Assignments


NOVEMBER 2006

For the month of November I would like you to send in photographs of your favorite dog or cat friend from the neighborhood. Also you can send in photographs which are seasonal. Since in the USA, our Thanksgiving Day will be upon us this month. It is not yet winter but up north, the trees are losing their leaves and some of them are already bare. Lets see what you cats can do this month.
Attention all Cat Photographers!

I know very well that some of you cats are experts in particular types of photography. If there is an area in which you possess more expertise, please let me know! I shall then set up a special page for your particular interest! I happen to know that Clarence of Belden finds astronomy close to his fuzzy little heart! Do you like astronomy, sky scapes or flowers? Would you like to have a page for your particular interests? Please write to me!

DECEMBER 2006

This month we will test your skills at night time photography. Do not "kill" the flash mode on your camera but learn to use it for special effects. Go outdoors and select a tree or any object that has an interesting shape or structure. Stand about three feet away from the object, hold your breath, keep the camera steady and release the shutter. Move back another foot and again, take a picture. Do this a few times and see how far back you can get from the subject before it is no longer part of the picture. Load all the photos into your computer and select the one which looks to be the best.

If you can't handle the night photography, I would like you to take a photograph of your special room. I'm talking about indoors! You will need the flash mode for this. (No it is not permissable to take a picture of your human when they are sound asleep! That is very impolite! Do not take photos of humans at anytime! You can however take a photograph of your housemate when they are sound asleep and have their paws pointing toward the ceiling or when they are draped over the arm of the sofa.)

As an alternative to both or a cat can decide on two photos, each different in scope, I would like to see seasonal decorations! These can be indoors or outdoors. If you are going to photograph outdoor decorations, I would advise using a tripod to hold the camera steady and to use a delayed shutter. If you don't know how to do this, I will cover this method in future months! Good luck, kitties!

January 2007

I know you cats are still weary from all the holiday festivities but it is time to pick up your cameras, snap that shutter and submit your photographs for the month of January, 2007. This month is up to you kitties. Send me anything that really makes you smile or frown or gives you nightmares. Send me photos of the toys you like or those you really think should have been given to the trash can. We've all had a few of those, haven't we? Go outside and photograph some trees which have lost all their leaves or photograph a snowman which has toppled from fatigue. It's open house this month!

February 2007

Yes, I know that February is a difficult month for many of us cats. Up north, it is cold and the landscape looks a little bleak and unappetizing, however there is much beauty in the winter landscape. Take a photograph of something in the garden or in town, while the sun is shining. Take another picture of the same scene when the sky is cloudy and the atmosphere, gray. Don't want to get outside? Take some photographs of your family's housplants. And always remember, do not eat the houseplants or use that pot of nice, soft soil as a litter pan! Good luck on your endeavors! And don't be afraid to experiment!

March 2007

Here it is March! In the month of March, we will celebrate the Vernal Equinox! That means that spring is going to arrive. Well, in the northern part of this country, it doesn't always seem like spring until April or May. I have no idea what it is like in England. Perhaps Binka can tell us a little about that.

For your assignment this month, take pictures of anything which looks remotely as if spring is just around the corner. Also, I would like you cats to look around you. Do you have street lights illuminating the roads at night. Take a picture of them. No street lights? How about a coach light? Or any light which you might have on your property. Take a picture of it in daytime and then again at night when the bulb is glowing. If neither of these ideas are feasable, do whatever pleases you! Surprise me! April 2007

It's April and showers bring May flowers. I know that, but as a photographer, a cat must be willing to get his paws and tail a little damp! No sitting around the house moping! Get out that camera, you shutter cats and start clicking! Things are changing, no matter where you live! Spring has Sprung! I want pictures of flowers! I want pictures of newly budding trees! I want pictures of pots filled with flowers! I want pictures of cats and dogs enjoying balmy walks and naps in a patch of warm sunlight. I want pictures! Loosen up those paws and get working!
May 2007

Finally spring has arrived in Connecticut! My holly bushes took a beating this winter and will probably not produce much in the way of red berries. The leaves have turned brown and no flowers have appeared for the bees to pollenate. I lost a few rose bushes but my bulbs have seemed to survive that January thaw which was followed by a bitter freeze. But spring is here and I am anxious to get this show on the road. This month if about trees! I like to see and photograph the new sprouts on trees. It only happens in the spring time and I would like to see what you can find in your neightborhood.

So this is the month of the tree, whether it is newly leaved for spring or if you should reside in the warmer climates, any tree which captures your imagination. Also, May in the United States will be the beginning of memorial day parades and other patriotic activities. Are there any monuments in your area that you could photograph? Cemeteries, especially old ones like we have in New England have many interesting old gravestones and statues. Use your imagination and visit the parks and town greens to find and photograph.

If you can't do any of these things mentioned above, photograph anything you wish, but do photograph something! Practice makes perfect!
June 2007

This month will really engage your feline curiosity! Everycat knows how important clocks and watches are to human beings. These instruments tell them when to get up in the morning, when to eat, when to go to work and when to go to bed and sleep. I would like you to photograph timepieces. It could be a clock in front of the bank or on the city square or anywhere. How about a grandfather clock? A school room clock? Watches are also small clocks.

Pathways are roads, rivers, streams, lakes or oceans which take us somewhere or lead to somewhere. Bridges take us somewhere. The garden path takes us somewhere. A fence borders a "somewhere". Lots of things to photograph this month. Use your imagination and your camera, kitties!

(This month I shall tally up all your points and post them. Give this old cat time!)
July 2007
July is a month of celebration, picnics, barbeques and going to the beach! These strange rituals take place yearly in the United States. There are other current events too, that happen here, in this country and abroad. I like to see some of them. Is your garden a treasure of color? Let's see it! Jessie and her housemates from Florida have sent me some photographs of the terrible fires that have started this week in that state. If you have photographs of flooding or any unusual happening, send them on. This month is open to just about everything! August 2007
August is sometimes referred to as "the dog days of summer". If there is a dog in your home or a dog who lives nearby, try to get the mutt to pose for a photograph! If no canine is available try taking pictures of windows, arches, gates , doorways or anything which is an opening to another place. Have you ever seen water rushing into a storm drain? How about an arbor of flowers or roses? Lets get out those cameras get get snapping! A garden trellis will do as well but of course I will accept all of your efforts because I am a kind and reasonable cat!
September 2007
Labor Day, which is the first Monday of September, marks a big holiday in the United States. This is the last of vacation time and soon, the beaches in the northern part of the country will close to swimmers. The human children will return to the classroom and the adults will go back to work. It also marks the time when humans begin to prepare for their upcoming holidays, such as Halloween, Thanksgiving Day and of course, Ramadon and Christmas. Of course we cats don't celebrate Ramadon and Christmas. We're just in it for the cat nip treats and toys, but some of our humans do celebrate these holidays.

This month's assignment is to photograph churches. I would like to see a wide variety of these structures. Let's see some city churches and country town churches. It would be nice if someone submitted a photograph of a mosque, but I don't think I will be that lucky!

Except for weekends, the parks and beaches will be deserted. See if you can capture the essence of the lonely beach or park.

This is also the time of fall flowers. I think you cats now have a lot of options to choose from.

October 2007

Here in Connecticut, the leaves are beginning to turn yellow and red. Soon the stores will begin to stock Christmas items. Then it will really begin to get colder up here in the north. This month go out for a walk and photograph a fence. It doesn't have to be a fancy fence so you will might have to use your skills in compostion to get a good picture. I would also like to see photographs of buildings, big and small, rustic and plain, city building and country buildings.

Have you met any new friends lately? Do you know a horse or dog or another cat who has come into your life? Let's see what they look like!

November 2007

I thought it would be fun for us cats to make arrangements of different types of materials and photograph them. The arrangements could be made of anything which strikes your fancy. I am not sure what I will find to satisfy my artistic mood but I will find something! I think you will too!

Also, I would like to pursue a study of photographs which are taken which show your part part of the country or some places which you might have visited within the past year or few months.

December 2007

We had some great photographs from our members in November. Our friend from England, Binka was so busy last month that he was unable to submit any photographs but said he would do so in December.

For December I would like us cats to study up and find out what your camera can do. You might have to read the manual for this. Chevy discovered that her camera dould take photos in black and white and sepia. Some cats have photo altering and enhancement programs on their computers. I have Photo Shop Pro and I know that Clarence does as well. Let's see what you can do. If you can't do any photo altering or choose not to, send in seasonal photos or if you are living in cold climates, lets see some landscape images. As always, any photographs you wish to submit will be eagerly accepted!

January 2008

Happy New Year all you cats out there! I hope you have recovered from the holiday celebration and for those of us, who received presents, I hope you are very happy with your new beds, sleeping pads and catnip mice! Now for our January 2008 assignment. In the northern hemisphere, it is winter. Depending on how far you might be from the equator, the climate will be warm or very cold. Things will grow or everything will be brittle and brown. I would like to see some photographs of what it looks like in your neighborhood.

Select some of your favorite gifts and photograph them. You will probably need to use the macro setting on your digital camera (the little flower logo setting) to get a fairly good in focus photograph. Give it a try. You might surprise yourself!

February 2008

Here we are! It's the second month of the year 2008. That means it is February all over the world. Here in Connecticut it can get pretty gloomy at times. Once in the while the sun shines and castes shadows. I would like you to capture those shadows and send them on to me. No sunshine? An electric light bulb creates shadows too. Try your paw at it and see if you can get those shadows into your camera.

Do you live with a dog? Is the neighbor next door or down the street a dog? If you're nice perhaps she/he will pose for you and you can send his/her photo on to me.

March 2008

Here it is March already and spring is coming along soon to lighten our days and bring warmth to the earth. Trees are beginning to sprout. For your assignment, because the weather still looks a little gloomy, I want you cats to photograph cloud formations, sunrises and sunsets. You should be able to catch one or the other. Also, gather up your favorite toys and photograph them. Some of you have lots of toys. Others are not all that interested in playthings, however there must be something you like to bat around! Let's see what it is!

April 2008

It is supposed to be spring time, however if a cat looks outside the window or dares to tread beyond the kitchen door, wet paws and gloomy skies will tell him or her otherwise. This month I have chosen the left-overs of winter as my subject. As a matter of fact, left-overs of anything can be the subject! Since in many areas, it has been rainy and cold. I would like to see some puddles. Puddles come in all sizes and shapes. I am sure you will be able to find a pool of water suitable to photograph. Use your imagination, kitties!

May 2008

Spring has finally arrived here in Connecticut and hopefully for the rest of the northern hemisphere. It would be nice if we had a few members from cats who live south of the equator but unfortunately, we haven't managed to drum up any interest in that part of the world. Wouldn't it be nice to know what goes on in South Africa, Australia, or in the Sahara Desert? But I digress.....the assignment for the month of May, 2008 is of course, spring flowers or trees just coming awake from a long winter name. Are the streams in your area raging with water from a thaw? We'd like to see it! Have you sighted any nesting birds? Whatever is happening in your area, we would like to see it!

June 2008

It has come to my attention, that many cats live in very diverse communities. In other words, it ain't like Connecticut, where I live! This month, I would like the members to show me what it is like in your part of the world! I selden see photographs of city streets (with or without cats or peoples) or beaches or shops or schools or houses. So this month, send me photos of anything you like. That includes photos of your homes, indoors or outdoors, the nesting birds that live next door, the garden next door, the cactus growing on your front lawn, etc. I want to see some spectacular images!

July 2008

I was really impressed with the photos that were sent in by the Fabulous Feline Fototgraphers! I am going to continue asking for more and more photos about your communities. Everyone seemed to enjoy showing other members about thsir neighborhoods. Since this is also the month of celebration for cats born and raised in the United States, I am also going to ask you to send in pictures of fireworks, gatherings for celebration and patriotic symbols. Or send in a photo of anything which strikes your fancy.

August 2008

First, I would like to thank all you members of Fabulous Feline Fotographers for your kind thoughts and good wishes upon hearing about my sick tummy. For the month of August, Chevy, that clever cat from Rochester, New York area, suggested that members could submit photographs of flying things, such as bees, butterflies, dragonflies or any kind of bird or perhaps even an airplane. Cats can and should continue to submit photos of their neighborhood as well. Any member can suggest ideas for subject matter. This club is for cats, about cats and by cats! Thank you all very much and I will try to be prompt in getting your submissions posted.