Guess what Buster is doing?

[Brendan Dozier]

This is Buster facing into a mirror, where he normally likes to get combed.

Guess what he's doing:

A. Hissing

B. Yawning

C. Coughing up a hair ball


Used some PB oil & Topaz Detail.

[Jay Sheinfield]

Brendan, I vote for yawning, or maybe he doesn't like cameras. Excellent application of PB, just the right amount. Super candid moment, great profile shot. Took me a moment to realize this was only one photo...........

[Maureen Allen]

Looks like Buster is yawning to me too. Nice kitty, nice moment and great application of PB

[John Storjohann]

I have no idea what he's doing....my guess is that he's yawning..but I like the shot! Wonderful job maintaining detail across the various shades of white; subtle effective use of the filters...and one of the more unique perspectives I've seen in a pet shot! Nicely done!

[Andrew McLachlan]

Hi Brendan, I'll go with yawning as his tongue is out. I have two cats and don't recall their tongue coming out when they hiss at each other or at the dog. If he was going to hack-up a hairball you'd be getting ready to clean it up

[Andrew McLachlan]

I love the filtering by the way!

[Susan Candelario]

Brendan,
I really like this one a lot! Quite unique. Nice details and love your pp. As far as what he is doing I'll go with the majority on this one. Yawning.

Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner

[Kerry Perkins]

Definitely a cat yawn, they really enjoy it and do it quite often. Those rough days of lounging around the house really get them tired you know... Nice image and I like the use of the filters, really works well. It is fairly unusual for cats to figure out what a mirror is about. One of my cats definitely looks at herself and at me in the mirror while the others don't get it. Good one!

[Indranil Sircar]

Excellent composition, Brendan. I like how you angled the shot to get two perspectives in one image... I almost thought these were two images I like the lighting and your use of filters makes this a standout composition.

[Catherie Costolo]

Brendan, I go with yawning too especially because of the view from the side. You must have had your camera ready to shoot! You did a great job with the texture of his fur. May I ask what is PB oil?
Catherine

[Brendan Dozier]

Thanks for playing along, folks - You all got it right - Buster is at the peak of his big yawn! Exciting stuff

John, thanks regarding maintaining the whites, I did have to labor with the color balance and desaturation, as light was not great, and there was a lot of yellow.

Good observations & deduction, Andrew, and I'm glad it wasn't a hair ball!

Kerry - I saw a program a while back which explained one of the reasons most animals don't respond to their reflections in mirrors is because there is nothing they can smell.
Buster will look at me through the reflection, and will also lick the mirror which is pretty funny to watch.

[Brendan Dozier]

Thanks, Indranil & Catherie

Catherie, Pixel Bender (PB) is a free Photoshop filter plug-in you can download from Adobe Labs.
http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/pixelbenderplugin/
It has a variety of different settings to allow you to distort & transform images.
The "Oil" setting (PB Oil) is what I used here, and is very popular at the OOTB forum. As with Topaz and other filters, just move the sliders around until you get the desired effect and look you want.

[denise ippolito]

Brendan, Great job with this one. A unique composition and wonderful processing. Yawning

[Anita Bower]

I like using the mirror to get these two views. I smiled when I read that this is where he likes to be combed. Cats are such creatures of habit. I like what the pp does to the fur and tongue.

[Brendan Dozier]

Thanks, Denise & Anita