Cat Photography Tips (with Hobbes the cat)

Hey everyone! I’ve been meaning to do this post for months, and I’m only now getting to it (wow, self).

Since late October, when my family adopted Hobbes, I’ve learned a lot of little tips and tricks for taking pictures of cats. I just thought I might share a few with you!

1. Don’t use the flash (unless you absolutely need to)

Cat eyes are very unique-they have a layer of tissue on their pupils called the tapedum, which increases the amount of light that the eye absorbs, making their night vision outstanding. This is why cat’s eyes appear to glow in the dark. That being said, if you use the flash, the tapedum kicks in, causing your cat’s eyes to glow, and therefore make them look like they’re possessed by a demon.

Terrifying, isn’t it?

2. Take lots of rapid-fire pictures

Cats, especially kittens (like Hobbes, who is now almost a year old), are very active, and will not stand still for long. So, when taking pictures of your cat running around, hold the camera button down (for iPhones and other devices like that) or push the button down really quickly a bunch of times (for regular cameras). You’ll get a lot of blurry shots out of this, but some results are hilarious.

3. Use a toy to get their attention

Cats are not exactly the most photogenic creatures (Hobbes, I’m talking about you), and they, kittens especially, have kind of a short attention span. So, one way to get and temporarily keep their attention is to wave or shake a toy behind the camera. It works, and they’ll usually look really funny because their pupils tend to dilate.

4. Capture every moment you can

Cats pretty much look cute no matter what. Most of what they do is ADORABLE, so take lots of pictures to capture the personality of your friend. Sleeping cats look SO SWEET, cats in their “you may worship me now” pose are always hilarious, and meowing shots are always good for a laugh. So take advantage of this time with your cat, and take as many pictures…as your iPhone storage will allow.