Black Cat
One of my first photos and still one of my favorites. This was the day I met my girl Phoebe and fell in love. She now lives happily indoors with our other res...
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One of my first photos and still one of my favorites. This was the day I met my girl Phoebe and fell in love. She now lives happily indoors with our other rescues.
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Nov, 2015Views
3127
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Awards
Tamron Lens
Contest Finalist in The Animal Eye Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in The Black Color In Nature Photo Contest
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Top Choice
Absolute Masterpiece
All Star
Magnificent Capture
Superior Skill
Outstanding Creativity
Love it
Genius
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Pamelabole
December 09, 2016
Great shot....love those eyes!!! : ) Congrats on being a contest finalist!! : )
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo of the black cat named Phoebe was taken in my backyard located in Almont, MI. Believe it or not, this was one of the very first photos I ever took after I bought my first camera.Time
As soon as I arrive home from work during the early evening hours, my daily routine (before my daughter was born lol) is/was to pull out my camera and practice different techniques. This beautiful black female cat curiously walked up to me, laid in the grass, and posed. I took that opportunity to get up-close and personal for a few portrait shots. I got down all the way on my stomach, as low as I could possibly go to really capture the cat head on. I really wanted to have the grass add an extra element of depth here as well.Lighting
I have a nicely shaded backyard that really helps protect me from harsh lighting conditions but my yard also allows just the right amount of light through to give me that perfect amount of highlights. I'm glad it wasn't a bright day because I was able to meter for my black cat subject and I still able to get nice detail in the foreground and background without any overexposure.Equipment
This was shot with my Canon T5i paired with your standard Canon 50mm 1.8. I've spent a great amount of money on gear since this photo was taken and this is still one of my favorite shots, hands down. I always tell people, great photography is not entirely dependent on your gear but the person behind the camera. The expensive gear just makes things a little bit easier sometimes but anything can be achieved/replicated with a basic setup.Inspiration
First and foremost, I absolutely love animals and it shows in my photography. I have a gift/blessing to be able to make a connection with my subjects and pass that connection along to the viewer of my work. With my wife being in the veterinary field and me making such a deep connection with this pretty cat, we ended up rescuing/adopting this black cat (Phoebe) and her sister (Polly). They have since put on a ton of weight but that's okay with them. They are so spoiled and love the life we give them.Editing
I had to remove the blue hue within the black cat in this photo because most of the time you will get some type of coloration when capturing black subjects. I also adjusted my shadows, added a little vignette, and enhanced the cats green eyes ever so slightly (they are very green in real life and her eyes were also reflecting the green grass but I wanted them to pull the viewer right in).In my camera bag
I carry a Canon backpack loaded to it's max capacity with my Canon 7D Mark II | Tamron 150-600mm | Canon 60mm Macro 2.8 | Canon 24mm 2.8 | Canon 10-18mm Ultra Wide Angle | Canon 50mm 1.8 | Canon 18-135mm kit | Canon 55-250mm | Yongnuo 568EX II Speedlite | Manfrotto tripod | Shutter Release | And many other goodies.Feedback
I just won a ViewBug contest and all I needed was a basic starter camera and lens. Understanding light, understanding how your camera works, and lots of practice is what makes you a great photographer. I put a lot of time into perfecting my techniques and I quickly learned that there are countless approaches when you photograph any given subject. The biggest piece of advice I'd like someone to take away from this read would be how important it is to put in the extra work at getting the right perspective to their subject. Use that creative side of your brain and try to tell the your story with photographs the way it was meant to be told. There are times I've literally had to lay on the ground and roll with my subject while looking through the eyepiece just to catch that perfect shot. Don't be afraid to get a little dirty. Your hard work will pay off in the end.
