Fluff
Jun, 2016Views
279
Likes
Awards
Member Selection Award
Summer Selection
Superb Composition
Peer Award
Outstanding Creativity
Absolute Masterpiece
All Star
Top Ranks
Top 30 rankTop 30 rank week 1
Top 10 rankTop 10 rank week 2Top 20 rank week 1
Categories
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Discover more photos See all
![Two male black-veined white butterflies [Aporia crataegi] roosting on a Carthusian pink. by HenrikSpranz](https://cdnpt01.viewbug.com/media/mediafiles/2024/01/17/102725792_widepreview400.webp)
Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in the small town of Commodore, Pennsylvania. I'd traveled a few hours from home visiting family, and was greeted by a new litter of kittens bouncing around my aunt's front lawn. This little guy was the calmest of the four, and seemed more than happy to pose while I photographed him.Time
With today being September 10th, 2016, I'm nearing the anniversary of this photo. I'd been on the road for a while heading to my aunt's house, and upon arrival (and seeing these sweet kittens) I had my camera out and ready to go the moment the truck was in park. This shot was taken on September 25th, 2013 at 5:11 in the evening.Lighting
Evening light can be tricky, especially when photographing a moving subject. After coaxing him out from the shadow of the bush he'd been lying behind, I increased my ISO to 800, selected a wide-open aperture of f/1.8, and a 1/60 second shutter speed. I wanted this image to have an overall dark, moody, and intriguing feel about it. Kittens are curious, and I hope the curiosity of whoever views this image will be piqued also.Equipment
This was shot with my very first digital SLR - a Nikon D3100 paired with an AF-S Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G. No other equipment was used.Inspiration
What better inspiration for a photograph than the face of fluffy, black kitten, who was just as interested in me as I was in him?Editing
For the most part, the final product was created entirely in-camera. The only post-processing done to this image was the conversion to black and white, done in Lightroom 4.In my camera bag
I've come to realize that I'll be needing a larger bag, because there are very few pieces of equipment that I don't mind being without. The main camera body I currently use is my Nikon D7100. With it I carry an AF-S Nikkor 55-300mm, AF-S Nikkor 50mm prime, and most recently, an AF Nikkor 28mm D lens, which I favor when shooting landscapes and other wide angle shots. Smaller accessories in the pockets of my bag include lens cleaning brushes and cloths, a knock-off "Black Rapid" style strap (I'm a kid on a budget), a cheap Sunpak Digiflash (which I rarely use, but for only $75, it gets the job done when I need some fill light), a Nikon ML-L3 infrared remote, and extra lens caps. As someone who loses them on the regular, I cannot stress this enough---carry extra lens caps!Feedback
As most photographers know well, an opportunity for a great image can pop up anywhere and anytime. I try to take my equipment with me everywhere I go. Whether I'm leaving the house on a specific photographic mission, or just making a trip to the grocery store - I like to be prepared. I nearly always keep my camera set to AUTO. No matter what your skill level may be, never be ashamed to shoot with your camera's automatic setting. Some shots can come and go more quickly than I can twist dials and make menu selections. Your camera is a very well-built machine, and it's okay to let it do the work for you sometimes. One of the most important lessons I've learned so far is from "The Moment it Clicks" by Joe McNally: never pack up until you leave the location. You just never know what you might see.
