Cats are wonderful furry companions. Their endearing innocence, adorable pride, and photogenic flexibility make them brilliant pets. As cat owners, we know how difficult it is to get enough of our beloved cats. They’re just too sweet to ignore! If you’re not convinced, look at these gorgeous photos of kittens from around the world:

What’s even more fun than spending quality time with our pets is taking great photos of them. Now that cat photos are so popular, especially on Instagram, you might be tempted to create a cat account or simply make someone’s day with your adorable cat photos. Millions of people adore looking through countless animal pictures every day. Since animals are that adorable, it’s understandable why they’re a comfort to many.

You don’t need to be a professional photographer to take amazing cat photos. All you need is a camera, enthusiasm, and a great imagination. These 10 steps will help you get closer to taking cat photos you’ll be proud of. By the end of this article, you’ll have all the knowledge you need to create fantastic, creative, and adorable photos of your favorite pets. Let’s go!

1. Understand Your Cat’s Personality

Like humans, cats have all kinds of personalities. While many cats are generally curious and energetic, there are exceptions. These exceptions depend on your cat’s age, background, and mood. To make the most of your cat photos, you need to be able to vaguely predict how your cat will feel in a certain situation. If you already know your cat pretty well, feel free to skip to the next step!

To understand your cat better, keep track of its sleeping patterns. When is it most energetic? Kittens tend to be quite active most of the time, so if you want to take peaceful photos of them, notice when they’re at their sleepiest. When does your cat seem really happy? My cat is extremely cheerful during playtime, which is the best time for me to have a hilarious photo shoot with her. As you get to know your cat, you’ll be more aware of its various moods. This way, you’ll be able to take awesome photos of them and know how to treat them depending on their state. This exercise will strengthen your relationship with them! 🙂

2. Find the Right Time

Now it’s time to catch the perfect moment. Since you know your cat’s personality, you can easily predict when they’ll be in the mood for a shoot. Though cats are always photogenic (even early in the mornings when we humans don’t look nearly as good!), there are times when it’s best to let your cat sleep calmly. To avoid ruining your pet’s mood, take photos during an energetic or happy time. If your cat isn’t that active, spend some quality time with it and take photos as it enjoys your presence. For example, my cat loves sleeping on my lap. This is a time when I can take the most adorable photos of her without ruining the moment.

3. Use Colorful Objects

What are your cat’s favorite toys and treats? Include these in your shots to create vibrant and fun photographs! As you can see in the examples above, there are blurred objects that beautifully frame the photographs. Anything can be used to take such creative photographs.

If you want to enhance a simple photo of your cat while it’s sleeping, for instance, just cover part of your lens with any object. Make sure you don’t completely cover your lens, though, or else you’ll get very dark results! When done correctly, your photographs will stand out and impress everyone. Here are a few simple but effective items you can use:

• your hand
• your cat’s favorite toy
• a treat

4. Understand Your Camera Settings

This step is relatively easy to master. If you’re an absolute beginner, shoot in Auto mode. This will give your camera full control over your camera settings, allowing you to focus on your cat. This way, you won’t have to worry about camera settings and miss a precious moment. If you own a DSLR camera, shoot in RAW. This will increase the quality of your photographs and help you edit the results more easily. To do this:

• Press the menu button on your camera.
• Navigate to the ‘Quality’ section.
• From the options available, select RAW.

5. Use Your Phone

If you don’t own a DSLR, don’t worry! Modern smartphones are just as capable of taking impressive photographs. To make the most of your shooting experience, download a professional camera app. The app will let you control brightness, darkness, amount of grain, filters, and much more. Here are a few free camera apps:

• iPhone users: VSCO Cam
• Android users: Camera360

6. Rewards = Eye-Catching Results!

Use your furry friend’s favorite treats to guide their eyes to the camera lens. Hold the treat above -or slightly in front of – your camera. Once you’ve taken an amazing photo, reward your pet. This will help your cat develop a healthy relationship with your camera, which is definitely something you want. 🙂

7. Start a Cat Project

This is perfect for those of you who like a good challenge. To release the artist within you, take photos of cats with a specific theme in mind. This theme could be:

• Photos of stray cats
• Funny collages of your pet
• The average day in a cat’s life

This project will enhance your skills and provide you with many interesting results. The more you photograph, the closer you’ll get to taking interesting and hilarious photos! You can even have someone paint your new cat photos to create unforgettable works of art.

8. For the Best Lighting, Take Photos During the Day

If you want the best possible results, take photos during the day. Even if it’s gloomy outside, you’ll have enough light to take well-lit photos of your pet. Dark photos aren’t always fun to edit, so remember to make the most of the daylight when photographing your cat.

9. Take Self-Portraits With Your Cat!

It’s a given that your cat loves you, so why not take a photo expressing this mutual love? Your cat will not only enjoy the shooting process but also feel comfortable in your presence. Find a nice location with good light, set your timer to 10 seconds, and shoot away! The results will be heartwarming photos you’ll cherish forever.

10. Most Importantly, Have Fun!

You might face a challenge or two as you shoot, especially if this is your first time taking photos of your cat. Don’t let any obstacles bring you down. Make sure you and your cat are comfortable throughout a shoot, and remember to have lots of fun! This process shouldn’t stress you out or discourage you. Instead, it should help you become a better photographer and strengthen the bond between you and your cat. If a specific shoot doesn’t work out, at least you had a nice time with your sweet furry companion. Try again tomorrow, and never give up.

Good luck! 🙂

BONUS TIP!

What if you can’t get the perfect photo you always wanted, especially when you’ve got two cats who just don’t cooperate when you say cheese? Brooke figured a hand-painted portrait just might do the trick! Check out her Paint Your Life experience and more over at Excited Cats.