lynniroberts

The Love Between

My daughter loves this cat so much. They cuddle up like this quite often. One very spoilt kitty cat.

My daughter loves this cat so much. They cuddle up like this quite often. One very spoilt kitty cat.
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Sep, 2016

Views

1443

Likes

+231

Awards

Contest Finalist in Kids And Pets Photo Contest

Featured

Peer Award

+140

Superb Composition

Top Choice

Absolute Masterpiece

All Star

Magnificent Capture

Outstanding Creativity

Superior Skill

Emotions

Impressed

Happy

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Behind The Lens

Location

This photo was taken at home in my studio in front of a dark grey paper backdrop.

Time

It was mid-afternoon - the best time of day for natural light in this room. I love warm light so this window facing north-west is perfect for that.

Lighting

I prefer natural light. It changes from day to da, hour to hour, so I like the challenge of changing my settings to suit the situation. I personally prefer catch-lights from a window sourced light over those from studio lights. In this case, however, their eyes were closed. I only use studio lights when the light is insufficient due to heavy cloud cover or if it is getting too late in the day.

Equipment

Nikon D700, 85mm 1.4 lens, hand-held, no flash. Camera settings: 1/60, f2.0, ISO 500.

Inspiration

My daughter loves her cat, Charlie, dearly. She cuddles him like this on a daily basis. He is actually a very independent cat, who likes to roam free on our property but he comes home to snuggle up somewhere warm and cosy for a snooze. This was a very natural, candid moment that was captured. I love their interaction and how in sync they are with each other. The love between people and pets always speaks truth to me and so I am always looking for opportunities to capture moments like these.

Editing

I post-process most of my images in Lightroom and Photoshop. This image required very little editing but the paper background had wrinkles in it that needed to be smoothed out and Charlie's white fur was a bit bright so it needed to be toned down a bit. I used a Curves adjustment layer to darken areas of the fur and burnt in some spots that stood out too much. There is also a slight vignette to draw attention to the subjects at the centre of the image.

In my camera bag

My camera: Nikon D700. I have a range of lenses mostly for portraiture: AF-S Nikkor 24-70mm f2.8; Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8, Nikkor 50mm f1.4G; Nikkor 85mm, f1.4G. I also have a Macro lens: Nikkor 105mm f1.4.

Feedback

It's important to be ready to capture moments like these. Have your camera nearby and ready to pick up at a moment's notice. Adjust your settings for the light falling on your subject and pay close attention to the highlights on your subject's face. The skin should never blow out. A prime lens that can open up to f2.0 or f.18, such as a 50mm f1.4, works best indoors where the light is usually dim. Increase your ISO so that don't compromise on shutter speed. Noise is less distracting than a blurred image. A room that is uncluttered always works best for me. Try to position your subjects close to an open door or large window and allow them to interact naturally while you sit and observe. Take several photos as the moments unfold. The magic usually happens when you least expect it.

See more amazing photos, follow lynniroberts

lynniroberts

lynniroberts

The Love Between

My daughter loves this cat so much. They cuddle up like this quite often. One very spoilt kitty cat.

Behind The Lens

See more amazing photos, follow lynniroberts

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