Smile Like a Dog » Cats

River: Cat on a Roll

Mark — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 04:37:20 +0000

I’ve had a nice run with cats of late. Not only have there been more than usual but almost all of them have been total camera hams — which brings me to River, the ham of the hour. River’s mom had forewarned me that River might be a little shy but that was not to be the case. Almost as soon as I walked in the house we were on our back batting our baby greens for the camera. River’s housemate, Cat, even joined in on the fun and helped River offer me advice on what lens to use.

See how we did…

River

River turns on the charm

Trying the sidelong look

Going inverted again

I think head-on works best for this cat

But the inquisitive look works pretty well, too

Cat (yes a cat named Cat) enters the scene as River goes for another prone pose

River and Cat practice for their upcoming job with airport security

Coconut and Peanut

Mark — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 06:38:18 +0000

Two-cat shoots can sometimes be a challenge for pet photographers, especially when you need both cats in the same picture. I met Coconut and Peanut–two cute young Tabbies–last week for a My Mutt poster session done in the name of the Peninsula Humane Society and SPCA. As with most cat sessions we had to warm up a bit first with individual shots (both these kitties are serious hams once they get going) before we got to the group finale. Let us know how you think it turned out…

Peanut

Coconut

I thought dogs chewed sticks?

How can you look so serious with a name like Coconut?

Anyone know the lyrics to "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"?

No comments about my best side, please

Interesting how cats can be cute and rude simultaneously

here goes the group shot

You think they'd go for a profile shot on the poster?

Six Cats in a Bungalow

Mark — Wed, 13 May 2009 20:14:33 +0000

“Mark, we have another My Mutt assignment for you: 6 cats”

Sometimes you get an email you have to re-read a few times before it sinks in. Of course, my initial assumption was that all six cats needed to be in the same shot but, thankfully, I had flexibility on this one and if the cats decided not to sit together (which they indeed chose not to) we could go with individual shots or small groups.

The cats–3 tabbies, two calicos and a tuxedo–were all adopted from one of my favorite rescue groups: Nine Lives Foundation down in Redwood City and they live in a classic California bungalow in Palo Alto. The tuxedo, named Blacktop, turned out to be the ham of the group but we ended up with good shots of each of them. Check ‘em out below and let us know which you think should be poster shots.

Enjoying the view

Blacktop at rest

Mama Mia

Mabel hanging out

Oliver

Blacktop on the couch

I see you

Yes, as a matter of fact it is my chair

What big eyes you have, Oliver

Baxter and Buffett

Another tough day at the office

Kitten Season Chronicles Part 1

Mark — Wed, 06 May 2009 13:00:54 +0000

This post is a bit of a departure for me. It’s the first of several you’ll see in the coming weeks focusing on what’s known as Kitten Season in the animal-welfare world. For those who don’t know about Kitten Season it essentially runs from spring through fall when the warmer weather converges with female cats’ heat cycle and animal shelters start bursting at the seams with unwanted kittens. Organizations such as the San Francisco SPCA are on the front line dealing with this kitty deluge through fostering programs, adoptions and spay/neuter clinics. Other, more species-specific welfare organizations here in the Bay Area such as Nine Lives Foundation (to be featured in an upcoming post) are also extremely busy this time of year.

For this first post I’m focusing on a foster family for the SF SPCA that’s taken on five 4-week-old kitties until they’re stong and old enough to be put up for adoption. It’s tough and exhausting work: the kitties need constant feeding, cleaning and attention and are very vulnerable. The shots below were taken on their second day at the foster home.

Caveat: while photos of kitties are inherently cute I really want to stress how serious an issue Kitten Season is (or pet ownership in general, for that matter) and urge anyone reading this to help by spaying or neutering your cats, volunteering at a shelter, becoming a foster parent or adopting.

Ernie the Foster Kitty

Ernie on the Prowl

Oscar up close

Ernie well in hand

Ernie Grooming

Ernie on watch

Bert the ninja

Bert batting his baby blues

Mary - syringe feeding kittens

Foster Kitten Feeding from Syringe

Bert, Ernie, Cookie & Oscar after dinner (covered in food)

Cookie Gets a Bath

Was that so bad?

Cookie hangs out with Shannon (foster dad)

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Galahad & Scarlett

Mark — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 23:06:32 +0000

I met a lovely pair of kitties this past weekend: Galahad and Scarlett. Galahad’s a wee bit shy and for the first 30 minutes or so he watched me warily and safely from beneath a kitchen table behind a chair (see below). Scarlett took to the camera almost immediately (and who wouldn’t with baby blues like those) and I think may have shot at doing color contact commercials.

Scarlett

Valiant Galahad

Scarlett in profile

My, what eyebrows you have

Scarlett on her throne

dfgsdfgs

Things are looking up

Losang & Deva

Mark — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 16:41:50 +0000

It’s funny. I love photographing cats but I do go through long dry periods of catlessness. Fortunately, that ended this week with multiple feline encounters. On Monday I photographed two kitties, Losang and Deva, for a Pet Food Express My Mutt poster and then had another cat session yesterday (results to be seen later)

We’re still not sure whether it’s going to be two separate posters of Losang and Deva or one of both. Anyone who’s reading this lend a hand and let us know what you think, which is your favorite?