Taking Good Kitten Photos

You're looking to adopt. Which kitten do you click on?

This is the same kitten, but what photo you submit for them can make a world of difference.

At Kitten Central, one of the best things we can do for our kittens – besides keeping
them healthy – is to take a great adoption photo. The sooner they get adopted, the less time they spend in the shelter. A modern phone is completely capable of taking nice photos. Here are some tips for kitten photography:

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1. Eye contact is key. Try making funny noises or waving a toy behind the camera to get their attention.

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2. Get down on their level. Nobody is going to connect with the top of a kittens head. You want your camera/phone to be at or near their eye level.

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3.  Consider your background. You don’t want a messy house or half of a human in their adoption photo. You also don’t want the background to be too distracting. Something plain and light will look best. One trick is to drape a blanket over the couch to provide a DIY backdrop. If you are using a camera, a shallow depth of field helps you focus on the animal.

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4. One kitten per photo. You want your potential adopters to fall in love with the RIGHT kitten, not their sibling. Try and keep the photo focused on just one kitten Especially if they look similar.

Don't Use Flash

5. Make sure you have good lighting for your photoshoot. A window or a bright room is a good place to start. Make sure you keep flash turned off to avoid creepy glowing eyes.

Wear Them Out

6. Have play time first. Kittens are full of energy, and don’t like to stay still for photos. If you have them wear themselves out beforehand they should be much calmer for your photoshoot

Temporarily Contained

7.  If they really wont stay still, try putting them in a container. Try and get some photos while they are climbing out.

Just Keep Trying

8. Be patient and take lots of photos. Kittens are always on the move and most photos wont turn out. If you take lots you can delete the blurry ones and are still sure to catch that  perfect head tilt.