Top 10 tips for Herding Cats

Top 10 things I Learned from Herding Cats

I have heard this expression more than once, yet until this past year I did not really KNOW what it meant. Sure, one can picture
it in their minds the physical maneuvers it may intel to get a bunch of cats together for a photo.  Until you experience it, first hand,
up close, it's really just a funny saying.

I've volunteered all my life.  While young and in the American Legion Aux (Jr's) you could find me help at bingo or donating a new

flag for my school.  At church I participated in a “guitar choir” or at least that was the nickname we gave it. As I grew I always found

ways to help out, or better yet I feel the opportunities found me.  Never in all my years 15 yrs (o the good old days) would I have thought

I'd be cleaning out recycling bins almost EVERY Saturday morning for over a year. That was always interesting task. People can

be gross! Many moons later I have had the privilege of fostering a few animals in my home.  It's not always been an easy thing, but

knowing these animals had a good wait for their forever homes was worth it. A few we have even adopted. Add one short class on how

to take pictures of animals, one awesome volunteer who moved way and here we arrive at this past summer.

I had the bright idea that “yes, I could help the shelter with photos of the cats”. Have you heard the song from Christine Lavin “What was

I thinking”?.  Well, let's say it would make an excellent verse to this song! Click Here for the song! (audio isn't great - NOT my video)

The main goal was to give human contact to the many kittens at our local shelter.  Sounds innocent enough right?

The second goal was to get my child out of the house.  She instantly got attached to one kitten.

I don't blame her, have you seen tiny kittens...they are often dang cute.  So here goes the lessons I learned.

#10>>> have two people and a human who isn't 9 and just wants to hold ONE cat.

#9>>>don't expect perfection.  They are CATS and love to climb, move, hide, jump, run and all around do NOT listen to an almost strangers. The babies have no clue what is happening past eating and pooping. I would  say the second and third time we visited some of them knew us better, but they are STILL CATS.

#8>>>plan your photos for after they have eaten.  Usually they are much more tame. Knowing your settings on your

camera helps here too, even if they have eaten and maybe a bit calmer these things LOVE to move.  I often would use t

he settings for “active” photos that I have on my camera. I think some of my experience in sports photography helped here

too. I won't go into camera settings. "Google" Sports Photography or take a class (that is what one of my mentors would say;-)

Through the Bars (they really can make you want to take them all home)

#7>>>don't lose sleep wondering how you will get the photos, the cats can sense fear (and tiredness).

 

#6>>>DO use the all white walls or all white cage to bounce light off IF you don't have a catwalk to take them into that

has natural light.  The first time I brought a light in AND it did work BUT that was ALOT of stuff in a rather small space.

Below you will see how it was a bit freaky for the cats too.

Here are three different lighting scenarios. I know which one I LIKE and which one I LOVE and which one was just not good.

Bouncing Flash

Natural Light

Indoor Light

 

#5>>>one cat at a time!!!!  Bwahahha, on the memories of trying to wrangle two or more.  This blog is making me laugh more than you I'm sure.

#4>>>do get them toys, ones on a stick help the most.  

The photos where they are looking up is usually at a toy - this is another reason to have a helper.

#3>>>have I mentioned it's best to have someone there to help.  I think this is very true in ANY type of photography.

#2>>>now I'm reaching, but I got this far figure 10 will be a good round number.  Be careful when using RED

as a under color?!?!? Learned this the hard way.

This is one photo I didn't color correct a ton. When "bouncing" light around it takes on the colors around.

This was when I brought in a separate light - much better with the red underneath. 

LOOK AT THOSE EYES - This poor kitten had NO clue what was going on!  

Now I know why white, black and green are the pruuurferred choices.  See what I did there?

#1>>>and final, at least for this blog post. Make sure to take a photo that will help distinguish the kitten. The first couple times I tried to match up names on a list with cats and it was sad. Too many of them looked alike.

I honestly could think of a few more, yet if you've made it this far I applaud your sticktoitiveness. This is a sign you could be great at kitten photography. 😻

All photos taken by me - Michele Johnson aka Premopictures All graphics made with PicMonkey by Me too. Maybe a few found for free online. All these kittens and cats have been adopted or moved to a place where I hope they were adopted. The sad news is I hear the shelter is filled back up. PLEASE check out your local shelter for your next FURever family member!

Rainbow Slime

I have so much to say, you'd think I'd be better at blogging.  So, now that I have something to write I figure a blog is the best platform for sharing.

I Instagrammed the following on my @premopictures account:

I belong to a photo club @napfs.club We have a monthly competition. Looking back I can see how pushing myself to find things to photo hasn't always been easy. I like to take pictures of people. Not all judges like photos of people. All my more artsy photos don't make the cut. Some are just downright bad. I didn't win often this year, yet I know it's helped me be more critical of the "why" behind a photo. One of my girls said a few months ago (while we were on vacation) "Not everything is a photo mom". 


YES, everything can be a photo.  Now, is it a good photo - debatable. 

I may share some of my "o this is not a good photo" photos, but I want to focus on one specific photo.  

A few months ago I took the following photo. 

These are little balls of slime for lack of better description.  My child made them to sell at our yard sale.  I was like "I could do something cool with them for the competition".  This is where my sort of sick sense of humor comes in.  I knew the judge this month was more about black and white, yet the following month's theme is "Yin and Yang" so why would I submit my black and whites.  I also know that the judges bring rich feed back and sometimes that is not always easy if every photo is one they "love".  To say "O, I love this photo" or "I really like this photo" isn't much of a teaching moment.    With these things in mind I figured I would have some fun with slime balls.  Having my child join in and she even took a few shots herself.  Here is my end (and mind you, I had procrastinated and only had THAT evening to get the shot and submit the photo in time to make the competition).

Here we go - the photo that caused the reaction of "I HATE this photo".  I had a hard time not to laugh out loud.  That month I was the one physically running the competition, so I tried hard to keep it together.  No, it didn't hurt my feeling.  I already knew it wasn't her cup of tea.  I didn't LIKE the photo quality, yet I think the photo concept is fun and just needs a little work.   I just ran out of time and for the sake of learning I went ahead and entered.  By the end of her critique she did say "well, I guess if we want to say it evoked emotion that it did do".  

The only thing I came home and did for this blog to the photo is crop it down.  That was one of the suggestions.  I do like it better this way.  

Some advice to you when it comes to getting your work critiqued.  

Know your judge

If you are in a class with a teacher don't you learn the teacher and submit work that you know they will like?  Well, if you don't then then you get what you get.  I made lots of A's in college NOT because I'm the best at what I do but I am pretty good at producing things that others are looking for.  For the club I belonged to the judge was published and known at least a month in advance.  They are often well known artist who have web sites and Instagram accounts.  Go check there work out.  It doesn't hurt to look. 

Start early  

If you know the theme or if you have a deadline, don't want till the last minute to take the photo.  Lesson learned for sure on this one.  I think I know what I would have done to get a better photo but since the slime balls got sold I may never have the chance (that's being dramatic, it will happen just not for awhile - my child makes slime almost daily if I let her)  If there are themes keep them in mind as you are traveling around.  My camera is sort of my security blanket and I feel lost if I don't have it with me so I try to have it with me.  That's not always the case.  I have phone invy because I've seen some pretty fabulous photos taken with camera phones.     

Know your software

I could never have gotten this photo to even come out this nice if I hadn't known my software.  The original is not good.  As I type it I am shaking my head because I remember almost crying when I pulled it up.  If you don't know your software, check out Youtube or go find a class to take.   This is true also of your camera.  Guess this blog post is figuring you already have a grasp on your camera.  

Do not take personally

THIS is the best lesson I've learned this year as a competition coordinator.  I promise you I know a few people who actually like this photo or at least the concept behind it.  The judge did NOT.  I didn't hate it, just knew it needed to be better.  Right now, with the world of slime (go check it out on Instagram or Youtube>>>hundreds if not thousands of accounts out there from making slime to smushing slime together to eating ice cubes...OK, so that's not slime but I just had to put that out there.  Yes, people are watching others EAT ice!) If you are just IN LOVE with your photo and the judge is not, then go with your gut.  I also do not strive to be like everyone else.  I like to put my own twist to things. 

Make everything a learning experience

Be open to learning.  If you aren't, then I will say getting critiques will not be the thing for you.  

Here is one of my winning photos.  I almost didn't enter this one, glad my daughters talked me into it.  

Light And Dark by Michele Johnson

I have been enjoying the journey, but nothing has compared to being able to take the following photos.  For my Izabel's Baptism I wanted to do the same things that I did for her older sister.  A special trip to the Temple to take photos.  Beings that 1. I have a nicer camera and 2. I have almost 5 years more experience this was an awesome photo session.  I did edit one of these a bit more, these are pretty much raw photos.  Makes my heart happy.

K&D

LOVED this session with my friend from one of my recent jobs and her lovely family.