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How to Take Awesome Photos of Cats

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A fun and practical guide to taking the perfect pics of your cat from the photographer of Cats on Catnip -- a great gift for the feline fanatic in your life.
If you or someone you know loves a cat, chances are they love taking pictures of their cat, too. But cats can be tricky little guys to photograph -- they move quickly when you want them to stay still and are sedentary logs when you're going in for an action shot. Add to that all the variables of shooting indoors vs. outdoors, and it can be a difficult job.
Enter How to Take Awesome Photos of Cats, where professional cat photographer and popular Instagrammer Andrew Marttila (Cats on Catnip, Shop Cats of New York) walks you through all the steps you need to know to take perfect photos of your favorite feline. This lighthearted, gifty guide includes dozens of photos and shares practical information for both amateur photographers and experts alike, all told in a fun, accessible, and lighthearted way.
Whether you're looking to take better photos with your phone or you're trying to master the settings on your digital camera, this is the book that tells you everything you need to know to take awesome snaps of cats.

240 pages, Hardcover

Published May 5, 2020

31 people are currently reading
122 people want to read

About the author

Andrew Marttila

8 books27 followers

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5 stars
64 (56%)
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35 (30%)
3 stars
11 (9%)
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4 (3%)
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
Profile Image for Adriana Scarpin.
1,740 reviews
February 4, 2021
Agora esse livro do Andrew Martilla eu devorei. Esse não é um table book de fotografia, é um detalhado trabalho verbal com instruções de como fotografar gatos, as dicas são muito bem vindas, sobretudo para quem quer transformar seus gatos em estrelas do Instagram, hehehe, eu como tenho preguiça não vou usar nenhuma dessas dicas, mas que foi uma leitura fascinante isso foi.
Profile Image for Claudia .
108 reviews646 followers
July 26, 2020
Really very comprehensive, clearly written and dotted with adorable picture examples.
Profile Image for Milinda Yount.
252 reviews14 followers
November 1, 2020
How to Take Awesome Photos of Cats, by Andrew Marttila
This book was packed with information and a real photography reference. When I saw the title and cover I thought it was going to be either 1) just cute or 2) spoof-y. Nope. Seriously informative (and also cute.) I’m a phone camera gal so that that chapter was my favorite but I also read and understand much more about camera accessories and settings. And all written by a guy who loves cats, fosters kittens, and takes great photos of cats that will make them much more likely to be noticed and adopted. Five stars and I’m not just joking. Great book -- quality hard cover design, and 200+ pages of information and relevant illustrations.
Profile Image for Sally Nichols.
2 reviews
January 5, 2021
I LOVED this book! I’m not a photographer, but I do foster kittens. I’ve wondered how to increase interest in potential adopters and this book cleared that right up. And even if I had nothing to do with cats, I would have thoroughly enjoyed this book. His humor and wit make it a very entertaining read.
Profile Image for J.
3,965 reviews33 followers
May 18, 2023
One of the main challenges I have with taking any type of photographs is the fact that I have only a cell phone and right now although the phone is a newer model the camera itself is worthless. On top of that I have two darker colored cats - a black with white spots and a tortoiseshell thus the colors never come to capture their true elements nor the elements of anything else. As a result I was hoping to get some more clarified information on how to capture these tricky customers of mine.

How To Take Awesome Photos of Cats was definitely very informative especially when it came down to explaining your equipment options, what the recommended set-up would be for a shoot and also some basic tips on how to capture the cat's attention. There was also a clear breakdown on the settings that one may meet, some possible ways to fix photographic issues and furthermore even how to start a business for those who are interested. As a result I would highly recommend the book for this read-through just since the information may be something actual soon-to-be photographers may want to know and gain experience from.

As for the rest of the book, though, there didn't really seem to be much of anything that caught my attention. The photographs included were so-so photos that almost anyone could have shot at least in my eyes with the exception of a few such as the cat's tongue drinking from the faucet actually being awesome. And in those cases just a sentence was provided without actually taking into full consideration the steps or time necessary to capture that type of particular moment.

The rest of the book was inclusive of different colored photographs that I am guessing were all of the photographer's profile. There were a few that were used as models of what not to do while I am not sure if they were intentionally taken for that reason or if by any chance they may have been taken from an earlier portfolio when Andrew was actually learning on his own how to photograph cats.

Again it makes for a somewhat interesting read for those who are into photography of any sorts as I feel the lessons and most definitely the equipment recommendations can be used for any topic. As for skimming through for just the pictures I would probably consider looking into some of his other works in the hope of actually seeing some awesome cat pics.
Profile Image for Katie.
73 reviews2 followers
July 9, 2024
This is a great (and ridiculously cute) resource— not only for taking amazing pictures of cats—but it also contains a lot of photography tips that can be applied to other types of photography. Andrew does a great job explaining various concepts in a succinct and user-friendly way, and his use of example photographs helps him illustrate his teachings wonderfully. Terrific book for a cat lover looking to capture better photos of their fur-babies and/or for shelter workers/volunteers who routinely take photos of cats to add to adoption postings online.
Profile Image for Stan.
160 reviews5 followers
October 28, 2024
This book has lots of fun images of cats throughout and might be worth a flip-through just for that. The book is fairly introductory. If you know a bit about cats and a bit about photography, this book doesn't have much to offer. The cat enthusiast who doesn't know about photography and the photographer who doesn't know about cats would find this book useful. Most recommended for those who don't know much about cats and photography but are interested in both.
2 reviews
July 30, 2020
A great how-to guide

This book is full of helpful tips and hints for anyone looking to improve their photography skills, particularly with animals. I was surprised to find out the author was not a classically trained photographer because his work is so striking. I highly recommend this book (and I am a librarian!)
Profile Image for Wendy.
123 reviews5 followers
December 31, 2020
I loved this book. It’s chock full of practical knowledge while being written in a casual, fun way. As a volunteer for a cat rescue, I know I’ll be able to apply my newfound knowledge in a way that will help kitties find loving
homes. And if you’re a person whose phone is filled with thousands of pictures of your own kitties, like myself, I can’t recommend this book highly enough.
Profile Image for Melissa.
2,780 reviews175 followers
July 22, 2020
Lots of good advice on working with cats and Marttila breaks down photography basics in a really easy-to-understand way.
Profile Image for Melinda Keen.
512 reviews4 followers
August 29, 2020
i liked this book. it tells a lot about the correct way to take photos of cats.. plus you also get to see amazing photos of cute cats..
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews

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