Photographing dogs


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For such shots, does it mean we have to move the camera as we snap? Then do we let the camera focus it's lens before we 'follow & press shutter' or as we move, we let the camera focus, then press shutter?

Ok i know my question may sound a bit vague but I don't know the proper terms to describe it...;p

Pls advise.

hi somnobulant,

for such shots. usually, have to set the focusing to manual focusing. pre-focus the dog (pre-empt their movement), set to higher f-stop (to achieve more DOF) and also this will increase the shutter speed timing allowing you to blur the background at the same time.

Regards,
tltan
 

actually, the best method is to set your camera to continuous focusing and focus on your subject until you get the dog to do what you want..... then press the shutter.
 

Or you can put your faith in your AF drive and use the smaller apreature and hope for the best :D. I did that today for a location shoot and normally 1/3 of the action shots turned out on a 30D +24-70 L combo...... I'm still very weak at taking those kind of shots..
 

Or you can put your faith in your AF drive and use the smaller apreature and hope for the best :D. I did that today for a location shoot and normally 1/3 of the action shots turned out on a 30D +24-70 L combo...... I'm still very weak at taking those kind of shots..

Why not a 70-200?

At least the dogs can be themselves and you're capturing the action.
 

Why not a 70-200?

At least the dogs can be themselves and you're capturing the action.

You dont need to be far away for the dogs to be themselves. They were used to my presence by that time and payed more attention to their owners anyway. I needed the DOF as the client wanted the surroundings to be in focus as well.
 

I guess I'm coming from the view where I used to photograph dogs.

Those were my techniques, but I do agree that once the animal is comfortable around your presence, the animal would be less tense and be themselves.
 

actually, the best method is to set your camera to continuous focusing and focus on your subject until you get the dog to do what you want..... then press the shutter.

I don't know how to set to continuous focusing on the s80... cos i don't have the manual with me. Not sure if the camera has this function in the first place.:think:

But i did try to follow my dog as he ran... but the pictures still turned out very "still". It would show him in mid-air but the background was just as clear.

Anyway i would like to say that shooting them in daylight outdoors really makes a difference. Most of the pictures came out clear, albeit maybe too "bright". ;)
 

I guess I'm coming from the view where I used to photograph dogs.

Those were my techniques, but I do agree that once the animal is comfortable around your presence, the animal would be less tense and be themselves.

I do use those techniques most of the time when time is constraint(private clients) or when i'm shooting for fun. My main lens is normally my 70-200 as well.

I don't know how to set to continuous focusing on the s80... cos i don't have the manual with me. Not sure if the camera has this function in the first place.:think:

But i did try to follow my dog as he ran... but the pictures still turned out very "still". It would show him in mid-air but the background was just as clear.

Anyway i would like to say that shooting them in daylight outdoors really makes a difference. Most of the pictures came out clear, albeit maybe too "bright". ;)

I think most compacts dont have that option. A few prosumers do have that options but the focus speed is hard to match that of a SLR system. I'm guessing that the camera is using the widest apreature to capture the motion thus freezing the background as well. If you have a shutter priority mode on your camera you can try uing that and set it to about 1/90 sec to do the panning shots..
 

I think most compacts dont have that option. A few prosumers do have that options but the focus speed is hard to match that of a SLR system. I'm guessing that the camera is using the widest apreature to capture the motion thus freezing the background as well. If you have a shutter priority mode on your camera you can try uing that and set it to about 1/90 sec to do the panning shots..

Thanks raptor84.

I'd be sure to try that out.

And yes, I was shooting at the widest aperture.

oh and regarding getting really bright pictures, here's what I meant :

296603547_a847b1135c.jpg


I actually quite like how it turned out considering I just randomly clicked the camera below my eye-level continuously and got this, but because my dog was facing mid-day sun, his face sorta got "washed-out"... in such situations when the sun is too bright, what should i be adjusting on my cam to be able to capture details? ISO, aperture or shutter speed?

PS: yes yes I know... it wasn't the best of backgrounds once again.:embrass:
 

That shot is kinda cute actually :D Pity about the pole sticking out of the dogs head though. Depends on how your camera meters the scence but you can try setting the exposure compensation tp -1/2 or -2/3 EV ? Using a lower ISO also helps
 

Yes i knowww... I wished I had a sprawling garden.

I can't bring him out or to the dogrun yet because he hasn't completed his vaccinations.

Nevertheless i'd keep trying. Thanks!
 

Yes i knowww... I wished I had a sprawling garden.

I can't bring him out or to the dogrun yet because he hasn't completed his vaccinations.

Nevertheless i'd keep trying. Thanks!

Hi there,

I feel that you have taken the mood correctly. The background is nice too (as in natural environment of the dog daily). He is comfortable and thats where the most natural shot comes from! The pole above the head can be PSed away. But if its only for keepsake purpose, I think that is an awesome picture. of course technicailty wise, the overexposure is not good but then from what I feel of the picture, you did a great job.

You mentioned randomly clicking, you should try squatting or proneing down to get that shot. =) hehehe. With SLR, you might have to do that. With digital compacts, you can swivel the lcd.

Good luck!
Regards,
tltan
 

Hi t|tan

thanks for ur encouraging words! I was actually already squatting down but you know, it's a chihuahua... gotta lie flat on your nose to get to his height. Unfortunately the S80 i'm using doesn't have a swivel lens.

Sorry but I have a silly qn... Any of you use your SLRs to snap self-portraits? Quite a bulky thing to twist around to snap one of your friends and you eh... Isn't it sad that at events, the person behind the camera never appears in shots?

I seek pardon for my shallowness first.:D
 

self portrait(w frens)=tripod+timer:)
 

I tiried holding with one hand at arms length with a 17-40 to take a 2-3 person shot :D Needs plenty of estimation...
 

My favourite subject - dogs.. ;)

Here are some of my attempts on "action" shots.

#1 At the beach
Davidson2204061r.jpg


#2 This was taken at a dog show at Expo - the lights are terrible and we cant use flash.
020706Show-Dyna13r.jpg


#3 More recent - outdoors
Trio2410063abr.jpg


#4 All stretched out
Dyna0608064r.jpg


For me, what worked for me in "action" shots were to set the cam to multi-shot mode. Set the focus to a particular point in front of the dogs, and click when the dogs are "entering" that focus area. A bigger DOF will help. And of course - lots of practice...
 

This has been an excellent thread with great tips and advise! :thumbsup:

There is another CS member who's really good at dogs in action shots. Some of you may have seen her blog or webbie...I'm sorry, I can't recall the link offhand but I think her dog's name is Herbie, a Golden Retreiver.
 

#1 is a priceless expression:bsmilie: too bad about that GSD in the corner though.

#2 Nice attempt at panning but theres just not enough contrast between the dog and the rest of the background. I hate the expo lighting too which is why i don't really like to take shots there..

#3 Nicely captured action shots. Could do with a little more isolation but you captured their free spirits well.

#4 A little too much DOF for me again and that tree is a little distracting.

I normally dont do much aciton shots but I rely alot on the AI-Servo and burst modes..




 

Raptor, again your pix are superb!

I sometimes have focusing errors regardless of which setting I use.
 

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