photo hunt

Weekend Cat Blogging and Photo Hunt: Shadow (with Hipstamatic)

For today’s combined Weekend Cat Blogging and Photo Hunt, we follow Luna in her favorite morning spot, the dining table. The bright sun from the southeast brings warmth to the surfaces and also casts strong shadows.

I am experimenting again with the Hipstamatic app for the iPhone, which simulates old lenses, film processes, etc. This particular lens was relatively clear but makes everything high contrast (a common theme in my photography). I also tried out another lens that has a rather streaky and overexposed quality:

The oversaturated image brings out contrast between the shadows and the sun patches.  It also has an interesting effect on Luna’s black fur.

Weekend Cat Blogging #293 is hosted by Samantha, Clementine and (honorary cat) Maverick at Life from a Cat’s Perspective.

Photo Hunt #248 is hosted by tnchick. This week’s theme is Shadow.

The Carnival of the Cats will be up tomorrow at iMeowza.

Weekend Cat Blogging: New Year and Photohunt:Fuzzy

We at CatSynth attempt to wake up to the new year…slowly.  Here is our first published photo of 2011:

The theme of this weekend’s Photo Hunt is fuzzy, which is easy with Luna around.  One can easily see the fuzziness of her thick winter fur.  Cats do seem to get thicker fur in the winter…and contrary to stereotypes, we do have a winter season in California.

This may end up being about as much as we do today.

Weekend Cat Blogging #291 New Years Edition is hosted by Pam and the cats at Sidewalk Shoes.

The Photo Hunt is hosted by tnchick. This week’s theme is Fuzzy.

The Carnival of the Cats will be hosted by Nikita Cat.

And life goes on…

Weekend Cat Blogging and Photo Hunt: naranja

The theme for this week’s combined Weekend Cat Blogging and Photo Hunt is ORANGE.  So here is a series of photos in which Luna encounters our large stuffed fish, appropriately named “Big Fishy”.

For the last couple of years, Big Fishy has mostly been in the closet (no pun intended).  But we took the opportunity to bring him out for this week’s theme.   It may not be the most seasonal interpretation of orange, but we do have a black cat.

It also occurs to me that yesterday’s photo also fits today’s orange theme.

Weekend Cat Blogging #281 is hosted by Nikita and Elivra at Meowsing of an Opinionated Pussycat. Check out their latest “street scenes” of cats from their neighborhood in southern California.

And the Weekend Cat Blogging Hallowe’en Edition will be hosted right here at CatSynth next weekend!

Photo Hunt #236 is hosted by tnchick. This week’s theme is orange.

The Carnival of the Cats is hosted by Kashim, Othello and Salome.

And the Friday Ark is at the modulator.

Weekend Cat Blogging and Photo Hunt: miniature

The theme for today’s combined Weekend Cat Blogging and Photo Hunt is miniature. And we happen to have a “miniature” version of Luna:

The little stuffed kitty Zip has appeared in numerous posts, including our coverage earlier this year of the NAMM show. Of course Luna is curious about her miniature alter ego and comes over to investigate:

Weekend Cat Blogging #280 is hosted by Sam, Clem, Mav & GDB. (Mav and GDB are canine and human, respectively, but that’s ok.)

Photo Hunt 235 is hosted by tnchick. This week’s theme is miniature.

The Carnival of the Cats will be up this Sunday at When Cats Attack!.

And the Friday Ark is at the modulator.

Weekend Cat Blogging and Photo Hunt: Stripes

I had been planning to post these very cute photos of Luna in her perch at the top of the stairs for Weekend Cat Blogging, and the just happen to be perfect for this week’s Photo Hunt theme of stripes:

No need to say much here. I think Luna speaks for herself quite well through these images:

Weekend Cat Blogging #279 is being hosted by Kashim, Othello and Salome at PaulChens FoodBlog?! The are going PINK this weekend for breast cancer awareness.

Photo Hunt #234 is hosted by tnchick. This week’s theme is stripes.

The Carnival of the Cats will be up this Sunday at Mind of Mog.

And the Friday Ark is at the modulator.

Weekend Cat Blogging and Photo Hunt: Natural

The theme for our combined Weekend Cat Blogging and Photo Hunt this weekend is natural. This complements a theme from a year ago, artificial. At that time, we explored the interplay of Luna’s natural beauty with her artificial surroundings. Especially in light of my recent experience with New Topographics, it seems like an appropriate subject to revisit. We often explore the interplay between Luna’s naturally curving biological body and the straight lines that dominate the art and architecture of her surrounding environment.

The patio is really our landscape. It is an artificially constructed one, but it is a space claimed by natural elements, such as the plants, Luna, the bugs she likes to hunt, the grass she tries to eat out of the flower pot…

Another bit of nature this morning, this time one that is not so welcome.

These snails were a menace in our garden when I lived in Santa Cruz where they seemed to arrive in swarms. This is the first one I have seen in our patio in San Francisco in over two years. Removing it from a cactus is not a simple task. On the plus side, it was opportunity to practice with macro shot, which is not something I usually do.

A sad note. Our friend Nirmanakaya’s Viandra (aka “Sniffie”) passed away last week. “Sniffie and Florida Furkids” have often visited and shared their thoughts with us on topics far beyond feline, and in turn we got to know a little about them. Sniffie will be missed, and our thoughts go out to her family.

Weekend Cat Blogging #277 will be hosted by Othello (with some assist from Astrid) at Paulchens FoodBlog?!

Photo Hunt #232 is hosted by tnchick.

The Carnival of the Cats will be hosted this Sunday by Nikita and Elvira at Meowsings of an Opinionated Pussycat.

And the Friday Ark is at the modulator.

Weekend Cat Blogging #274 and Photo Hunt: Heatwave

Summer has finally arrived with a heatwave that brought even San Francisco into the mid 90s F (30s C).  And our apartment tends to get even warmer:

Luna was a bit uncomfortable in the heat, but it was a good excuse to nap (as if cats need an excuse for that).  And a napping cat is a good excuse for experimenting with the camera (such as fun with low f-stop settings):

It’s been another busy week – yes, that is a familiar phrase here at CatSynth – and I haven’t been home very much.  So I left fans running for Luna, and even a small ice pad out for her on the hottest day. I think we’re both a little tired out, physically and mentally.  But it’s a long three-day weekend, and the fog has once again returned with its calming and creative influence.  I think we will enjoy it.

Weekend Cat Blogging #274 is hosted by the handsome pair Jules and Vincent at Judi’s Mind over Matter. Jules, the black cat, often appears when we host WCB, so we’re returning the favor this week.

Photo Hunt 229 is hosted by tnchick, with the apropos theme of Hot.

The Carnival of the Cats will be hosted this Sunday by Kashim, Othello and Salome.

The monthly Bad Kitty Cats Festival of Chaos will be hosted by Nikita and Elvira at Meowings of an Opinionated Pussycat.

And the Friday Ark is at the modulator.

Weekend Cat Blogging #271: iPhone and Orange

For Weekend Cat Blogging #271, we put aside the “big camera” and present some images of Luna all taken with our new iPhone 4.

This was taken with the Hipstamatic app. It emulates the classic Hipstamtic camera, including various lens and film options. This was taken with a Kaimal Mark II lens (not sure how it got an Indian name). It tends to give the image an overall orange tinge, and thus we squeeze into this week’s Photo Hunt theme of Orange.

Here are two more photos of Luna taken with two other Hipstamatic lenses:

And another in the clear (i.e., just the camera without additional apps or filters):

She does lounge quite elegantly sometimes. I also tried out the video capabilities, here is a short clip:

Yes, Luna is very much a cat. I quite like the look in her eyes at the end.

Weekend Cat Blogging #271 is hosted by LB and Breadchick at The Sour Dough, where they are enjoying lots of relaxation, and a bit of golf and baking.

Photo Hunt #226 is hosted by tnchick. This week’s theme is Orange.

Carnival of the Cats will be up this Sunday at When Cats Attack!.

And the Friday Ark is at the modulator.

Weekend Cat Blogging #266 and Photo Hunt: Free

For Weekend Cat Blogging #266, we present some photos of Luna relaxing in the dining area.

A contrast of colors, texture and shape.

This is also perhaps one of our weaker attempts to fit the Photo Hunt theme this weekend, which is free. Relaxing in a favorite spot is a fine way to spend free time.

Weekend Cat Blogging #266 is being hosted by LB and Breadchick at The Sour Dough. It also marks the approximate 5th anniversary since WCB was started by a group of mostly food bloggers who set aside a day on the weekend to blog about cats.

The Photo Hunt is hosted as always by tnchick. This week’s theme is free.

The Carnival of the Cats will be hosted by Nikita Cat.

And the Friday Ark is at the modulator.