Tag: cats

Photo by Joe WilcoxDec 25, 20188:50 am

The Cats of University Heights: Tranquil

I encountered our honorary Christmas cat five minutes after sighting Comfy, on Dec. 12, 2018—also along North Avenue, but closer to Madison than Monroe. I lugged Leica Q, which was the perfect companion for post-production close-cropping; it’s a necessity when shooting wide (28mm) from a distance but easily doable because of the detail captured by the superb f/1.7 Summilux lens and full-frame sensor.

The kitty earns nickname Tranquil for its position, location, and time of day (sunny 2:22 p.m. PST). Vitals for the Featured Image and companion, aperture manually set for street shooting: f/5.6, ISO 100, 1/250 sec, 28mm.

Photo by Joe WilcoxDec 15, 201810:42 pm

Gatto Basket

The folks over at Tuft + Paw saw my “Cats of University Heights” series and asked about my interest in some of their products and “to collaborate with you on a story. We have a talented team of cat behavior experts, designers, and engineers”. In looking over the outfit’s website, the understated designs of the feline furniture and accessories greatly appealed, but not the pricing, which I felt fell into a niche of well-to-do shoppers. Finally, on December 2nd, I seriously responded to founder Jackson Cunningham’s request (it has been a hectic autumn).

The $129, all-wool, Gatto Basket arrived this afternoon (my formal review, with tidbits about the company’s notorious beta tester, appears on BetaNews). Baskets are abundant inside our apartment. My wife loves them. As such, I unpacked the Gatto with great trepidation, wondering: “Why would any cat take to this?” We have so many others inside which our kitties can play, but for the most part neither does. A basket is a basket, right? Apparently, not. I plopped the thing onto the living room floor, and Cali settled inside quite nicely. Immediately, in fact, and she is finicky.

Photo by Joe WilcoxDec 12, 20188:03 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Huey

Along North Avenue, but on the other side of Monroe from where I recently saw Stark, a handsome shorthair slumbered, soaking up the afternoon sun. The kitty changed positions while I snapped several portraits using Leica Q, which nearly silent leaf shutter caused no disturbance. The Q is my venerable camera companion, now that the M10 has gone to a new owner—a story I should tell soon in a future post. My needs are better met with auto and manual focus options, and the rangefinder only offered the latter.

For hopefully obvious reasons, our sleeping beauty earns nickname Comfy. He reposed on a back porch next to a kitty house. The Featured Image is the last in a series of five shots—all cropped and solely edited to draw out highlights. Vitals, aperture manually set for street shooting: f/5.6, ISO 100, 1/320 sec, 28mm; 2:17 p.m., today.

Photo by Joe WilcoxDec 9, 20185:49 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Stark

Meet Stark, who earns his (or her) nickname for my mood while writing (see next paragraph) and ambience of the Featured Image, which I captured using Google Pixel 3 XL on Nov. 18, 2018. The tiger tabby presented for portrait near where Monroe and North avenues meet. Vitals: f/1.8, ISO 58, 1/3906 sec, 4.44mm; 3:19 p.m. PST.

This post has the distinction of being my first composed using WordPress 5.0’s so-called Gutenberg editor. I’m not loving it, in the least. Compatibility and reliability top my list of blogging software priorities—and neither is consistent composing with the radically new WP incarnation, using a theme from a reliable designer that supports the new editor. Some other theme authors have sent email warnings recommending against Gutenberg, to which my webhost auto-updated this site middle of last week.

Photo by Joe WilcoxDec 4, 20189:34 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Tocino

On the morning of Nov. 1, 2018, as I approached Polk from Georgia, a lithe, tiger-tabby strutted up the sidewalk. I wasn’t the kitty’s interest, but a black-and-white shorthair looking out the window of a house. Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough interior light for a good shot of that animal. Even so, I chose the Featured Image because it’s the street shoot’s story: Tocino staring up at the unseen beastie inside. Vitals: f/1.8, ISO 73, 1/1020 sec, 4.44mm; 9:54 a.m. PDT.

The second portrait, taken two minutes earlier, captures Tocino at our first meeting, just before greeting and opportunity for me to read the name tag. Tocino is Spanish for bacon, and it is also a surname. Vitals: f/1.8, ISO 56, 1/903 sec, 4.44mm.

Photo by Joe WilcoxNov 23, 20186:16 am

The Cats of University Heights: Teach

Meade is a sentimental street, between Park Blvd. and Maryland. Call it memory lane. Along the stretch live seven kitties featured in this series: Captain Blackbeard, Honey Bunny, Levi, Pee-Pee, Tink, Veruca, and Vivienne. During summer 2018, my wife and I nearly bought the property that we call the Schoolhouse, at the corner of Campus. A few doors away, the adventure of neighborhood teens trapping a feral momma cat and her kittens unfolded two weeks before we made our offer on the Spanish-style home. The time was magical.

I imagined how the delightful chatter of parents walking their kids to school would fill our living space each weekday morning. There is something soothing about the ambience that the sound of happy children or running water makes. On the morning of June 4, 2018, a tiger tabby watched and listened, as I once hoped, to students arriving for a day of classes at Birney Elementary. The apartment complex where the putty-tat lives is one of several across the street from the school.

Photo by Joe WilcoxNov 20, 20188:23 pm

Don’t Fall Off!

More posting catch up: On Friday Oct. 19, 2018, Cali climbed up on the bathroom medicine cabinet—as she sometimes does. But on this evening, the Tortoiseshell put on a little show that I had to […]

Photo by Joe WilcoxNov 20, 20186:23 am

The Cats of University Heights: Serenity

During the same Nov. 4, 2018 afternoon that I encountered Usher, several blocks away, along Mission Avenue between Mississippi and Alabama, another Tuxedo presented for portrait. I shot the Featured Image, using Pixel 3 XL, at 3:57 p.m. PST. Vitals: f/1.8, ISO 55, 1/313 sec. 4.4mm. Serenity seems like the most appropriate nickname, and so it is given.

Two days earlier, the smartphone slipped from my fingers and fell face down on the sidewalk, shattering the screen. I got my first cellular handset more than 20 years ago, never once damaging one in any way. Until that fateful drop. As I write, due to a monumental Google Store screw up, the Pixel 3 XL has yet to be repaired or replaced.

Photo by Joe WilcoxNov 19, 20186:14 am

The Cats of University Heights: Usher

The second Shirley Ann Place kitty, like Triumph, is a rare treat; the two are outdoor onlies. The few other furballs observed along the historic row of Spanish-style homes presented in windows, and none during the series‘ first 20 months.

I captured the Featured Image on Nov. 4, 2018 at 3:48 p.m. PST using Google Pixel 3 XL. Vitals: f/1.8, ISO 76,1/870 sec, 4.44mm. The Tuxedo earns nickname Usher, for waiting to greet someone at the door and usher them inside.

Photo by Joe WilcoxNov 18, 20186:40 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Grape

Strangely, feline sightings along Shirley Ann Place are rare. I have only ever seen two kitties outdoors, and you will meet both consecutively as the series resumes pace after a deliberate slowdown. The first earns nickname Triumph—chosen for posture and demeanor. Our first encounter was Sept. 24, 2018, sitting atop a recycle can. The Featured Image, from Leica Q, was captured the next day. Vitals: f/5.6, ISO 100, 1/60 sec, 28mm, 5:42 p.m. PDT.

I shot the companion portrait, during the first meeting, using Google Pixel 2 XL. Vitals: f/1.8, ISO 50, 1/289 sec, 4.459 mm; 8:30 a.m. The kitty has triumphantly presented several times since, but these two humble photos are the best ones so far.

Photo by Joe WilcoxNov 6, 20185:42 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Sentinel

As I write, it’s anyone’s educated guess whether there will be a blue wave or red tide tonight—or neither. The midterm elections are here, and, yes, we voted. On the way to the polling place, my wife spotted a feline in wait along Park Blvd. between Monroe and Madison. In more than 11 years living in this neighborhood and 26 months profiling its kitties, never have I seen even one of the beasties along this stretch of road. Of all nights! Foot and vehicular traffic were busier than usual, surely enough to frighten off any animal.

The cat wouldn’t come close enough for a reading of its pink tag. I asked Annie for nickname, and she suggested Sentinel, which is perfect for posture, location, and timing. I captured the Featured Image, at 4:33 p.m. PST—or 20 minutes before sunset—using Google Pixel 3 XL. Vitals: f/1.8, ISO 55, 1/60 sec, 4.44mm.

Photo by Joe WilcoxNov 4, 20188:26 pm

The Cats of University Heights: maow maow

Along Florida, between Madison and Monroe, I encountered a demur Calico on Oct. 18, 2018. She earns nickname Pumpkin-Patch for her seasonal orange and black coloration, which I enhanced in Google Snapseed by applying the Accentuate filter, which adds HDR-pop. I captured the Featured Image, at 8:52 a.m. PDT, using Google Pixel 2 XL. Vitals: f/1.8, ISO 58, 1/4673 sec, 4.459mm.

A day earlier, I received the Pixel 3 XL “Just Black”, which was supposed to be a Pixel 3 “Clearly White” for my wife. Nearly three weeks later, and more than 10 hours of phone calls endured, Google Store has not fully resolved the ordering mishap, which since has become a disaster. That story is forthcoming, along with photos shot using the phone. Stay tuned!