This site contains many tips for buying a camera, taking photographs of your anipal and using them creatively. The information is going to be continuously updated and improved so do please keep popping back for a look.
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Some people are worried, when posting pictures, about copyright.
I think we post pictures of our anipals because we love them, are proud of them, and want to share their images with others. That does not mean we want commercial interests to rip off our pictures.
In both the UK and American you own the copyright to the pictures you take. If somebody uses them commercially then they have breached your copyright. Technically anyone who prints or stores your photo is breaching your copyright but the reason we post them is for people to enjoy them.
You do not need to put any copyright claim on your picture for your rights to be protected; but if you are sensitive about such issues, or wish to commercialise your hobby then you can add the universally recognised copyright sign, the date and your name.
If people want to contact you to use your photo they must have contact details, so you could put an email address or web address on your photo as well.
I am happy for anyone to download and print pictures from Olliesgallery but if they want to use them commercially (eg calendars or advertising) then I would like to be contacted so they can make a donation to a cat rescue charity to pay for the use of the photo.
Red Eye is a phenomenon where, especially with flash, the light reflects off the back of the eye (which is red, with blood) and causes the iris in the eyes to appear red in photographs.
Ways to avoid it.
1: Don’t use flash. Flash is very harsh, anyway, and doesn’t show up fur very well.
Using the flash to one side
2: If you have an external flash unit (connected by a lead) have the flash a foot or two to one side so the light doesn’t go straight into the eye then out again to the camera.
3: Use reflected flash. Aim the flash at the ceiling. Or have a white sheet behind
Using a reflector
you and fire the flash backwards onto the sheet (be careful of shadows).
4: Avoid the subject looking directly into the camera when using flash. Photographs usually look better when the subject is looking away slightly, anyway.
The advantage of digital cameras is that you can try the tecniques, above, and see the result immediately and if you still have a Red Eye effect you can move the flash further, or adjust the reflector.
You can make a simple flash reflector by covering the inside of an old umbrella or parasol with white paper. I would not recommend foil unless you can get it absolutely flat to ensure even lighting.
If you are stuck with the flash on your camera then;
If there is enough light set the camera to suppress its flash; or place a thin tissue over the flash to diffuse the light slightly.
In the old days of roll film and 35mm cameras you could buy film with different sensitivity or ’speed’ as it was known. This was measured in ASA. A low number (25) was very slow, a medium number (100 or 200) was average and a high number (1000) was fast.
You chose the film according to the light conditions you would be in when taking photographs, so people in very bright locations would choose a slower film and people in shady conditions (eg Britain) would go for average. If you wanted to freeze movement you would choose a fast film.
A slow film had the advantage that it was less grainy (equivalent to more megapixels on a digital camera).
Modern digital cameras allow you to change the effective sensitivity (you can either leave it on automatic or set it yourself).
You will find the setting in your camera’s menu under ISO. If you want to shoot in low light (maybe indoors under artificial light at night) you can manually set it to a faster speed. Normally it is best to leave it set to auto because the camera can work out settings much quicker than we can and we can just concentrate on the photo.
With a higher ISO number you will be able to use a faster shutter speed, or smaller aperture – which will give greater depth of focus and freeze movement.
With a lower ISO number you will need a slower shutter speed or wider aperture which will give less depth of focus.
Choose a time when the animal is relaxed and try to ensure there are no distractions around; try to make it fun and a game for them.
Have a few distractions of your own to hand, such as toys or their favourite treat.
They will be more relaxed and helpful after they have eaten; they will feel slightly drowsy and less inclined to run away.
If they have a favourite spot or cushion try to get it set up beforehand and make sure there is sufficient lighting and you have good access to move around.
If you want a particular shot, with the cat/dog playing with a box, sticking its head through a hole, whatever; spend a few minutes playing with them with the toy before you pick up the camera (but have lighting in place).
If you want your pet to be watching television or computer monitor you should have a shutter speed of 1/30 in order to display the whole TV picture. This will mean having your anipal still and, if possible, the camera on a tripod or resting on something solid.
Tease the shutter button gently with a finger rather than giving it a hard press, that way you are less likely to move the camera.
You know your pet and what it likes and, really, you are recording your lives together so you want photos of day to day things, feeding and grooming, cuddles etc. You could also try setting up some situations like introducing a kitten to a running tap (faucet); it might play with the water, or take it out in light rain (keep the camera dry), or most cats love running in snow, or playing in dry leaves. For cats a pinch of cat nip is a guarantee of some fun pictures.
Take the photos on a level with the animal or try some different shots such as looking up at it (put the cat on the table and kneel on the floor) or if the cat has its paws out take a shot along its legs (face in focus).
The possibilities are endless and I find that the cats always come up with ideas I had never thought of.
If your camera has an automatic setting (point and shoot) this is usually adequate for most pictures and ensures you don’t lose any whilst fumbling with shutter speeds and apertures.
As well as just keeping photos as colour photos you can add effects, turn them into black and white or sepia, do things to the colour and contrast, add masks and filters to produce real works of art from your photos.
This is my sister Lottie in Sepia
The photo above was a nice picture but had really bad colour casts because of lighting and reflections from the curtains. I found it impossible to correct the colour but liked the picture so I removed the colour (Reduce saturation level to 0, then selected Sepia Tone (in Irfanview). I got a nice picture out of what was really a candidiate for deletion.
Felicty made to look like a painting
The picture above was imported into Irfanview and had an oil painting effect added. This was done three times to exaggerate the effect. If printed onto a canvas effect matt paper (at highest printing resolution) and framed it looks really effective.
Sammy with 'Edge Detection'
The picture above of Sammy started as the ordinary photo (see our Photo Gallery) and first had Edge Detection effect added. then the saturation was increased with extra red and green, and finally contrast was increased to amplify the effect.
With simple software like Irfanview you can let your imagination go wild.
If you have Windows Movie Maker you can make a movie of photographs and add a soundtrack.
I recommend Irfanview free downloadable software for editing and adjusting your pictures.
It is free, easy to use and works faultlessly. It will crop, correct colours, add effects or resize your pictures and save to a variety of file formats.
The Irfanview working window
I am not advertising the product, just suggesting that it does all a normal amateur photographer wants and is free. Just download it from Irfanview.com
It is easy to learn about lighting and focus but composition comes down to the photographer’s eye, although there are certain basic rules.
Above all make sure your horizon isn’t sloping. That is to say any verticals such as walls must be vertical in the photo, any horizontal lines must be horizontal, otherwise you get the sinking boat effect!
Always shoot wider and crop later rather tha trying to get it perfect with a restless cat (or dog). Try not to cut off the tops of the ears or the whiskers (get them in the original, you can always see what it looks like when you crop closer, later, on the computer).
Animals always look better when shot from their own eye level. A lot of people have dozens of pictures of a cat staring up at them. You see their world in a whole new light, and your anipal looks much better when viewed from their own level. If you can’t get onto the floor, lawn or gravel drive then raise the animal to your level. Cats are happy to sit on dustbins, benches, tables etc.
Dividing picture into thirds
In photography there is a basic (breakable) rule called the rule of thirds. If you break up the picture in with lines a third of the way along each side, then any focal points, or lines should be on the joins or lines. It is difficult to explain but with practice you will get it. Here are some photos as examples.
It is not an absolute law with exact proportions and you need to use your own judgement to decide what needs to be at a third. In the picture above; Oliver’s eye and nose are both around the third mark and it makes the picture appear balanced.
Looking into the photo. Animals or people should always be looking into the photo, rather that out of the edge.
Look at the pictures: it is hard to put your finger on it but the one on the right doesn’t ‘feel’ right, but the one on the left feels comfortable to look at. Notice, on the left, her eye is at about a third.
There is no doubt that pictures taken out-of-doors with diffused sunlight are the best for animals.
An example of 'flare'
Bright sun, particularly if there are areas of sun and shadow cause too much contrast for a camera (or film) to handle. A lightly cloudy day is best. Always have the sun behind or to one side – you may find that if the light source is behind your pet not only may it appear as a silhouette but you will probably get ‘flare’ in the lens (that is where light reflects within the lens and produces a blotch on the photograph).
Indoors you can use any type of lighting – digital cameras can be adjusted or you can adjust the colours later using something like Irfanview software.
Using a single light
Indoors try to have the light source behind you (rather that a ceiling light above). A desk lamp (particularly halogen) is good but be careful not to distress the subject. Try to be quick and turn the light off between shots.
To soften the lighting, both indoors and out, you can get a helper to hold a piece of white paper or card to reflect light onto the side of the subject away from the light.
The shutter speed can be between many seconds and 1/2000 of a second. The slower the speed the more light is collected so less light is needed on the subject.
For a hand held camera always aim for 1/60 or faster (1/250 being ideal). The faster the shutter speed the more able the camera is to freeze movement. At low shutter speeds movement of the subject or ‘camera shake’ if you are holding the camera can cause blurred pictures.
Don’t confuse blurred pictures due to too long an exposure (slow shutter speed) with blurred, as in ‘out of focus’.
For any given light condition as you increase the shutter speed you need to open the aperture (ie increase the ‘F Number). This has an effect of the ‘depth of focus.
Please refer to the section on ‘Aperture’.
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