feline photography | Koi Scribblings

Black cats are notoriously hard to photograph*. So who else could I use as the subject of my first experiment with the Pixel 6 Pro’s camera?

* Beth, your royalty check is in the mail.

I guess I could have gone with Lefty, but he’s an easier target. Just for starters, he usually hangs out in well-lit spaces. And his sleek fur doesn’t tend to introduce artifacts.

So it had to be Yuki.

Just hanging out in his favorite cave late one night.

His floof all a-bristle as he waits for me to get out of his face so he can go to sleep.

I love his white, curvy wild whisker.

And the camera did quite well, I’d say. These shots were taken without flash and I didn’t compose the shots or allow time for the autofocus to do its job. Just point, select the zoom level (1x, 2x, and 4x), and shoot.

Obviously, more testing is necessary, but I’m encouraged.

Lefty is definitely relaxing around us. Which is not to say he’s comfortable; we’re nowhere near the point of giving him pettings. But when he retreats from our presence, he no longer does it at high velocity. He’s sniffed our fingers a few times. And he’s decided that the camera might not be his enemy.
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Note the calm-but-cautious expression. A considerable improvement over last month’s “alert” to say nothing of the even earlier “get thou away from me, oh evil biped!”

Rufus, of course, has no trouble relaxing.
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The computer desk is one of his current favorite spots. I’m not crazy about having a fur-bearing creature right in front of the computer’s cooling vents, but he does seem to be making an effort to leave an air gap, so I haven’t made an issue of it.

And, while he’s always been a very mellow fellow, amiable and eager to please, he does have some firm opinions.

Currently, his firmest opinion is that the desk is his spot.

I was working at the computer earlier this week, upgrading the OS, when Rufus decided it was time for a nap. He strolled up the back of the futon (just visible to the left side of the picture), shoved the mouse off the desk, and flaked out.
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