Cat Prowling in a Field on Naxos

I came across this cat early one morning on the Greek island of Naxos, close to our hotel. I had gotten up early to see what kind of photo opportunities might present themselves, and discovered this fellow in the field adjacent to the hotel. Judging by his low crouch position and slow forward movement, I believe he was in hunting mode, trying to secure a nice breakfast for himself.

He turned to look at me as I tried to sneak close enough for a decent shot. I was able to capture a few good images thanks to the zoom lens I had attached to my camera at the time. I took this photo at maximum telephoto zoom, 200mm, for a 35mm equivalent focal length of 300mm.

Anyway, I hope he was able to find a good bite to eat that morning. I know I did - the breakfasts at the Hotel Grotta were excellent!

The Cubbyhole

It was a hot afternoon on Naxos, and Melissa and I were exploring the labyrinthine Kastro area of the main port town. We came upon a massive old crumbling stone wall about 50 feet off to one side of us, separated from the pedestrian area by a weed-filled field. In the middle of the wall was a single rectangular opening, several feet off the ground. Inside that opening was a single black cat.

One thing is certain: Greek cats are experts at finding cool shady resting places during midday hours. Could this be the same black cat that liked to visit our patio at Hotel Grotta (not very far from here)? Hard to say.

Given the distance between us and the cat above, I used a Pentax telephoto zoom lens racked all the way out to 200mm (300mm equivalent) to get this shot.

Charcoal Cat on Black and White

This very cool and handsome fellow was happy (OK, maybe 'apathetic' is more accurate) to pose for me near a busy pedestrian passageway on Naxos. I noticed him relaxing on the top step of a short stairway leading to the front door of a home. The monochromatic subject and surroundings were too perfect to pass up, and I was able to get him to pay attention to me long enough to get a few good shots. This scene - within a recessed front patio - was set back several feet from the main foot traffic area, so I used a telephoto zoom at 150mm to give me enough reach for a decent frame-filling shot.

The Cat Overhead

My wife and I were winding our way through some of the less commonly traveled passages in the main port town of Naxos island, when I decided for some reason to turn around and scan the low 'rooftops' of some decaying buildings, camera in hand (as usual). This curious cat popped into view and peeked at us over the edge of his hideout, giving me a good opportunity to quickly grab a few images. Something in the distance must have distracted him during the brief photo shoot, providing the instant that produced this particular shot.

The point for travel photographers in the Greek Islands is, don't forget to look up and behind you when walking through the narrow passageways that characterize so many of the classic villages and towns. With any luck, you'll be rewarded with some great photo opportunities.

A Cat Bed in the Boulders

This striped tabby was sound asleep in a vacant, boulder-strewn field between two buildings on Naxos. I couldn't get very close without risking a lot of noise and disruption to the scene, so I stayed put - maybe 50 to 75 feet away - and changed lenses in order to zoom out to 180mm (270mm in 35mm SLR equivalent).

This cat obviously blended in pretty well with the background, was well removed from pedestrian traffic, and so was probably feeling very safe and comfortable. I'm guessing she's a regular visitor to this particular "bed."

The Case of the Broken Canine

That's canine as in "tooth", not as in "dog." This comical cat liked to visit outside our room at the Hotel Grotta in Naxos. He was a non-stop talker, and also liked to stretch out on our warm patio during the late afternoon. I had several opportunities to photograph him at close range during our stay, and it wasn't until editing photos back home that I noticed his broken right front tooth.

Hopefully he is not bothered by the fractured tooth. According to The Veterinary Dental Center, a broken canine tooth can be pretty painful and prone to infection. This cat seemed pretty happy-go-lucky to us, so maybe he has somehow managed to avoid these complications.

Cat Relaxing on a Doorstep in Naxos

During a late afternoon walk through the main town of Naxos island, we came across this cat relaxing near some chatting neighbors. He obviously wasn't at all concerned about his human neighbors, but was maybe a little bit nervous about me getting too close with a camera. I took these shots with a telephoto zoom lens, in order to not scare the cat off of his comfortable perch.

First, a shot to set the scene. These narrow pedestrian passageways are very common on Naxos, especially near the Kastro (old Venetian-era Castle) area of the main port town.



And a close-up portrait...

The Naxos Tree Scratcher

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This cat appeared out of nowhere as we were exploring a small village in central Naxos, Greece. This perfectly curved small tree was obviously a favorite target for his scratching urges, and he dug into it with gusto for a few seconds... long enough for me to capture several images with a zoom lens at 200mm.