Every time I try to take a picture of my little black kitty it either ends up with her looking like a dark blob or with everything but her looking overexposed.
Is there any way to take a nice picture of a black cat with a digital camera?
2007-09-26 13:42:14 · 6 answers · asked by Dysthymia 6 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Visual Arts ➔ Photography
Your camera wants everything to be 18% grey, including your black cat. Also, the camera meter wants the entire scene to be 18% grey as well. If the kitty is too light, you need to decrease exposure. Move in close to get a reading, note exposure, and decrease by maybe one stop. If that's not dark enough, decrease another stop and take another. If kitty is a dark blob, then increase exposure and try again. Your camera might have a +/- dial to set exposure comp. If your camera doesnt have any way to adjust exposure, make sure to get closer and don't have too much contrast in her background. Don't put her in front of a white wall. Outside in overcast with a predominately green background should give you a pretty close exposure.
2007-09-26 14:30:57 · answer #1 · answered by Ara57 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Great question!
A black cat can be a very frustrating subject, because the dark fur tends to absorb light coming in from most directions. Fur is very difficult to capture, and the darker the fur, the harder it will be. For most "snapshots," the results will either be the black blob, or a very "metallic" look to the cat's highlights.
Best technique is to find a way to light the subject from directly one side or another. ANY light coming from the direction of the camera, or anywhere near that angle will simply soak up, and not reflect back into the lens.
Avoid using the flash, in any case, as the cat's eye will show extreme "red eye" condition.
Like that one person said, if you can take the shot outdoors, there should be plenty of available light. Try to time the shoot for early morning or late afternoon. You will get the best contrast and the warmest color.
2007-09-27 08:12:07 · answer #2 · answered by Vince M 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My cat has dark fur too.
I only had problems with bad results when I had flash on/bad lighting
So I decided to take my cat outside around late morning and there was beautiful lighting!
Or at least in my opinion.
Remember to put it on a fast shutter speed and just mess around with the exposure and such!
Good luck now.
This is how mine turned out btw.
http://a281.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/14/l_c26922598e26f36fec71d3e4e7963050.jpg
2007-09-26 14:01:57 · answer #3 · answered by Angelina` 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
get the exposure right. cameras are dumb not smart, people using them on auto expecting good results? auto is for blue skys and green grass, anything else and they mess it up (generally)
as Mr Ace says use a grey card thats the easy way
or meter off white and add three -3.5 stops, or meter off black and take away 3 stops, or meter off white and add 3 - 3.5 stops
i just meter off my palm (35% roughly reflection) then i add a stop
a
2007-09-26 14:06:47 · answer #4 · answered by Antoni 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
i have a black cat to..
my problem is when the flash goes off,
her face and body reflect it and looks crazy!
i recomend turning off the flash,
if that works.
it works for me.
:)
2007-09-26 13:51:12 · answer #5 · answered by yay 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
your cat has a digital camera?
2007-09-26 13:44:57 · answer #6 · answered by Hoolahoop 3 · 4⤊ 5⤋