My neighbor wants me to photograph her black cat(champion up for stud) against a black velvet background. Not normally a problem, but I will not be allowed to use strobes OR lights. This is to be inside her house by a window with natural light. I tried to convince her of bounce, or hot lamps, but she is antimate of NO lights.
Should I just kiss this one off, or can someone recommend something?
Sounds like she's paranoid about the lights spooking her prize winning "puddy tat" Ppfft try to get sun through the window and reflectors would be my sugestion BUT it sounds like she want's to be difficult to get along with , difficult choice.
Why not attempt the challenge?
If your worried about it, explain to her the problems, don't guarantee results, and charge a sitting fee that makes it worth your time.
My neighbor wants me to photograph her black cat (champion up for stud) against a black velvet background. Not normally a problem, but I will not be allowed to use strobes OR lights. This is to be inside her house by a window with natural light. I tried to convince her of bounce, or hot lamps, but she is antimate of NO lights.
Should I just kiss this one off, or can someone recommend something?
Finally a thread that makes sense today. In fact It's priceless...I like your last option. Personally, I would tell her off but shes your neighbor. She's asking you to do her a favor and telling you the rules. Thats about three maybe four seconds in my playbook. Because the clue is there. She's got the PICTURE in her mind and no matter what you do it won't be the PICTURE her imagination see's.
You will wind up like that cat only he's capable of licking his balls for entertainment. This is really a very simple shot. Several ways to do it.
1) One involves a cattle prod, the only problem I'm debating as whether cattle prod the neighbor into some common sense or cattle prod the cat into glowing colors then shoot by daylight.
2) Hand her a black piece of children's construction paper with the word "cAt" spelled on it and tell her her cat came out beautiful. Take her money and run to the nearest bar and have a few.
3) Call the ASPCA and have her committed. She obviously has a thing going with the cat. With her gone approach the cat with a pair of scissors. He'll cooperate.
4) OK , I'll get serious. You will need some gauze cloth, a goodly amount to drape the window so as to make a tent around the backdrop holding the velvet up and back to the window. You are tenting the cat. Using the directional light which will only light up lint, dander and dust. You want light coming in through the window and then diffused enough to balance the picture so that should give you enough definition between the black of the velvet and the cats cherished fur coat and his studded balls.
When you get two objects the same color you use texture and diffusion to seperate them. We use this technique with long time exposures, actually using moonlight on one with IR film at 4 am on fake old paintings that may be suspect to being alteered. It shows the layers of paint. This will be quite a long exposure, so tire the cat out by just bringing a Bull Mastiff over. Let them play for a while Again this will be a long exposure in time so be patient with the cat.
I really really wish you luck, but it's funny because we gave no consideration as to what the cat thinks of this whole deal. That could turn out to be a whole new thread. They got their own minds.
Thanks to all for the imput.
The lady is an older cantankerous widow. She lives for this puttitat. I think that if she "got" as much as this cat, it would make this shoot easier for me. She stands fast as to any extra lighting. While there, I noticed she has a head and shoulder photo on her wall of her Ex in the coffin.(he was smiling) I really think she is whacked, but money is money.
Gerald- I am going to try the tent thing, and will hope for a fairly well lit afternoon here in WA State.(been having some lousy weather here lately)
markwarta-I have explained the problem with the lighting, and she will let me use a reflector(as in one).
She also agreed to a sitting fee, with NO guaranteed results. I did tell her I would try my best with her imposed restrictions. I will post the results if I get them.
Again, thanks to all.
Take a shot of her cat. Make the cat jump at you. Drop you equipment. Have her pay a new one. Get allergic with cats after that incident and develop a Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. Be unable to work any further. Sue her for 20 Mio$. 10Mio$ go to the Lawyer, the rest we share. Be happy ever after. 8-)
Artorius wrote:
My neighbor wants me to photograph her black cat(champion up for stud) against a black velvet background. Not normally a problem, but I will not be allowed to use strobes OR lights. This is to be inside her house by a window with natural light. I tried to convince her of bounce, or hot lamps, but she is antimate of NO lights.
Should I just kiss this one off, or can someone recommend something?
Take the shot. She obviously is fond of her cat and has her reasons/superstitions about the lights. This type of shot was one of the assignments in one of my photography classes. It is challenging but extremely fun to do. The window light is great as a light source. Use a fill reflector, plus use a reflector to backlight/hairlight the cat for separation from the background. Good luck!
EDIT: After reading that you're limited to one reflector, use one large enough so that you can 'wrap' the light around the cat.
Jack
You need a 42" or larger reflector with a harsh silver not the dull silver. Even on a hazy day, you will be able to collect a lot of light.
As odd as it sounds, you do not want a long lens. You want to be about two feet from the cat, and you just sit there are the window with the cat for a bit till the cat doesn't care you are there.
Now don't worry about wrap around lighting as much as back lighting the cat and illuminating the background to pull the black cat out of the environment.
