com/n9edmdm).
You want to use Shutter priority. For those who do not know what that is – it is a setting on your camera that you can set where you control the shutter speed. 250 or above please!
Use Burst mode – if you have it -to take several pictures at the same press of the shutter. (It feels like you are a pro! Click click click …ha!)
Natural light ! Let me say that again — NATURAL LIGHT! — or bright indoor lights. That means NO FLASH! This is super important – getting your kitten posed in natural light or good indoor light, allows you to work without scaring the kitten with the flash and no annoying “red eye” to deal with.
Close ups! Close ups are better! Close ups allow you to see your kittens’ eyes or to illustrate the emotional moment. That makes for better pictures!
Focal point is important.. and I don’t mean that the picture is clear… but, the subject is obviously what you intend the viewer to see. If it is your wife and her new kitten, frame your wife and the kitten as the only major elements in the photo. Get down to your kitten’s level and take the photo there the focal point will be better!
Focus.. ah.. the last major point.. How to get good focus. I always make the eyes as the place where I focus the camera. The eyes are truly the window to the soul, using them as THE element to focus on is a “can’t miss.” If you are using a cell phone or an Ipad to get your pictures, focus can be difficult. But, closeness and patience will get you better picture! Remember no flash on that cell phone.
Photoshop is your friend… A good retouch with a photo editing program is often a good idea. Removing the little fuzz balls, or the odd piece of litter or dust will make your photo better. Contrast adjustments and brightness are important too!
I hope these tips will help you take better pictures and remember, I want all of those terrific Kittentanz kittens on our Facebook page! Send them to me at catman@kittentanz.com
Bill