In Her Eyes
May, 2016Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photo just outside my front door while doing a mini experimental photoshoot with my very own cat. This was very shortly after I got my camera and I wanted to see what I could do with it.Time
This picture was captured mid-day, with lots of light for fast capture. Animals don't sit very sit for very long. Living in a small apartment with a very narrow sky view, the only time that the sun hits the walk way is around noon.Lighting
Being incredibly new to the world of photography I wasn't taking much consideration into the lighting of this shot. Luckily I had conducted this small photoshoot in the middle of the day when the sun was bright, the sky was clear of clouds, and the shadows provided just enough shade for me to avoid awkward shadows cast on my feline friend.Equipment
This was captured with me new Canon Rebel T6, handheld with a standard 18-55 mm lens.Inspiration
I'm a huge cat person and this particular cat show is my one and only Chumsly. I wanted to capture her face, her expression, and highlight the color in her eyes. I wanted to get away from full body typical animal pictures. Instead I was focused on closing in on the most relatable feature, the one we all want to see, her face.Editing
There was a lot of post-processing in this particular image. My goal during the photoshoot was to capture several close-up images that could be manipulated in multiple ways. Naturally, this kitty is solid grey with a tint of red on the belly when the sun hits her just right. In post, I decided to solidify the grey tone of her fur (as well a removing background colors), while accenting her colorful eyes. When we look at animals we are all driven to stare at the eyes. By already being driven to look at this feature, isolating the color was the perfect way to hold peoples gaze. If you spend more than a few seconds examining my photo, you may notice the over-exaggeration of green highlights in the fur. This is due to my inexperience at the time. Looking back I may re-edit this image to avoid green streaks on her fur, but I love looking back at this very beginner image of mine.In my camera bag
I often carry my 18-55 mm lens on the camera, as well as a wide lens, a detachaple mini flash, and a 4-inch tripod. Being a very average photographer with a lack of funds, I haven't invested in a larger lens or a larger diffused flash. Although I don't carry much with me, I believe even with minimal equipment, if used correctly and uniquely, even amateur photographers can make extrodanary images.Feedback
Patients. I enjoy wildlife photography, and while this may not be considered "wildlife," both domestic and wild animals act similarly in that they rarely cooperate with the photographer. You have to wait for the perfect moments, and when they happen, be quick! Not only do you have to be quick to click the shutter, but your shutter also needs to move fast. Fast shutter speeds will reduce blur from the animal moving. I felt that practicing at home with my own pet was the perfect way to get started in understanding how to operate my cameraa and practice working with moving subjects.
