Cat Ballet

33 thoughts on “Cat Ballet”

1. sonofthereturnofaptidude January 29, 2022 – 7:37 am at

   CATS IN SPACE!
   1. Maynard Handley January 29, 2022 – 11:19 am at

      The common link is Jane Fonda:

      https://www.amazon.com/Cat-Ballou-Tom-Nardini/dp/B00004TJQK

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58bUZsCmKa0
2. golack January 29, 2022 – 7:40 am at

   The flash isn't distracting the kitty?
   1. mertensiana January 29, 2022 – 2:19 pm at

      The flash is aimed at the ceiling as per a previous post by Kevin. Besides, the flash only lasts maybe 1/1000 of a second and the shutter speed isn't a whole lot slower so there's no time to react before the image is captured.
      1. J. Frank Parnell January 29, 2022 – 8:21 pm at

         The shutter speed is usually significantly slower. Most of the light comes from the strobe so it effectively defines the exposure time. The actual shutter speed needs to be a bit longer to ensure the exposure is synchronized with the flash, i.e., the shutter opens before the flash and closes after the flash.
3. dspcole January 29, 2022 – 7:59 am at

   Those are fantastic! How did you get those poses? Did Marion have to toss Charlie in the air?
   1. Crissa January 29, 2022 – 2:31 pm at

      See the fourth picture.
4. KawSunflower January 29, 2022 – 8:03 am at

   If he joined Willow in the White House, he could live in peaceful & stately repose. What DID you do to get him jumping like that?!
   1. golack January 29, 2022 – 8:52 am at

      I believe the toy in the forth picture is the key.
      1. golack January 29, 2022 – 9:44 am at

         ..or a cat trampoline???
      2. Kevin Drum Post authorJanuary 29, 2022 – 9:49 am at

         Yep. Marian was waving a toy around in the air.
      3. KawSunflower February 1, 2022 – 8:35 pm at

         Yes, the toy in that one is clear, even on a small screen. It just appeared to me that Charlie wasn't jumping toward anything in the others, but was more reactive, maybe as if avoiding - not that I thought for a minute that he was being frightened but that he might be like my cats. All of mine have disliked any toy that was noisy or moved by itself on the floor- but all have loved to jump up toward both laser lights & feather filters! So that's just what caused my own perception & reaction, which evidently isn't the case with Charlie. I can see that he's happy in his home!
5. bbleh January 29, 2022 – 8:18 am at

   #2 looks more like Cat Fu.
   1. espicer05 January 29, 2022 – 1:38 pm at

      Definitely, put a yellow jumpsuit on that cat and that's a Kill Bill movie poster!
6. ScentOfViolets January 29, 2022 – 8:19 am at

   Teenage Mutant Ninja Cat!
7. pmdello January 29, 2022 – 8:20 am at

   Very cool!
8. douglas john January 29, 2022 – 8:21 am at

   Ha. So cool, Kevin. Charlie is a star.
9. Heysus January 29, 2022 – 10:06 am at

   Awesome Kevin. Don't know if this is ballet or some other dance routing but it works well. Love the dots on the chest. Charlie is a winner.
10. Leisureguy January 29, 2022 – 10:20 am at

    I love the photos — flash definitely has some benefits. I also love that Charlie is so serious about this.
11. SDSwmr January 29, 2022 – 10:23 am at

    Wow. Just . . . wow. My old cats can't do that anymore. Kittens are amazing!
    1. mertensiana January 29, 2022 – 2:21 pm at

       My sister always said that her cats developed "lead butt" by age 4. Cat toy in the air? Yawn, and butt stays on the ground.
12. rick_jones January 29, 2022 – 11:21 am at

    I bet Willow can't match this.

    never underestimate the abilities of the Grande Dame versus the Ingenue.
13. bebopman January 29, 2022 – 1:30 pm at

    Yow! He looks like he would catch a bird or six if he goes outside.
14. cld January 29, 2022 – 2:39 pm at

    If they will continue to have 'horse ballet' in the Olympics why not cat ballet?

    The audience would be an order of magnitude larger.
15. OverclockedApe January 29, 2022 – 3:54 pm at

    Jazz Paws!!!
16. Punditbot January 29, 2022 – 4:59 pm at

    Kevin, another good use of flash is to take portraits in the evening with a sunset or night cityscape in the background.
17. dspcole January 29, 2022 – 5:19 pm at

    I’m still laughing whenever I go back and look at these. Charlie looks so serious
18. NealB January 29, 2022 – 5:57 pm at

    Oddly, I like your drapes.
19. Lady Mary January 29, 2022 – 9:46 pm at

    Charlie should audition for the Bolshoi Ballet. Maybe that would distract Putin for a while.
20. skeptonomist January 30, 2022 – 10:12 am at

    Mobility is enhanced when you're a ghost. But good photos anyway.
21. jt January 30, 2022 – 5:19 pm at

    In the style of Dali Atomicus!
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Salvador_Dali_A_(Dali_Atomicus)_09633u.jpg
22. beautylies January 31, 2022 – 1:06 am at

    you have longer exposure times in 2 and 3 ?
    Top right, Bottom left...
    the cats are 'ghosting' more and there seems to be more ambient (yellow) light...

    they this (1/30 or even 1/15) with the Curtain set to second shutter rather than first.
    (:

    gives you interesting results !

    cheers !
23. MindGame January 31, 2022 – 2:00 am at

    Excellent shots! Praise also to the cat for that bravura performance!

Comments are closed.