It must be "Paris Set Me Free - Shoot An Innocent Animal Today" month, there seem to be so many of them creeping up on me and jumping into my lens!

This is Montmartre, with a semi-wild cat taking a devilish stroll up one of the typically steep flights of steps which surround the hill.

This is an excellent shot to illustrate two or three important photographic principles, even if I do say so myself!

First of all, the low wintery sun behind the kitty shines through its fur creating a gorgeous halo effect which is so much nicer than flat in your face lighting.

Secondly, for the same reason (the backlighting), there's a marvellously devilish shadow on the textured Parisian paving, with the horns (ok, ears) accentuated by the low angle of the sun elongating the cat's stoney double.

And finally, a point which is not obvious just by looking at the photo, but which can be guessed by deduction... this wasn't the only shot I took of kurious kitty! Oh no! But, with typical professionalism/controlled panic I shot from the moment I saw him/her/it coming towards me and didn't stop until he disappeared behind a bin. The result was that I got the shot (one a was really happy with from fifteen taken) and my companion for the afternoon, who took... a total of one shot, didn't.

Now go shoot some animals - today!

~ November 2007 - Slide Show ~