Hi I've been looking for something directed towards animal photography, especially pets, and happy to have just recently discovered NWP. I'm just getting into studio lighting and thought I would share a couple of my 1st attempts for some CC. She is the only one of a house full of critters that will stay still long enough so gets volunteered quite often. I am basically teaching myself through trial and error. Thanks for any input.

Sorry only one of the shots was attached. Here is one more.

Hi David,

Welcome to the community. I love Persians - I think they are such beautiful cats. LOL, actually, I love pretty much all cats. Anyway, nice shots and poses. Are these done natural light? I will suggest that I think the images could use a little extra pop to them. When I get back to NY, I will be glad to see what I can do in PS with it.

James

Thanks James I'm still learning a lot in PS as well. No not natural light. I used some cheap studio strobes I picked up to play around with. I cant remember what the set up was. I'm always trying something different.

The shot is a really nice shot. The pose is wonderful and the cat looks great

The vignette is a no. It detracts vs adds.

I took your shot and did a really fast levels adjustment. It was a bit flat. With animals, it is good to get a more specular light.

This shot had good basics though and what I did was very very minor

Hi,
Welcome to the forum. I love this image. Your pose is very nice and the lighting is good. I really do like it with and without vignette. The problem I believe with your vignette is the color. You might want to play around with it a bit more. I put up an option that might give you an idea. The original is strong enough to stand on its own. But if you want to play with it - go for it.

Thanks Peggy I know the color is a bit much for it. I actually did it that way for my wife. It's her cat and she is a purple freak. If its purple she loves it. Are there any good books out there that would be recomended on pet photography. The lighting aspect is my main concern at the moment being new at the studio lighting end of it all and learning by trial and error. My work schedule doesnt allow me to go to a class of any kind so its just me, the camera, lights and whatever critter I can get to cooperate at that moment. Thanks for any and all help anyone can give and I hope to have some more to share soon. Thanks again.

The lighting is not bad at all. It just need a little finishing work in PS. I wouldn't send out any photos without it.

I just brought the left slider to the right to make the blacks really black and the the right slider to the left to touch the histogram which in turn increased the contrast and brightened it up

A touch of sharpening and that is it.