03 Julai 2014

Photographer scores a cat-trick!

It's long been said that curiosity kills the cat.
But one inquisitive Swiss photographer has brought a selection of adorable felines to life - by morphing them into their doting owners. 
This amazing series of photographs produced by Sebastian Magnani splices the head and shoulders of 15 different owners with the portrait of their favourite moggy. 
Cat Blue mixed with owner Miriam
Owner Miriam
Purr-fect unison! Photographer Sebastian Magnani has blended together photos of cats and their owners. This incredible image, left, shows cat Blue merged with his owner, Miriam, who is pictured right
Mariette spliced with cat Salem
Mariette
In a series called 'Undercats', the Swiss photographer merged 15 owners with their favourite felines. In this combination, cat Salem is merged with his owner Mariette - both donning the same helmet
Figaro the cat, spliced with Elia
Elia
The 28-year-old used expert photo-manipulation techniques to seamlessly transplant the feline faces onto the human bodies. Here, cat Figaro is spliced with young cap-wearing owner Elia, who is pictured right 

Using his friends, family and strangers, the 28-year-old - who says he is fascinated with cats' eyes - cleverly photographed owners and their respective pets in the same portrait style.
He then used expert photo-manipulation techniques on the computer to seamlessly transplant the feline faces onto the human bodies.
    Highlights of the series, which is called Undercats, include a lady called Daniela's hair blending perfectly with the face of her ginger cat Micky while, in another picture, owner Mariette and her cat Salem don the same crash helmet.
    There's even a photo of the photographer's father Ermano, with the face of his cat Jaguar, wearing a headset. 
    Cat Paraya spliced with owner Christoph
    Christoph
    Undercats follows Sebastian's internationally-renowned - and similarly-themed - Underdogs set. Here, he has blended cat Paraya, left with owner Christoph, pictured right 
    Cat Jaguar spliced with owner Ermano
    Owner Ermano
    Headphone wearing Ermano, pictured right, who is the father of the photographer, is merged with his cat Jaguar.  For this project, the photographer travelled for a week around Switzerland visiting the owner's home to photograph them and their cats
    Pepi the cat spliced with owner Natalie
    Natalie
    A jewellery-wearing Pepi is morphed with his owner Natalie. The photographer used family, friends, strangers who answered his Facebook post and people who contacted him directly via email for the project

    The series follows Sebastian's internationally-renowned collection Underdogs, which, in a similar vein, saw the faces of dogs superimposed onto their owner's. 
    For this project, the young photographer travelled for a week around Switzerland visiting the owner's home to capture the images. 
    He said: 'One is my father Ermano. Some are friends of mine. Some answered me on my Facebook post. Some contacted me directly per email.'
    Cat Uschi split with owner Jan
    Owner Jan
    Sebastian says splicing of the humans and pets took about three weeks of his free time, with 6-8 hours spent on each image. In this set of images, cat Uschi is spliced with owner Jan 

    Cat Moglie split with owner Josianne
    Josianne
    The photographer started the project because he said he is fascinated with the eyes of cats. Here, cat Mogli is blended perfectly with owner Josianne
    Cat Juna and owner Christian
    Owner Christian
    Sebastian said: 'It is in the eye of the beholder whether cats look like their owners like people say dogs do. But for me the eyes so strong and characterful'. Here, cat Juna is blended with owner Christian 
    Cat Hector spliced with Joana
    Joana
    The photographer said he knew he wanted to experiment with cats after doing his dog series. Here, cat Hector is mixed with long-haired owner Joana

    The photographer says splicing of the humans and pets took about three weeks of his free time, with each image taking between six and eight hours to perfect.
    Sebastian said: 'When I'd made the first part of my Underdogs, for me it was clear, I wanted to create the same with cats. And I was really looking forward to see more combinations. I am also so fascinated by the eyes of cats.
    'Unlike dogs, cats all the same head form, so there is not so much difference between each other. It is in the eye of the beholder whether cats look like their owners like people say dogs do. But for me the eyes so strong and characterful.
    'I think the title Undercats is not the same as Underdogs, it has a softer meaning and that's the reason why I've chosen the title.'
    Cat Muah with owner Helen
    Helen
    This image, left, combines cat Muah with owner Helen. The photographer replaced the head and shoulders of the owner with that of their pet 
    Cat Micky spliced with Daniela
    Daniela
    The blonde hair of Daniela, pictured right, blends perfectly with the face of her ginger cat, Micky, pictured left  
    Cat Chino spliced with owner Antonio
    Antonio
    Antonia, pictured right, is merged with his cat Chino in this image, left. Both images show the person wearing a scarf and a matched expression of solemness 
    Cat Tito spliced with owner Caroline
    Caroline
    Cat Tito is spliced with owner Caroline in this image, pictured left. Sebastian says cats all the same head form, so there is not so much difference between each one
    Cat Shiva spliced with owner Kathrin
    Kathrin
    Kathrin, pictured right, is shown spliced with her cat Shiva.

    DUIT