hjoseph7 Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 Next to Nudes, picures of Cats are the most frequent pictures posted on the Forum. I see at least one Cat picture a day on the photo.net Forum. Maybe this question should be posted on the Philosophy section, but do photographers have a natural affinity to Cats ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vdp Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 I am. I live with 3 cats. I also like dogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoatsngroats Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 Once had 4 cats, and two cameras....and I can communicate with cat...er, perhaps that'll do ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_s Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 I hate cats. I hate pictures of kittens in teacups even more than I hate cats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lorilafs Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 I know I am! Not sure about any particular group being more or less cat lovers, but in general I think cats are a rather easy 'target' for photographers as they sleep, rest, nap, relax and loaf a good 22 hrs a day! My Dad always said "there's noone who doesn't love a kitten"...they're so cute and their kitty-antics inimitable. Caught on film (or digi) those pix garner the human "Awwwww..." factor. Natural affinity? Well, it's not in our DNA, but primates are 'programmed' to respond to 'cute' and 'helpless', which is why babies' facial features are disproportionate to adults (big eyes, tiny noses and mouths). It evokes an instinct to care for that little being! I hope this lady's opinion (somewhat fact-based) helps answer your query, Harry. Best wishes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lorilafs Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 Oh, poor you, Dave! You must've been born w/o that "awwww..." factor! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anthony_brookes5 Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 Love some dogs hate all cats. Best cats have tread patterns on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
www.philwinterphotography. Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 I don't think I have a natural affinity for cats, but after 35 years of owning cats (originally my wife's idea), I've grown quite fond of them. That is, I'm quite fond of our three cats most of the time. But when these are gone - assuming they don't out live me - I don't want anything else in the house that eats and expels stuff from all its orifices. Our jet black cat is quite a challenge to photograph exposure-wise. The attached photo illustrates the problem. The cat actually sucks light out of a room. The image is soft - that's what I get for using a 100-400 (You can use them in the house!) at 250mm at 1/13th. I suspect cats are popular on PN because they are relatively available and easy to photograph. And my wife won't let me photograph nudes.<div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hjoseph7 Posted January 16, 2008 Author Share Posted January 16, 2008 I once had a an all Black cat with green eyes like the one above his name was Jasper. I had to move out of town, so I gave it to my sister's kids. That cat lasted to an old cat-age is what I hear. The only bad thing I remember about this cat, is that the hairs would get all over my darkroom which he loved to sleep in. I also had a dog, but I can't say which I like the most. It's like trying to compare between film and digital. The good thing is that you don't have to sign a release form with animals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles_Webster Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 Because I have a folder called "Pet Portraits" that contains pictures of cats only, I suppose I could be called a cat lover. I have four at home, and find that having a cat help makes every photographic task more difficult and time-consuming. My cats especially like to help in the studio, the seamless paper is a source of endless fascination, as are the bits of velvet etc. I use for flags and drapes. Cables are always a source of entertainment, and since my studio is far from "wireless" there's lots to play with. <Chas> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bwcombs Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 Cats are evil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenPapai Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 Are photographers wine lovers? Beer lovers? Nudie image lovers? Tree huggers? Some are some aren't. Most aren't but a few are. Photographers can be any number of "things." Some are Republicans, Democrats, and/or Libertarians. Some are doctors, lawyers, programmers, mayors, fire chiefs, chefs, brewers, and also a scant few as true professional photogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bosshogg Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 There are nearly as many dog pictures as cat pictures. I've got four cats and a couple of others that think they belong to me. Generally speaking cat, dog, kid and wedding pics are not very compelling as art. Of course there are exceptions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank uhlig Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 Are cat lovers photographers? What a question ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
summitar Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 Remember the 1980 US census category, POSSLQ (persons of opposite sex sharing living quarters)? I am a POSSLQ - persons of opposite species sharing living quarters--which in my case are two wonderful Old English Sheepdogs. Regardless, I like cats a whole lot better than certain incumbent political wacko's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hakon_soreide Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 Many people with a camera loves cats, and cats can be very photogenic. Notably, adult cats have about the same proportions in their faces as do human babies, which is something that can cause an instinctive response to love them and care for them. This response seems to be stronger with women - not surprisingly - and so, even if lots of guys like cats, it's usually the gals who are crazy about them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
constance_cook Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 I have 7 of my own and 1 of my neighbor's. They threw him out when they had a 3rd child last summer. He lives in my sunroom. My cats have been photographed so often they don't pay any attention to cameras or flashes. But I use them for practice and don't inflict the pics on others. I do like to see pics of your cats, though. Conni Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken munn Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 On any fotophorum you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a cat. Vile creatures, and what's worse, bird murderers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nancy s. Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 My XBF hated cats and was afraid of dogs. I kept the cats, got rid of him and got a dog. A more useless man I have never known.. He was a not very skilled con man, liked drugs of the illegal variety and was a photographer too. Oh yeah.. and since my cats are of the indoor variety, are parasite free, walk on leashes, ride in the car etc., they do not murder any wildlife. They are Death on Christmas Ornaments tho! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoff_foale Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 Lets put it another way, do cats prefer photographers? My current cat previously lived with a neighbour but decided to change owners and adopt me. Cats are good subjects for testing lenses or exposure settings and experimenting with new techniques, etc. If you can get bright eyes and crisp fur you are doing things correctly and are ready to move onto 'real' subjects. However, showing off cat photos, apart from asking for advice, is a totally different matter. Other people's cats are about as interesting as other people's children. With regard to the other part of the question. Where do nudes come from? Perhaps it's where I live, a small UK coastal town, but I've never found any naked flesh crying out to be photographed. In fact I haven't ever seen any nakedness without having to give some vague indication of lasting meaningful commitment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDMvW Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 Hakon has got it in one. Domesticated animals, especially the young, are selected to survive and reproduce because of "cuteness" - which is just another word for "triggering innate human response to babies (little nose, big eyes, etc". This applies to sentimental photos of any kind that trade in "cuteness" or the "Ooooh" effect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrstubbs Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 We live in this world because the Cat allows us to. It matters little that we love or hate them...they just don't care! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aramat57 Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 I have cats and dogs. I cannot imagine living without a dog. Cats I like fine, we have had a period of time without a cat, though. I have never been without at least one dog in my entire life. Right now we have three of each. And I like seeing pet pictures and people's kid pictures, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike_godwin1 Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 My in-laws are all highly allergic to cats so we have 3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrstubbs Posted January 16, 2008 Share Posted January 16, 2008 "My in-laws are all highly allergic to cats so we have 3." 10/10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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