"It is no longer a fact but an opinion"

Found objects — in this case, local TV sports graphics and Tuck's model of "America" — become "attributes" illuminating the character of the portrait sitter. Being a cat, Baby doesn't pose, of course. Instead, among the series of quick shutter clicks in the course of a given photo shoot — if we're lucky — we capture Cartier-Bresson's "Decisive Moment." Above, a portrait of Cakes embodying the Olympic ideal, as described at The Olympic Museum website:

Identification of the athlete by his nakedness, a sign of balance and harmony — Gymnasium and palaestra: the education of the body and mind — Hygiene and body care.

On the other hand/paw, "A portrait is not a likeness," portrait photographer extraordinaire Richard Avedon is said to have said:

The moment an emotion or fact is transformed into a photograph it is no longer a fact but an opinion. There is no such thing as inaccuracy in a photograph. All photographs are accurate. None of them is the truth.

Pallywood enablers, take notice.

More found objects — this time of the "beauty in unexpected places" variety — a DayGlo® orange football appearing to rise, moonlike, atop Tuck's wall outside the kitchen window, the window's white molding suggesting the fluting of an ancient column, the daybreak glow of a light underneath the cabinet creating a halo effect behind Baby's head — become the surrealistic attributes of a cat of mystery [Is there any other kind?]. As regular readers know, Baby Cakes always plays his cards close to the chest.

Attributes? Who needs attributes? The silky peaches-and-cream Sweet Tiny Pea is mistress of her universe, always in control, mysterious and loving it. Here atop the compost box behind the house, she keeps an eye out for intruders. Neighborhood cats, skunks and raccoons have been known to pass this way, with varying results, not always to Tiny's advantage. Never one to cut and run, she, like her brother, is stalwart in her efforts to defend the home turf.

What was that? Body language itself becomes an attribute as Tiny shifts from "Guarded" to "Elevated" alert.

Then, at something cats see or hear that we don't, on to "High" alert.

When the people's dinners arrive — usually about an hour after the animals have had their fill of catfood — "High" alert turns to "Severe Risk." Above, Tiny (left) and Baby focus all of their resources on the threat — the danger of not getting Tuck to surrender some of the food on his plate.

The Think System never fails to deliver. Baby's tastes are cosmopolitan. The Pork Suzette would have to be first among equals, but he is not one to say no to Corny Cornbread Minis, Potato Meltdown, Sweet Potatoes Puree or even frozen peas!

Comments

[goomp]

Isn't it great fun to have loving friends who understand part of our world and we part of theirs but some mystery always remains between us?

[Teresa]

So how many pictures do you have to take to get these lovely results? I especially like the one with the "glow" behind Baby's head. *grin*

[datenverlust]

I like your cats attitude.They are looking great.

[Gayle Miller]

An enchanting post, by a marvelous and greatly admired writer, about two enchanting felines (and I admit that I am hopelessly in love with both of the cats - fortunately Sam is not aware of my faithlessness). What a nice start to my Monday!

[GM Roper]

Sissy, I always enjoy your photographs, as does my American Long Hair and my Scottish Fold. But when they saw Baby with the Red Sox on the tube they both went nuts... dancing and frolicking and yelling Go Red Sox... (spoken in Katisch of course).