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Day 1: Kibble again??
Day 1: Kibble again??
cgino


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Camera: Nikon D80
Lens: Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM for Nikon
Location: Polvadera, New Mexico
Date: Oct 1, 2007
Aperture: f/5
ISO: 400
Shutter: 1/200
Galleries: Animals, Black and White
Date Uploaded: Oct 1, 2007

Viewed: 507
Comments: 25
Favorites: 0

 Of course I must start the month with a picture of cats. Truth is, I have so many around right now that they hold a fairly prominent place in my life. For those who don't know this from previous challenges, a couple stray cats in the rural neighborhood I live in had litters and of course I fed them so I ended up with a dozen kittens. This is on top of the six cats I already had (four of them were stray cats as well I took in the previous year). The kittens are coming up on six months old, so I will be getting them fixed this month. It's going to cost a fortune to get 12 kittens fixed and vaccinated and such... ugh!! But I guess this is just my one little stab at trying to make a difference and reduce the stray cat population in a place where people treat cats like trash...

I know that part of this challenge is to challenge oneself with new techniques and such. Taking pictures of cats is hardly new for me :-) But I used my Sigma wide angle lens at 10mm and got right in the cat's face going for a bit of distortion, which is not my usual style. The selective desat is different as well, since I generally suck at B&W conversions and for the most part don't care for selective desat. As for processing steps, I duplicated the background layer and applied LucisArt Whyeth filter then adjusted opacity on the layer to taste. Then I added a channel mixer layer for the b&w conversion then used black paintbrush at low opacity to bring a tad of color back to Lily's face. Resized, applied a little usm and saved for web. Nothin' too special!

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AuthorThread
 10/07/2007 12:20:30 PM
His eyes look so trusting and innocent. I like how the distortion makes him look even more slim than he probably is. Good luck rounding them all up and getting them to the vet. Some vets offer discounts if they know they are strays. The calendar thing sounds like a good option. I'd buy one to sponsor the project. only it's have to have multiple pictures on each page because it'd be to hard to pick just 12.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/04/2007 12:45:09 AM
nice shot I like the almost black and white.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/03/2007 01:26:25 PM
That is a lot of cats!! I like how the background also includes cats. If they were people instead of animals, it would look like one of those photojournalistic type shots where they are interviewing one person, but several of the family is hanging out behind them.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/02/2007 04:17:17 PM
Very cool image with tons of cat essence! Love how you captured so much in one frame. Nice tones, lighting and fantastic composition. The detail and DOF are so nice. Good luck with your kitties, I can tell they are so well loved!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/02/2007 11:20:12 AM
Now this photo says CATS. Even without seeing them, one can almost sense the presence of more cats off-camera. The angle (slight distortion?) is really striking. Makes me smile. :-)

  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/02/2007 05:32:36 AM
Processing is awesome. Bless you for your care of these cats. Too bad you can not locate and agency that will assist you with the cost though.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/02/2007 12:52:47 AM
Cats are awesome and what a fantastic thing you're doing! The processing on this is great! She just pops right out at you, the wide angle was the perfect choice. Great detail and sharpness.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/01/2007 10:49:24 PM
Wow! Those eyes are incredible!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/01/2007 08:03:38 PM
things I love about this picture:

The cat's expression.
The distortion. Getting in the cat's face was a great decision.
The sharpness of the foreground cat.
The layered-ness of the photo, with the sharp foreground, discernable middle ground (giving a small hint as to the number of cats you might have running around), and blurry bokeh.

great shot. Looks like it belongs in a calendar to me. A calendar sold to raise funds for spay and neuter! oh my gosh, you should totally do that, at say lulu.com or something, to help defray the costs of getting them all altered. How many good cat shots do you have? I have a friend I'd buy one for...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/01/2007 05:36:23 PM
This one really brings a smile to my face! Great variation in the poses.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/01/2007 04:45:31 PM
But you know how we love your cats! :) And this one is no exception. I adore the comfy cozy look of the cat in the background just watching the portrait session of its "sibling". And you have captured the essence of your foreground kitty beautifully! Looking forward to seeing more. You are the master at kitty photography.

  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/01/2007 03:29:55 PM
Thanks for posting your processing steps that kind of thing is very helpful for me and others too I'm sure. Good on you for taking on so many cats! I love cats I am looking forward to seeing more of your brood ;)

PS Love the relaxed cat in the background!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/01/2007 03:21:02 PM
What a cats! (although I prefer horizontal shots, better for my neck).
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/01/2007 03:17:35 PM
LMAO! The expression along with the distortion makes a great mix! I love how the other cats aren't quite in focus, just there for the background. Very adorable shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/01/2007 03:08:05 PM
wow so many kitties! cool shot
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/01/2007 02:37:04 PM
Now that looks like a cat with a lot of personality! Cool shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/01/2007 02:35:37 PM
Great expression on kitty's face. Really get the feeling she's not happy with the grub. The partial desat works very well to draw attention to her eyes and pretty face.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/01/2007 02:07:18 PM
Cool perspective, love that 'in your face' look on his face. Are they really coming up to 6 months already!!!

I really am going to have to investigate LucisArt further, you all make it look so fascinating.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/01/2007 02:06:45 PM
I love this picture because the cat on the left has the look of "who me?" on its face. The distortion and out of focus background really add to the overall fun feel of the picture. Great shot!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/01/2007 01:19:02 PM
I love the perspective.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/01/2007 01:15:07 PM
Nice DOC (Depth of Cats) and I really like the one in the background just chillin'. Thanks for posting your processing steps.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/01/2007 11:06:23 AM
OH this is great. I like the desaturation and the kind of helter skelter sense of it. IT's busy with the stripes of the kitties, the kibble in the bowl, but I really like it. Something about the processing really made it more than just a snapshot of cats. Oh I just spotted the one in the window. LOL Darling.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/01/2007 11:05:41 AM
just totally love this picture .. and of course the lucisart .. i'm an addict .. in fact i think i've got a problem !!! ... excellent effect you got with the lens .. those cats make the best photographic subjects ... great to see you here too !! :)
edit to say .. i love all the different postures and expressions etc ... my fav is the one lying down in the background .. sooooooo relaxed .. !! :)

Message edited by author 2007-10-01 11:06:40.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/01/2007 11:03:09 AM
Great image - I almost missed the one lounging in the back! Love the title as well!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 10/01/2007 10:56:19 AM
LOVE the angle of this image very much, I also love the look on the cats face.....priceless, and I love the DOF, and also love the black and white tones.

Oh! I forgt to say I love the story as well.....
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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