CAT in the BOX

I shall call this image, "Cat in the Box!"

I absolutely adore cats!!! This is one of my kitties, his name is Katyuhah- which is Russian for Kate.

And yes, this guy has a girls name, but he still is quite the boss. When he was named we could not find his, well... you know.

In any event, as you can probably tell I love photography. This is an original image photographed and edited by yours truly. I have a fascination with portrait photography, and as such I apply a lot of the editing styles done in stunning portraits into images like this one.

Portrait photography always focuses on the eyes. In order to get a good focus you must get really close to the subject. The purpose of portraiture is to experience an intimacy of sorts. The eyes need to capture the essence of what mood you are trying to portray. In this case, it is a whimsical playfulness. Notice that only half of the face is in the image; portraying a bit of mystery and lively exuberance altogether.

The colors must never be exaggerated, yet they can be accentuated. In this case the overall tone of the image is set to warm.... The brain subconsciously registers this as a happy feeling. In contrast, a cool image registers more of a gloom to the mood. Moreover, the warming effect also has to do with alertness as a warming tone tends to give a more drowsy effect on the subconscious. Cooling tones do the opposite, as I am sure you have guessed. Cool temperatures tend to have a blue tint whereas warm temperatures have an orange finish to them.

Another key feature to portraiture is the depth in the eyes. Notice that the eyes are shaded and lit in different areas to create a sense of depth? This is done by utilizing a technique called dodging and burning, an editing necessity for portraiture. The effect can also be done with a catch light; which is utilized more so in film but can and should be done in photography as well. Essentially any flash of light can be used to reflect onto the eyes... which mimics the effect seen in commercial films.