Take Your Pet Photos To The Next Level

Pet photography is an art form that requires patience, creativity and an understanding of animal behaviour

- Joanne Soh

Animals make adorable photography subjects. But just like children, they are unpredictable and it can be challenging to capture the fleeting cute moments of your fur kids.

Pet photography is an art form that requires patience, creativity and an understanding of animal behaviour.

Mr Masayuki Oki, a Japanese photographer, has been taking snapshots of street cats for over a decade with his Canon EOS R. The 47-year-old, who is based in Tokyo, would spend a week away from home travelling to "cat islands" or fishing villages around Japan to observe and photograph cats.

"I realise that, just like humans, each cat has its quirks and personality," he tells The Straits Times.

Mr Oki's photographs capture the spontaneity of felines, turning each photo into a story. He posts his pictures on Instagram (@okirakuoki), which has amassed 508,000 followers. His works have also been published in books and calendars.

On capturing an animal's personality, his advice is to find the moments that "reveal the cats' feelings".

"If you try to rush to take the photo, the cat may sense it and choose not to do anything on purpose," says Mr Oki, who will be one of the judges at the Asia Cat Expo 2025 Photography Competition that will be held at Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre on June 21 and 22.

Into its third year, the annual Asia Cat Expo is the largest feline-exclusive event in Singapore. The two-day expo will see a line-up of 120 vendors offering cat essentials, accessories and cat-themed creations. There will also be a cat adoption drive, educational seminars and stage programmes such as a cat grooming competition.