December Photo Contest Winners Synnamon & Bob

And the winner is...
Meet December's 2003 Photo Contest Winner & Runner Up
by Cat Connection
http://www.catconnection.com/contest/mon...

DECEMBER '03 WINNER
Voted The Cat Connection's "Cat of the Month" by public opinion.

Owner: Mona Schnapp
Name: Synnamon
Breed: Domestic Short Hair
Age: 10 months

About the Winner
Synnamon is a very special girl. She was adopted at 8 weeks old as a companion for my Tonkinese kitten who is the same age. She has 4 purebred/Oriental Brothers (3 Balinese, 1 Tonkinese). And she felt like the redheaded stepsister, so Mom wanted her to have her shining moment and decided to submit her picture.

She is also very special, since not very many orange tabbies are females! Synnamon is very cuddly and affectionate, and loves to sit on my lap watching me type on the computer and she is trying to learn to type too!

DECEMBER '03 RUNNER UP
Voted The Cat Connection's "Cat of the Month Runner Up" by The Cat Connection Staff.

Owner: Glenn Fajardo
Name: Bob
Breed: Bengal
Age: 6 months

About the Runner Up
We got him when he was just 2 months old from Covington Bengals in Covington, WA. He's very smart and is not your average cat. He loves water, eats fruit and vegetables, plays fetch and will do so until you get tired of it. His coat is very glittery and very soft. The image shows off the glitter very well. Also, he's named Bob because he was born breech and his tail was injured at birth and had to be amputated.

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

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!