Animals The Requisite Cat (Kitty) Photo thread

[John King]

It's a combination of 120mm focal length, distance to subject, distance to background, and subject distance to background.

Beat me to it, Bobby. The real fundamental conditions for controlling depth of field. Ultra fast lenses are the fallback tool of those who do not understand, or know about, these fundamental ratios.

Here's shallow DoF from a slow 14-42 EZ at f/5.6, crucifix orchid buds ...

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[MoonMind]

Beat me to it, Bobby. The real fundamental conditions for controlling depth of field. Ultra fast lenses are the fallback tool of those who do not understand, or know about, these fundamental ratios.

Here's shallow DoF from a slow 14-42 EZ at f/5.6, crucifix orchid buds ...

View attachment 367694

Uhm ... were's the kitty, I thought, and then saw one sitting on top of the stem. Tiny, though ...

M.

 

[John King]

Uhm ... were's the kitty, I thought, and then saw one sitting on top of the stem. Tiny, though ...

M.

Hmmm. Well, Sir, it's like this ... .

 

[L0n3Gr3yW0lf]

Beat me to it, Bobby. The real fundamental conditions for controlling depth of field. Ultra fast lenses are the fallback tool of those who do not understand, or know about, these fundamental ratios.

Here's shallow DoF from a slow 14-42 EZ at f/5.6, crucifix orchid buds ...

View attachment 367694

No offense John but shooting a flower is different then shooting a cat. When you fill in most of the frame with something that big it means you are very close to your subject, at which point you will have shallow DoF even at f 5.6 or f 8.
The cat is bigger and sitting in a tree, at telephoto range (past 150mm) I can "see" how f 8 would still give shallow DoF, but didn't have the context of distance to the cat. Upon reflection I can see now that the background is quite "big" so it wasn't shot on a wider angle.

I'm not feeling offended by the statement of not learning the basic elements of photography. My learnings were severely limited for most of the years becauae I didn't have the experience of film photography, most of my first years have been with the basic Panasonic 14-42mm f 3.5-5.6 Mark I kit lens and an adapted Revuenon 50mm f 1.8 (until I had the Sigma 60mm f 2.8 DN). Only in the last 5 years have I had the chance to experience other focal lengths as well as larger sensor formats and faster aperture.

 

[John King]

No offense John but shooting a flower is different then shooting a cat.

None taken , Ovi.

However, it really isn't any different.

Understanding that bit about camera to subject, subject to background ratios is critical, whether a flower close up, or a cat using a 35mm film camera with a f/4 200mm + 2x TC on it.

e.g. Rosa at about 5-6 metres:

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Agfa Vista 400 film, scanned in my Konica Minolta 5400.

 

[Bobby Tingle]

When you fill in most of the frame with something that big it means you are very close to your subject

Actually, it does not. Remember, the photo which started this conversation was shot at 120mm. If he had been very close. It would have been a photo of the cat’s eye or nose. He had to have been far enough away to get all of the cat, plus surroundings, in the frame. In this case, that 120mm focal length is part of the equation in that shallow DOF.

 

[Ben Casper]

I don’t know how the technicalities effect the outcome but I posted the original without p/p here uncropped.
I took the shot from about 3 feet away from Honey and the tree trunk was 10-12 feet behind her.
The image states on my iPad photos app 120mm @ 5.6 at 125sec.

Hope this gives some answers.
Ben

 

[Irene McC]

I don’t know how the technicalities effect the outcome but I posted the original without p/p here only cropped.
I took the shot from about 3 feet away from Honey and the tree trunk was 10-12 feet behind her.
the image states on my iPad photos 120mm @ 5.6 at 125sec.
View attachment 367779

I love your kitty @Ben Casper - Honey reminds me so much of our dearly beloved much missed Monzi

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[Ben Casper]

I love your kitty @Ben Casper - Honey reminds me so much of our dearly beloved much missed Monzi


View attachment 367782

Irene, (my goodness) I had noticed the similarity between our cats, but yours is a recognised breed whereas I’m told by her vet that Honey is a naughty torty. You have some special memories of Monzi and so will we of Honey though she is a bit of a loner who prefers to spend as much time outside and only come inside to eat and sleep.

 

[John King]

I don’t know how the technicalities effect the outcome but I posted the original without p/p here uncropped.
I took the shot from about 3 feet away from Honey and the tree trunk was 10-12 feet behind her.
The image states on my iPad photos app 120mm @ 5.6 at 125sec.
View attachment 367779
Hope this gives some answers.
Ben

Thanks, Ben. Perfect illustration of the subject being discussed.

And Honey is gorgeous, of course.

 

[Irene McC]

Irene, (my goodness) I had noticed the similarity between our cats, but yours is a recognised breed whereas I’m told by her vet that Honey is a naughty torty. You have some special memories of Monzi and so will we of Honey though she is a bit of a loner who prefers to spend as much time outside and only come inside to eat and sleep.

Monzi was from a rescue shelter without any pedigree or certificates. Nor does that matter; her personality was huge and although long gone, we still tear up when remembering her.

It is remarkable how our furry friends leave such deep pawprints on our hearts

 

[Ben Casper]

Thanks, Ben. Perfect illustration of the subject being discussed.

And Honey is gorgeous, of course.

Thanks John I appreciate your comment. One thing I don’t understand is why the forum EXIF shown is different to what is shown in my iPad EXIF, which are correct at the time of exposure and how I set my camera.

Any ideas?

Regards Ben

 

[L0n3Gr3yW0lf]

Thanks John I appreciate your comment. One thing I don’t understand is why the forum EXIF shown is different to what is shown in my iPad EXIF, which are correct at the time of exposure and how I set my camera.

Any ideas?

Regards Ben

Do you use a different kind of JPEG when you upload or different file format. Or it could be some settings on your export process (like Remove Tracking Data or EXIF Data or Copyright Information, etc).
Since you mentioned the iPad it could be the OS itself manipulating/changing the EXIF data or the format of it that confuses the code of the forum.

I wish I could help you more but I don't own anything besides Windows and Android and I haven't had issues like this with my Lightroom CC Classic and JPEG exports.

 

[Ben Casper]

Do you use a different kind of JPEG when you upload or different file format. Or it could be some settings on your export process (like Remove Tracking Data or EXIF Data or Copyright Information, etc).
Since you mentioned the iPad it could be the OS itself manipulating/changing the EXIF data or the format of it that confuses the code of the forum.

I wish I could help you more but I don't own anything besides Windows and Android and I haven't had issues like this with my Lightroom CC Classic and JPEG exports.

Thank you Ovi. I am confused by all the variables you mention as I am not that computer literate. I use the apple photo app to p/p my RAW image, then a little tweak if I think it necessary in Snapseed then export to iPhoto from where I upload to the forum. So I suppose the settings can have been changed some where in the my processing line.

Thank you for taking the time to post your suggestions.

Regards Ben

 

[L0n3Gr3yW0lf]

Thank you Ovi. I am confused by all the variables you mention as I am not that computer literate. I use the apple photo app to p/p my RAW image, then a little tweak if I think it necessary in Snapseed then export to iPhoto from where I upload to the forum. So I suppose the settings can have been changed some where in the my processing line.

Thank you for taking the time to post your suggestions.

Regards Ben

I have a feeling it might be Snapseed at fault here, it might change the EXIF data in the workflow and go missing by the time you reach iPhoto. We can have a look together if you want in a PM at some point (though I'm going to be at work morning to evening for the next 4 days so my replies might be slow).

 

[Ben Casper]

Thank you Ovi. How would you suggest I get you the information, a SOOC image and /or a Snapseed one bypassing iPhoto?

Regards Ben

 

[John King]

Thanks John I appreciate your comment. One thing I don’t understand is why the forum EXIF shown is different to what is shown in my iPad EXIF, which are correct at the time of exposure and how I set my camera.

Any ideas?

Regards Ben

Ben, a lot of programs have a "Save for the Web" option, or similar.

Many of these strip out the EXIF data ... .

 

[Acraftman]

If you think about it the rim of a flower pot isn't exactly wide!

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[docfox]

If you think about it the rim of a flower pot isn't exactly wide!
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A cat's agility and balance are just amazing! Acraftman, this is a terrific grab shot that looks like the result of careful composition - I love it!

 

[John King]

If you think about it the rim of a flower pot isn't exactly wide!
View attachment 368226

The embodiment of "cat-ness", Dan. Nominated for the front page.