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I guess that is because the eyes reflect the flash.
I don't think it is wise to use flash directly on a cat that looks at the camera though - remember they have veryvery sensitive eyes!
Originally posted 79 months ago.
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Rune T edited this topic 79 months ago.
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So would you recommend disabling the flash? Just use a bright room instead?
Posted 79 months ago.
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That's the feline equivalent of red eye and the only way around it is to not use direct flash. Do you have a flash for the hotshoe yet? If so, bounce it off the ceiling, a pale wall, or a white card. If you don't have an off-camera flash yet, try rubberbanding an index card to it to redirect the light up, rather than straight forward.
And to post the image in the thread (small sizes) click on the All Sizes button above your photo. You'll find the html for embedding it if you scroll down. Just copy and paste. :)
But I wouldn't worry about your cat's eyes being damaged. My cat puts up with nothing he doesn't like, and seems utterly unfazed by the flash, even in a pretty dark room. Eventually he gets bored with my antics and either swats my head or wanders off, whichever strikes his fancy. ;)
Originally posted 79 months ago.
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Sara Heinrichs (awfulsara) edited this topic 79 months ago.
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Thanks Sara, I'll try redirecting the flash. I'll try the index card thing, I think I can imagine how to do it.
I'll post new shots when I get the eyes to be clear. Such a fun cat to take pics of. ;)
Posted 79 months ago.
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I never use a flash with cats or other animals. It's not good for their eyes, and I prefer a more natural light. Take a peek...
Posted 79 months ago.
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Listen to petshooter, he clearly knows what he's doing. (Great work, I just fave'd the shot of Maceo that fronts your set.)
With any subject, natural light is often best. When daylight fails, then getting your light source way far away from the lens is best. Of course, nearly any kind of light beats the usual office or shop fluorescent things.
Of course, like any rule it can be broken with really great results. If you are trying to take a picture that screams ZOMBIE, then red-eye might actually be desireable, after all.
My problem with flashes and cats is more that the cat won't take direction and sit patiently for the best setup, so I end up trying to use the built-in because it is always ready. The result is always like yours, so unless the eyes aren't the point of the picture I just pass on those shots.
Posted 79 months ago.
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I really hadn't heard about the flash being bad for their eyes.. my own experience was like awfulsara's, above.. they just don't seem to see the flash at all. I don't know if it's faster than their nervous systems can perceive, or if the spectrum they can see is different than the spectrum of electronic flash, but I have to believe that if they 'saw' it, they'd have a quick reaction the first time, at least.
I have to agree, too, tho, that direct straight on flash is the one light I Hate the most with almost anything or anyone. One possibility, too, if you have to get the shot with straight-on flash would be to choose moments when the cat isn't looking right at the camera..
However.. I break my own rules, at times.. as here:
Posted 79 months ago.
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I think the green/yellow reflection you see is the tapetum. Nocturnal animals have that so that light passes twice through the transparent rods/cones of their eye allowing for better absorption and better night vision.
Pretty neat piece of evolutionary engineering. :-)
Posted 79 months ago.
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Speaking of breaking rules...
Here's a case where the cat cooperated. Actually, it was probably more a case of the kitten needing urgently to catch some of his 20 hours of quality naptime right when I decided I wanted a picture.
 -- from RBerteig - (?)
Taken with a Nikon D70s. Lit with a Nikon SB-600 in slave mode laying on the table pointing right at the belly. He's laying on a mirror, and the on-camera flash is providing fill light. I like the way the mirror goes dead black in this exposure.
Posted 79 months ago.
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Which DSLR do you have? If you have one that can adjust the ISO try taking it up to 800ISO and that will give you enough shutter speed to take photos with normal room lights at night. Try placing lamps around where your cat is sitting (not behind or in frame of your photo as that will over-expose the photo if you are shooting in any kind of auto or semi-auto mode).
If you absolutely must use flash then, you can also try difusing your flash with a piece of white tissue paper. Tape it above and below the flash so that it covers the area the flash shoots out at. Be careful to have the tissue paper coning out a little in front of the flash - this gives a better quality diffision and also prevents the tissue paper from burning after long use of the flash.
Aslo, if your camera has an anti-red eye function then turn it on. This should fire a quick warning flash which will close the pupils some what and ready them for the proper flash. Of course, with animals this can scare them off. It depends what mood your cat is in, I guess.
Mostly though, try shooting during the day, natural light is the most flattering for animals and people - especially when it comes to eyes.
Cherry xxxxx.
Posted 79 months ago.
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Hey Cherry,
I just got an Olympus E-300, a friend was able to get me an awesome deal on it. I haven't played with the ISO yet, I will definately try and see how it can improve my indoor shots, aren't really familiar with all the functions and settings yet. I have lots of experimenting to do.
Up to now when I take shots indoor without flash the shots too dull and dead. The tissue paper is a great idea to soften the lighting... I'll try it tonight. I'm going to try a few things with Coco and post some new pics.
FiSH
Posted 79 months ago.
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If you have photoshop just use the clone tool to fix it. I have to do this with my dogs eyes from time to time becuase they reflect blue.
Posted 79 months ago.
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OK, with my other cat I tried using this pretty strong light from an angle. Cat wasn't as patient but this one shot was pretty cool...
Thanks for all advice given...!
FiSH
Posted 79 months ago.
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ferg690 [deleted] says:
 Both pics taken with flash. like you cant already tell. I just got lucky with the second pic. kinda 
If ya have cats and a camera its impossible to not take pics of them.
Posted 79 months ago.
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This is why I say flash, especially on-camera flash, is evil! Learn to operate the camera manually or semi-manually, and you can shoot in much lower light. Someone suggested using higher ISO settings, which will help. Another thing is to use larger aperture (smaller f-number) to get more light into the camera. Lenses with larger apertures (smaller numbers) are often called "fast" lenses. The factory lens on a DSLR is usually pretty slow, like f/3.5 or f/4. An f/2.8 lens gets twice as much light as f/4, and and f/2 is four times as much. That's the difference between shooting 400 speed and 1600 speed! But to really take advantage of it, you have to manually control the aperture - otherwise, your camera will try to use a smaller aperture and turn on the flash in automatic modes.
Posted 79 months ago.
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like petshooter, i prefer natural light reflecting in my cat's eyes as well... especially when you can catch it at the right angle.
here is a picture of smokey with the natural light from a window as well as a desk lamp a few feet away:
Posted 78 months ago.
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I know it's a bit off-topic, but when I photograph my dog, he manages to close his eyes at the exact second (or split second) where I'm taking the picture.
Using my D70 I can see that his eyes are open when I press the shutter release, and are open when the mirror moves back, but somehow he has managed to close his eyes for the duration of the 1/60 of a second that the shot is being exposed.
Animals are cool creatures and frustrating subjects.
Posted 78 months ago.
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Natural light is always best. Here's a photo of "old blue eyes". he is sitting by the window... :)
Taken from same spot... Of course this is to shamelessly show off my cat... :D
Originally posted 78 months ago.
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*Louise** edited this topic 78 months ago.
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i want a kitty :/
Posted 78 months ago.
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Here's something that probably fits the bill. I took several close up shots of Graycie which were over exposed because of the flash intensity. Since I didn't have a card to cover the flash or bounce it, I used my finger, and this is the result I got
Posted 78 months ago.
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I like to light the eye from the side...
Posted 78 months ago.
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Joshb60796: that is a gorgeous image.
Posted 78 months ago.
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These were taken in daylight with a fill flash and a macro lens:
Here's another (these are better if viewed large):
Originally posted 78 months ago.
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Ken Walsh edited this topic 77 months ago.
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Don't take flash photos of animal eyes--it can harm their eyes.
Posted 78 months ago.
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I ve got to admit that best way i found for a good cat's eye shot is natural light.
Originally posted 77 months ago.
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xpoz edited this topic 77 months ago.
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Natural light is always best... however sometimes flash gives good results as well
Posted 77 months ago.
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Cats are just plain hard to take pictures of. I got this one by accident when my cat shoved her face into my camera.
The flash fired on this, but somehow caught her eyes just right.
Originally posted 77 months ago.
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Sean Glenn edited this topic 77 months ago.
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I go for natural light generally, but was playing around with the flash the other night and was able to get this shot by covering the built-in flash with a bit of white printer paper:
Ok, not the most fantastic photo, but still, it shows you can get normal looking eyes with the flash every now and then :)
Originally posted 77 months ago.
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sillykitty edited this topic 77 months ago.
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Taken in not-very-bright lamplight off the side, at night, hand-held, with a zoom lens on my Canon S2. I cheated and used a color setting that enhances blues. There is only very minor post-processing here if any.
This was a lucky shot, and it took me months to get one that showcased her eyes. If your light isn't as bright as you like and your cat is in statue mode, you can use a tripod so that you can increase your exposure time and need less ambient light.
If you have more ambient light and can use a fast shutter, I'm very fond of using continuous shooting mode, where you just keep the button depressed and the camera reels off shot after shot. That solves the problem of aiming at the right time but having the animal blink. Most of your photos will be throwaways but you have a better chance of capturing that One.
I try like hell not to use flash on animals. When I accidentally flashed my cat right up close to her sensitive eyes, she didn't react; I think it was too fast for her to register it. But on some level, her brain did: since then, if she even hears the camera motor whirr on, she hides.
Posted 77 months ago.
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as others have said, i wouldn't use the flash at all.
diffused window light is so much better, and it won't make the cat flinch either :D
lit with nothing but the window light in my kitchen:
if you have to use it, use a diffuser or bounce it or something.
Originally posted 51 months ago.
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gregjp48 edited this topic 51 months ago.
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Like others have said you could get a speedlite flash and bounce it...
Or use no flash at all and just us ambient light...
As for fixing the picture you posted, try dodge & burn tool to bring back the black iris.
Originally posted 51 months ago.
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robdunbarphotos.com edited this topic 51 months ago.
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I just use window light
Posted 51 months ago.
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Pointed the flash at a white door to the right.
Posted 51 months ago.
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Just spend some more time with your kitty taking photos. There are lots of examples in this thread much more excellent than mine! I like using available light.
Posted 51 months ago.
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i tested my fong lightsphere-II cloud diffuser on my kitty cat when i first got it. she was looking straight into the camera, while the diffuser was bounced towards the ceiling. you can see that the catchlight appears quite small.
Posted 50 months ago.
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I just use ambient light: close to windows on a bright day or "we" go outside
...hum he has a BIG personality :-)
Posted 49 months ago.
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Awesome eyes, naomi_cas! Here's my two cents: I bought a "devise" for my Nikon D80; it's a translucent white plastic rectangle that fits on the hotshoe track, covers the flip up flash and diffuses it (just like a piece of tissue paper, but it's reuseabe). Nothing like outdoor lighting though....
Posted 49 months ago.
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