Tag: photography

Photo by Joe WilcoxAug 4, 20183:00 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Backyard

The twenty-fifth Alabama Street cat might not be around much longer, so I rush her profile past others planned to post sooner. One neighbor on the block between Adams and Madison posted about the kitty on July 26, 2018, wondering who she might belong to. Followup on August 3: “Looks like she will be having babies really soon. Friendly but definitely seems weary of people”. I presume the author meant wary, making a common confusion between the words. If expecting—or recently losing—a litter, she might very well be “weary of people”; hence the nickname.

Today, there is quite a bit of banter back and forth among neighbors on the Nextdoor social network about trapping Weary and taking her to the local animal shelter. Her time in the neighborhood ends soon, methinks. Although, as I post, she hasn’t given up her status as an Alabama cat. I am still clueless about why there are so many felines on the street compared to others in University Heights.

Photo by Joe WilcoxAug 4, 20186:16 am

The Cats of University Heights: Patriot

Because of goings-on best discussed some other time, my regular writing is irregular at best. But the cats! They’re piling up on the sidelines, and there comes time to free up the logjam and make this site look even more like a homage to the beasts. It’s not, and their presence wouldn’t loom so large if other content filled the spaces between their profiles.

Whiny introduction aside, we resume the series with a kitty nicknamed Patriot—I would hope for obvious reasons. I captured the Featured Image and its companion, using Leica Q on July 17, 2018, along Louisiana between Adams and Madison. Vitals: f/5.6, ISO 200, 1/250 sec, 28mm; 6:55 p.m. PDT. The other is same, shot first, except for f/4.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJul 30, 20186:00 am

The Cats of University Heights: Junebug

Along Howard Ave., between Florida and Georgia, I spotted the series‘ twenty-ninth window watcher on the morning of July 15, 2018. Nicknamed Stoic, for no particular reason, the kitty presented setting worthy of black-and-white conversion in post-production.

I captured the Featured Image at 10:17 a.m. PDT, using Leica M10 and Summarit-M 1:2.4/50 lens. Vitals: f/5.6, ISO 200, 1/250 sec, 50mm. (The EXIF states f/4, which the camera wrongly estimated).

Photo by Joe WilcoxJul 29, 201811:08 am

The Cats of University Heights: Brumble

With more than 200 profiles in the series since its start in October 2016, picking nicknames for new additions grows more difficult when the real ones are unknown. I chose Brumble for this blackie, because the first kitty sighted in the yard along Florida between Howard and Polk is called Bramble—for the thick brush that I shot through.

Brumble follows Shrub, who came to the same brush line and presented better photographic opportunity—both on July 19, 2018. I considered waiting for another visit to the property but opted instead for portraits that are unlike any others so far.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJul 25, 20187:42 am

The Cats of University Heights: Shrub

What an unexpected surprise. I hadn’t traversed Florida Street between Howard and Polk for many months—well, until July 19, 2018. Along the way, I spotted Bramble, who joined the series on Groundhog Day this year. Gasp, three other felines moved about the property, looking like the whole caboodle came from their afternoon meal.

Shooting through branches presents problems that Leica M10 and its manual focus technique somewhat overcomes. I got the better portraits of the shorthair that earns nickname Shrub. Another, whom I dub Brumble, is next up. The fourth putty-tat must wait for another day and another attempt.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJul 24, 20182:06 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Ginger

Along Louisiana Street, between Meade and Monroe, on July 1, 2018, my wife and I spotted the furball appropriately nicknamed Ginger. I am fairly confident this is the same cat we saw moseying up Monroe behind Royal nearly a month earlier. Then, Ginger turned down the alley behind, which is where he, or she, went through a yard not long after I snapped the Featured Image.

I am rather dissatisfied with the portrait and its companion; for now they must do until another opportunity presents—and that time could be long coming, if ever. I captured both photos using Leica Q, three minutes to sunset (7:58 p.m. PDT). Vitals for the first, aperture and shutter speed preset for dusk street shooting: f/1.7, ISO 250, 1/250 sec, 28mm. The other is the same, except for ISO 1000.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJul 22, 201811:32 am

OB Bird

I knew that by waiting until today, someone would offer for sale, at reasonably exorbitant price, code that would let me purchase a legitimate Comic-Con pass. In the end, I chose to spend a quiet […]

Photo by Joe WilcoxJul 21, 20186:04 am

The Cats of University Heights: Caddy

Shooting kitty portraits after sunset—in this case 26 minutes later—presents challenges, particularly when the subject hides under a parked vehicle. The furball strutted down the sidewalk as I approached along Florida Street between Madison and Monroe, then fled beneath a Cadillac; hence the chosen nickname.

The Featured Image is the last of a half-dozen portraits, all of which were manually focused using Leica Q; such control made the impossible shot manageable; okay, barely. Vitals: f/1.7, ISO 3200, 1/60 sec, 28mm; 8:24 p.m. PDT, July 14, 2018. Understandably, the original DNG RAW was heavily edited. I applied considerable noise reduction, among other tweaks, with Adobe Lightroom Classic CC.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJul 20, 20186:20 am

The Cats of University Heights: Cupcake

Feline sightings along Mission Cliff Drive are fairly rare. Since the series started in October 2016, only three have been profiled: Aylin, Fraidy, and Tabby. Meet a fourth! So there’s no misunderstanding: This Tuxedo-like furball is grey not the traditional black—and, as you can see, quite handsome.

I shot the Featured Image and its companion on July 13, 2018 using Leica M10 and Summarit-M 1:2.4/50 lens. Vitals: f/4, ISO 200, 1/250 sec, 50mm; 6:25 p.m. PDT. The other, taken one-minute later and after he stretched out, is same except for 1/180 sec shutter speed.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJul 19, 201811:00 am

The Cats of University Heights: Friends

We follow up Georgia Twain with another pair. But the two are one less than they should be. I typically see three cats in the same apartment courtyard, on Florida between Meade and Monroe, but typically too far back for meaningful portrait. I stalked the trio for six months before capturing a shot of these, ah, Friends on July 14, 2018. They sat relatively close to the sidewalk.

The three live a few houses down from Lucy and diagonally across the way from Mew and Wonder. I will be lucky to ever get a usable portrait of the third or distinguish it from the other black. But I will try and update appropriately.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJul 16, 20188:16 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Georgia Twain

While looking for Luci, who was lost but later found, I spotted an orange kitty cross the street and go into a yard at Monroe and Georgia. The shorthair later emerged, moseying into an apartment complex. There a pair of cats lounged far down the walkway. The newcomer’s invasion drew them close to the front, making a moment possible.

I shot the Featured Image one-minute to sunset, 7:52 p.m. PDT, and its companion one-minute after, on June 3, 2018. Leica M10 and Summarit-M 1:2.4/50 lens is a low-light super combo. Vitals: f/2.4, ISO 1600, 1/180 sec, 50mm. The companion’s EXIF is identical except for the timestamp.

Photo by Joe WilcoxJul 11, 20181:05 pm

The Cats of University Heights: Gazers

Yesterday, while walking along Mississippi Street between Meade and Monroe, I spotted a pair of kitties looking at birds. They are the twenty-seventh and twenty-eighth window watchers featured in the series so far. They presented poses that were irresistibly poignant.

I assume these are indoor beasties, but they do wear collars with tags, indicating perhaps some outdoor excursions. The Featured Image, which is modestly cropped, sets the scene. The two companions close in on the putty-tats.