Catching Those Purrfect Moments
Patience is the number one tool when it comes to cat photography!

Wouldn't it be great if you could have your camera with you at those fantastic times when your favorite furry friend is doing something extraordinary? Cat photography can be exhausting. The challenge is to keep up with them and catch them at their best moments.

Here are some handy tips to help you capture that special moment.

• Keep notes. Record your cat's habits, your camera settings, type of film used, everything. You can refer to it continually to help improve each shot and it will help you anticipate your cat's next move.

• Look for a comfortable environment. Your cat will be more alert and interested in things around her if she is in a familiar part of the house or the garden.

• Keep your sense of humor. Cats get in all sorts of places! Take advantage of this for some quirky shots and look for comical or unusual situations.

• Fill the frame. Try to make your cat as big as possible so you see more of her and less of the background.

• See eye to eye. Get your camera down on their level or bring them up to the camera level.

• Add some contrast. Try and find a background that contrasts with the color of your cat.

• Shoot multiple shots. A couple of winners out of an entire role is all even a professional photographer can expect.

• Set the pose. Take advantage of your cats eyes and ears. Use a squeaky toy behind the camera to attract her attention.

• Use available light whenever possible. Avoid the flash, as this can unsettle your cat and give a "green eye" effect (feline version of "red-eye") unless they have blue eyes. This is caused by the intense light from a flash close to the camera lens reflecting back from the eye — much like when you take a flash picture directly into a mirror or glass window. If your flash can be removed from the camera, move the flash to the side or high above the camera and slightly at an angle. Bounce flash will also give great results for cat photography resulting in that soft lighting that enhances a cuddly cat or kitten. Taking your shot from an angle, or waiting until your cat¥s head is slightly turned will also do the job.

• Think fast. To "Stop" the motion of a jumping or running cat, you will need at least a 1/500 second shutter speed. "Panning" with the action (moving the camera while following your cat's movement) will result in your pet being in clear focus (action stopped) and the background blurred — this can be a very effective tool for cat photography.

Good Luck!

So you've got a great shot-now what?

Enter your furry friend into the Cat Connection's Cat of the Month Contest. All you need to do is s end your photo as an email attachment to cats@thecatconnection.com , providing us with your name, your pet's name, pet age, breed, and pet bio.

Please follow these guidelines when submitting your photo:
•Photo submission deadline is at least 1 week prior to the beginning of each month. Photos received after that time will be archived for the following month's contest.

•Do not embed your photo within the body of your email message. Attach all photo files in the following format:
"your cats name". jpg (example: shadow.jpg)

•The maximum file size we can accept is 1MB (about 600 x 600 pixels at 72dpi).

•The minimum file size we will accept is 200x200 pixels at 72 dpi (120k file size).

•Do not crop your photos into circles or irregular shapes, add decorative borders, backgrounds, captions, or otherwise manipulate your cat's photo. These images will not be accepted into the contest. Each cat should be showcased in his or her purest form.

•Our staff web designer is very busy so please make sure your photo is in focus and lit well enough to see your cat in the photo without retouching. Scanned photographs and digital camera images are recommended and work best. Please no camera phone or webcam images.

•We can also accept hard-copy submissions. Just drop your photo off at Cat Connection or send by mail . We will scan it for you and post it to our site. Please provide your contact information, your cats name and bio, and a self-addressed stamped envelope, if you would like your photo returned.

• Please note that only one photo of your cat will be accepted per month. Should you wish to enter your cat in more than one of our monthly photo contests, each month's photo must be different. A photo that has been entered previously will not be accepted.

How are the Winners Determined?
While uniqueness of photo and your kitty's cuteness will certainly factor into the equation, The Cat Connection Cat of the Month Winner (chosen by our shop cats), will be based heavily on criteria such as photo quality (focus, lighting, etc.) and composition. A second Cat of the Month Winner will also be determined by popular vote via On-Line voting and awarded a prize.

Voters are only allowed to vote one time for one cat. Secure polling software is used to ensure that all votes originate from a unique email address and/or computer so no one can stuff the ballot box!

If your kitty's photo is chosen for web publication, you will be notified via the email address used to submit your photo, by telephone, or by mail. You will need to provide information on where we can send your kitty's special prize.

Vote for this months Cat of the Month here!