Looking for the lap

I don't know for sure how old Huckleberry is; 19 or 20 years old.  He's more than a little deaf now, but if he sees someone sit down at the computer desk, he jumps up looking to sit in my, er, that person's lap.  This is the look I get if I'm near there but don't sit down.

Lens ID	LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm F3.5-5.6
F Number	5.6
Focal Length	45.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 90.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1/100
Exposure Program	Program AE
ISO	1600
Advanced Scene Mode	Off
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

Lance, lounging

Cats love to lay about, apparently relaxing.  But secretly, they keep watch, waiting for a bug to fly past.  Or a leaf to blow up against the window.  Lance is really loving this little couch on the porch.  From here, he can see through the windows - there are birds on the wires, but he's not going to let them know he's watching.

F Number	5.6
Focal Length	45.0 mm
Exposure Time	1/30
Exposure Program	Manual
ISO	400
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

Theme day - Details

On the first of the month, the City Daily Photo blogging community members choose a common theme that we then post our interpretation of.  This month, the theme was Details.  Click the link to see all the amazing interpretations of this month's theme!

As for me, like most of the theme days, this stretched my comfort zone.  I had literally no idea what to post until out cat Savannah decided to pose, and then all became clear.  Well, not exactly.  She's an indoor cat, a rescue, and she doesn't go outdoors (although she's been known to sneak out from time to time.)  That means taking her portrait indoors.

I haven't got a studio.  No umbrellas, no multiple flashes, no klieg lights.  I have regular fluorescent swirly lamps that screw into Edison sockets.  I could use the on-camera flash, but that tends to flatten the image.  So I started shooting.  Handheld, since Savannah's patience only lasts so long and then she wanders elsewhere.  And so, I made my own luck by managing an indoor shot that wasn't blurry from my hand shake.  Or the cat moving.  Or the autofocus finding a bizarre spot to make razor sharp.  I did shoot in in RAW and crop it in SilkyPix.  I kind of like how it turned out.  There's a lot of detail in her face!

F Number	5.6
Lens ID	LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm F3.5-5.6
Focal Length	45.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 90.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1/13
Exposure Program	Program AE
ISO	400
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

Peek-a-boo

Huckleberry caught can napping.

F Number	5.6
Focal Length	45.0 mm
Exposure Time	1/5
Exposure Program	Program AE
ISO	400
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

Lance is on the case

Took out my viola to play a bit of a duet with the youngest and Lance took the opportunity to make himself comfortable.  I've always lived with at least one cat who liked to sit or sleep in my viola case.  Lance is by far the largest cat do to do though.  Silly boy!

F Number	4.9
Focal Length	25.0 mm
Exposure Time	1/5
Exposure Program	Program AE
ISO	400
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

Huckleberry

Huck enjoying a very nice late summer day.  I had to attract his attention because he'd rather be looking out the window...

F Number	5.6
Focal Length	45.0 mm
Exposure Time	1/160
Exposure Program	Manual
ISO	160
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

Smoky

Smoky is a street cat; there are quite a few around.  We think we adopted a relative of his.  We don't have room for all of them though...  Smoky is very friendly.  He lets you pick him up, scatch behind his ears and he'll even sit in your lap until a bug or a leaf catches his eye.  Yesterday, he decided to sleep under our hydrangea, which is quite crowded with wild violets, alehoof, flatleaf primroses and a milkweed plant.  It's very shady under there and it was a warm day - over 90F (32C) again - so he was enjoying the shade as well as a position where he could watch the street.  Clever boy!

F Number	5.6
Lens ID	LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm F3.5-5.6
Focal Length	45.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 90.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1/100
Exposure Program	Program AE
ISO	400
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

Kitty in the window

Huckleberry enjoying the morning sun.

Lens	Minolta MD 50mm f/1.4
F Number	4.0
Focal Length	50.0 mm
Exposure Time	1/400
Exposure Program	Program AE
ISO	100
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

A boy and his cat

Lance and his human.  True love!

F Number	5.6
Focal Length	45.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 90.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1/15
Exposure Program	Program AE
ISO	1600
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

Naughty Spot

Spot knows he's not supposed to be up on the stove, but the smell of meat on that pan was apparently irresistible.  I liked how the light over the stove shows that although he seems black to my eyes, he's apparently a gorgeous brown.  Hand-held, so I'm not sure how well the enlarged version will look.

F Number	5.4
Lens ID	LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm F3.5-5.6
Focal Length	33.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 66.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1/5
Exposure Program	Manual
ISO	1600
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

Black Friday

The day after Thanksgiving is called Black Friday in the US. I don't do a lot of shopping, but the name does give me the opportunity to post a portrait of Spot, the black cat.  He's getting older, and is just a bit grizzled but he still has that twinkle in his eye!

Lens	Minolta MD 50mm F/1.4
F Number	1.4
Focal Length	50.0 mm
Exposure Time	1/20
Shooting Mode	Program
Exposure Program	Program AE
ISO	800
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

Spot escapes!

This is my buddy Spot.  Every spring, he gets a serious itch to get outside, to the point where one can hardly get through the door without him trying to dash through.  Well, he beat me this morning and out like a shot ran Spot.  He doesn't get out all that much, and he stopped at the grass (which has got desperately tall in just a few days) and just... stopped.  Sat in the sunshine and munched some tall grass like a feline Huck Finn.  When he was satisfied he came right to me and we went back in, safe and sound.

F Number	5.6
Lens ID	LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm F3.5-5.6
Focal Length	45.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 90.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1/125
Exposure Program	Program AE
ISO	100
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

Lancelot

Yesterday was a glorious day!  The weather was warm, the sun was shining and it was time to open the windows.  At first, I only opened them a crack, but it was enough for the cats to find the outdoors wafting inside.  This is Lance - he's all grown up now, and he really likes the window when it's open.  In fact, it's a common sight to see him like this, with one arm outside.

F Number	5.5
Lens ID	LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm F3.5-5.6
Focal Length	35.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 70.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1/250
Exposure Program	Manual
ISO	100
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

The well-read cat

I have too many books.  I haven't got enough shelf space, so this mess is the result.  Savannah has discovered this hidey-hole and jumps into it from the table.  She doesn't realise she's domesticated - I think that in her mind she's lounging in a tree high above the jungle floor.  She's quite the cat.

As for the books, yes I will read them all. 

F Number	5.6
Lens ID	LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm F3.5-5.6
Focal Length	45.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 90.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1/30
Exposure Program	Program AE
ISO	100
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	On, Red-eye reduction

Historical pillow

Savannah is like most cats - she can sleep anywhere.  Inexplicably, she's chosen to use a history of Theodore Roosevelt as her pillow.  An irresistible photo for me.

By the bye, the audio book was pretty good.  A bit too much hero worship from time to time, but TR was the sort of man who tended to inspire that reaction.

F Number	5.5
Lens ID	LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm F3.5-5.6
Focal Length	34.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 68.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1/30
Exposure Program	Program AE
ISO	800
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	On, Red-eye reduction

Green eyed monster

My oldest did a bit of trimming and decided to bring the more fragrant boughs in.  I think he's planning to make a wreath.  Lancelot the cat decided he very much likes the idea and pretty much wouldn't leave these alone.  I like the way the flash makes his eyes seem the same colour as the boughs.

F Number	5.6
Lens ID	LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm F3.5-5.6
Focal Length	45.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 90.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1/8
Exposure Program	Manual
ISO	800
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	On, Red-eye reduction

Cat and crickets

We are babysitting a leopard gecko, and she eats crickets.  The crickets are kept in a small cage before they meet her.  The youngest cat finds these crickets fascinating.  He stuck his head into the small opening at the top to get a closer look.

F Number	5.0
Lens ID	LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm F3.5-5.6
Focal Length	26.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 52.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1/30
Exposure Program	Program AE
ISO	800
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	On, Red-eye reduction

Persians

This is Savannah.  She's a rescue, like all the 4 legged critters in the house.  Unfortunately for her, she has that typical Persian cat look.  To our human eyes, it seems like she's scowling, but she's actually in a very good mood here, resting on a little bit of Persian carpet.

The camera had the red-eye reduction turned on, but her eyes are so large that it's almost impossible to eliminate that.  That red eye makes her seem even more surly, poor thing!

F Number	5.6
Lens ID	LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm F3.5-5.6
Focal Length	41.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 82.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1/30
Exposure Program	Program AE
ISO	400
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	On, Red-eye reduction

Blogging buddy

My blogging buddy

This is Huckleberry.  He's a rescue so we aren't exactly sure how old he is but he's at least 15 years old.  When I sit down at the computer, Huck jumps up and insists on sitting on my lap.  If I'm unavailable, he goes for the lap of my oldest son.  I don't know if I've ever seen him on my wife or the little guy.  Cats are funny that way; they choose 'their people' and that's that.

F Number	5.6
Lens ID	LUMIX G VARIO 14-45mm F3.5-5.6
Focal Length	45.0 mm (35 mm equivalent: 90.0 mm)
Exposure Time	1
Exposure Program	Program AE
ISO	400
Exposure Compensation	0
Flash	Off, Did not fire

My blogging companion

This is Savannah. She likes to sit on my lap when I'm at the computer. Her typing isn't very good though, so if you spot any mistakes you can blame her :-) Like all the other critters in the house, she's a rescue. Although she looks grumpy, it's only the way her features are arranged. She's actually a very lovable cat. It seems crazy that Persians come from a hot desert region of the world Her fur (hair?) is very, very long. I can pet her all day, but combing that fur is something she'll tolerate for only a few moments before running off.