Blank Like a Model: Posing with Kitty

Hello lovelies. It's been quite a little while since the last time I did this column. Too long. So I figured I'd bring Blank Like a Model back. Obviously there are things that models do so much better than normal people. Making the sexy face, laughing at themselves, making awkward poses look good, etc. Why not learn from the pros? Okay, so here's the scenario: Have you ever gotten to a shoot and the photographer asks "Are you good with animals?" Of course you are. You play with your friend's adorable dogs all the time. You're not afraid of snakes. You've swam with dolphins. Yeah, you're totally great with animals. "Alright! Well, we've got this cat we really want to use for a few shots" he explains. Cats are like the cat's meow right now in fashion. Karl Lagerfeld's white kitty and Grace Coddington's kitty. Crazy cat print tanks at Urban Outfitters, those fab Charlotte Olympia black cat flats, and what about the cute cat in the Jason Wu for Target collection! Cat's are everywhere. But how do you do an entire photo shoot with a feline? Here are my tricks for dealing with a cat diva featuring my very own little rescue panther.

1. Make sure kitty is warmed up. Some cats like mine have a tendency to be bitchy. He's acting like he doesn't love the spotlight when you know he does. You've seen in make cameo appearances in some of my other photos. I have no idea why he's being so mean now. Anyway, give kitty time to get comfortable in front of the camera.

2. Give kitty things to play with. Cats love strings and balls. Things that jingle. Just like babies, cats need something bright and shiny to distract them enough to take a good picture. This is kitty's favorite ball, but he's definitely not interested at the moment. Oh well. Just keep trying.

3. Let the cat make his pouty face. I love a feline with personality. This facial expression may not be exactly what you're going for, but you can make it work. See what the cat's doing and go along with him. He'll appreciate that you're taking your cues from him.

4. Give kitty treats. Everyone needs to know that he or she is doing a good job. This kind of work is demanding. You can get burnt out quickly. Make sure your cat gets treat and positive reinforcement that he's killing it.

5. Allow kitty to use you as a jungle gym. It's understandable that the cat can't sit still for the entire shoot. They're like kids and have a very short attention span. Let the cat roam. If he scratches up your body in the process, don't worry. The photographer can always retouch the bruises. No biggie!

6. Let kitty get his close-up. This is why you exist. To make the cat look good. You are kitty's accessory, not the other way around. We're only playing supporting roles in this cat's world. Make sure the cat has his or her time to shine. He calls this look innocent kitty looking off into the distance.

7. Show kitty love. It's been a long 5 minutes of shooting. You're both exhausted. But who's really done all the hard work here? That's right... kitty. Make sure the cat knows how much you appreciate him waking up from his mid- morning nap to do this. Obviously, you couldn't have done it without him. Pet him. Sweet talk him. I call my cat Mr. Cuteness when he's really laying it on thick. He deserves to here the truth. Life's hard when you're so cute.

Good luck shooting with a cat. They're so feisty and fierce. No one gives better face than a kitty.