Nightski

Snicker in a moment of contemplation as we come out of the forest into the bright morning light.

"Light makes photography. Embrace light.Admire it. Love it. But above all, know light. Know it for all you are worth, and you will know the key to photography."
~George Eastman

"There is no bad light. There is spectacular light and difficult light. It's up to you to use the light you have."
~Jay Maisel

"Wherever there is light, one can photograph."
~Alfred Stieglitz

This kitten adopted me mid-June 2015. I swore I'd never have a cat, and now she is my constant companion and lively hiking buddy. She is also the subject of much of my photography these days. She is the subject that is always there in every light situation. I have photographed her everyday out in the woods on our daily jaunt. It's been a journey in learning about light and shadow ... learning to wait and watch ... learning to be ready .. checking my exposure as the the morning light changes .. asking myself if I want more DOF or less .. learning how to use ISO effectively. I saw someone post a pet portrait in harsh light the other day and it made me think of this. Yes the sun was shining directly on Snicker, but there was a light cloud cover that morning that nicely diffused the harsh light. It's impossible to hold a circular diffuser over an animal if you want to preserve the moment, so you have to wait for natural diffusers. There are many out in the wilderness. There is open shade and dappled shade and light cloud cover. The important thing is to wait for the best light to shine on your subject.

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magnetoman Loc: Purbeck, Dorset, UK

Think that must have been Bob Yankles shot you saw previously Sandra, he will love this one I'm sure. What purrfect background, focus and colour you've come up with. Beautiful!

Cwilson341 Loc: Central Florida

Sandra, I really enjoyed the learning opportunity you provided. What a good reminder it is! I also enjoyed learning a little about Snicker and the special relationship you share. The portrait is exquisite. The exposure is perfect and the pose and framing are very appealing. A very good shot to start with is made special by the wonderful light you captured.

Rathyatra Loc: Southport, United Kingdom

Gorgeous cat - is it a Maine Coon?

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Very nice composition, DOF, and pose. The pose is a testament to your patience in waiting for just the right moment to take the photograph. Though, from your description, the light isn't all that harsh. Regardless, I'll still stick with my initial comments.
--Bob

Nightski

Thanks all for looking. Bob, my paint was that if you have harsh light you have to do something to diffuse it .. the clouds did it for me. C.Wilson, Snicker was very ill when she found me. It took a few rounds of antibiotics before she was well. We developed a very special relationship. Rathyatra, the vet tells me that she's a long hair mutt. Wish I knew where she came from. Here is one of the first pics I took of her. http://500px.com/photo/160429355/the-stray-by-sandra-nightski?ctx_page=2&from=user&user_id=5883322

G Brown Loc: Sunny Bognor Regis West Sussex UK

A great portrait,
Having a black and white dog I know the harsh reality of what you describe. Lots of blown out fur. Like you, 'PIP' comes with me through the woods and then on occasion things come together. Trouble is with catching the moment before he finds a muddy puddle.

Have fun

Rathyatra Loc: Southport, United Kingdom

She is a lovely cat - well done for taking her in to your home.

carlysue Loc: Columbus

I think your patience paid off well, and that she was content to wait as well is certainly a plus! I also love that her hair is blowing just a bit, the snow on the ground give evidence that its really a cold breeze. Also love that the background is muted and that you can still see evidence that its in the woods. Thank you for the reminders in your narrative and for the link to your work. Impressive!

Nightski

Glad you liked, Carly Sue.

globetrekker Loc: Bend, OR

A lovely feline portrait. Love the light. Well done!

jaysnave Loc: Central Ohio

This is a beautiful capture. You definitely saw the opportunity to use the light available and Snicker is quite the poser. Also, your positioning enhances the shot so much. It looks like you snuggled into the wet cold terrain to make that happen and we appreciate your dedication

Nightski

Thank you. Snicker is quite a poser. Sometimes I think she was a super model in her previous life .. LOL .. and yes .. I spend lots of time on my belly in the snow. Many layers of warm clothing with waterproof top and pants on the outside.

10MPlayer Loc: California

You captured all the light without blowing out the highlights or leaving a lot in the shadows. Not so harsh at all. Kitties are great subjects. They are such interesting animals, full of personality, each one unique in it's behavior. What's not to like?

Nightski

I love kitties. I always have. I just didn't think I wanted one because of the litter box and the fur. I brush her every day and scoop her litter box every day and it isn't as bad as I thought. I never realized how interactive cats are. She is so engaged when we out in the woods. She is very in tune with my dog and me. She sniffs out small animals in tree holes. My dog Zoe loves that. Zoe wanted to eat Snicker when she first came to our house, but now they are pals. Snicker rode home under in the spare tire well under my husbands jeep. He had no idea she was there. I went out right after he got home to take the compost out and I heard meowing coming from his jeep. She sounded like a big scary cat, but when we managed to extricate her, we found out that she was only 1.3 pounds. Barely big enough to be away from her mother. There was a huge thunderstorm earlier that day and we have always wondered if that's how she got separated from her litter.