I tend to be more of a dog person than a cat person. Cats have always been somewhat mysterious creatures to me, a bit wild and uncontrollable. Nonetheless, I am usually the go-to person to watch her three cats when my neighbor and fellow photographer Cindy Dyer goes out of town.
This past weekend I watched and fed the three male cats and, as is usually the case, I attempted to take some photos of them. Cindy often manages to capture them in wonderful candid moments, but it was hard for me to get them to cooperate. I am not used to shooting indoors with limited light, so that was an additional challenge. I learned pretty quickly that the 180mm macro lens that I happened to have on my camera is not optimal for this task—it was tough to get far enough away to capture the cats’ major facial features.
Eventually I was able to capture a portrait of each of them. Queso, the orange cat who was rescued in the bushes outside of a Mexican restaurant, is the youngest one; Pixel is the one with the pixelated hair who loves to roll over to have his tummy scratched; and Lobo, the gray lone wolf of the pack, fixed me with a fierce stare when he finally let me take his picture.
I should be back to my more typical wildlife shots tomorrow in case any of you were concerned that I had abandoned my butterflies and dragonflies. I enjoy the challenge of a different set of subjects and I must admit that it was nice to shoot in the coolness of the air-conditioned indoors rather than in the hot, humid summer weather we have been experiencing.
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© Michael Q. Powell. All rights reserved.
Mike Powell 
They are cuties, Mike. I cat sit my daughter’s cats, and it is very tempting to try to get interesting photos of them. You did a great job. If I recognize the expressions. they are all saying “feed me!”
Benjamin and I think these are fantastic photos of some “fotogenic felines”! I am a cat person. My two Persians are pampered and adored by Benjamin. Coco Puff Chanel and Elvis Asher Pawsley tend to demand admiration, rather than giving it. Thank-you, Mr. Mike!!
I am a dog person too, but I love these photos. I wrote a book with a cat as one of the main characters, why I chose a cat and not a dog I really don’t know. LOL! But I have fallen in love with cats more because of it. 🙂
I should clarify that me and a friend wrote the book, but I made the cat character and I just still laugh about it for I have had a dog since the day I been born! Never had a cat! 🙂
Marvelous cat photos, Mike! I enjoy all your nature pics of course, but as a cat person I find these especially affecting.
We are big cat fans in our household and are delighted to see your portraits of these three beautiful cats.
All very serious looking! Nice closeups of these beauties, Mike!
Cute cats!
Very nice portraits, Mike! It is hard to get close up shots. I know Bengie looks away whenever she sees my camera!
Thanks, Chris. With these cats, one of them tends to look away, one tends to run away, and the third tends to move closer and closer to me.
Lobo has a bit of a mane, like a little lion.