Pallas Cat

[guppiecat]

I can tell that I got the focus right on an animal portrait when I can see the texture detail in the iris. This works because, if the animal is looking directly at you, the iris is on a two-dimensional parallel with the sensor in the camera. If it’s perfect, you can see the detail all around both irises (assuming a two-eyed animal).

It’s surprising how many photos out there wind up being out of focus when you know what to look for.

It’s also surprising which animals have more and less iris three-dimensionality. (And which ones don’t really have eyes that work that way at all.)

Originally posted at stories.starmind.org.

Comments

[pameladean]

Pallas cats always look as if they know you'd taste really bad but they'd like to be wrong.

P.

[guppiecat]

I am told that, when Pallas kittens are born, they growl for two weeks.

Then their eyes open and they start growling *at* things.

[tigertoy.livejournal.com]

The drawback to animal pictures is that just seeing the picture you think you want to cuddle it. And then some people say, "Look, I can buy one on the Internet!"

[pameladean]

Wow, I was assuming that their expressions had more to do with anthropomorphizing their markings than with their actual attitude. I am pleased they are just as grumpy as they look.

P.