Advice please!

[zax]

Since I've seen some great pictures of fast moving objects on here I'm sure somebody can assist...

Trying to take "action shots" of the dog in a sunny forest, and not doing too well. I have a Canon S50, today I was mostly using the "action" setting since my attempts at setting things manually with the dog rushing at me usually end in failure Problem is I either get the dog in focus and the background is a mess, or I get the background OK but the dog is just a blur. I don't think extreme contrast between sunny patches and dark patches under the trees helps much either. Any tips on how to get the best image in these situations? Files and automatically chosen camera settings below (I think it removed this data from the images when I cropped them)

www.comis.co.uk/forest1.jpg
1/800 / 2.8 / ISO Speed Auto

www.comis.co.uk/forest2.jpg
1/320 / 2.8 / ISO Speed Auto

www.comis.co.uk/forest3.jpg
1/400 / 2.8 / ISO Speed Auto

Any advice much appreciated, but please don't suggest that I get the dog to stay still. He doesn't do "still"

[docevi1]

What I do using a Canon A70 is put it onto Slow setting (probably the same as your action), set the focus manually (inifini does the trick for me). Moving the camera with the target I then hit the button.

Since you have focused it manually it's not calculating this (faster) and if like me you can take multiple shots before writing to the CF card.

This takes images where the background is blurred, but the target is in focus. See www.stefancarlton.net/pictures.php and have a look at the rally shots to see what I mean.

I don't pretend to know what I'm doing - thats just what worked for me

edit: set the white balance, ISO speed... everything you can so that the camera is calculating what to put it on.

>> Edited by docevi1 on Saturday 15th May 18:22

[gravymaster]

I actually like the first two photos. Its a really nice looking dog!

[simpo two]

zax said:

Trying to take "action shots" of the dog in a sunny forest, and not doing too well. I have a Canon S50, today I was mostly using the "action" setting since my attempts at setting things manually with the dog rushing at me usually end in failure Problem is I either get the dog in focus and the background is a mess, or I get the background OK but the dog is just a blur. I don't think extreme contrast between sunny patches and dark patches under the trees helps much either. Any tips on how to get the best image in these situations?

Having tried to photograph a charging dog myself, I think you've done pretty well, especally as you're using a compact. I think you only way you could improve significantly is to get control of focus and shutter speed and get a longer focal length - and that means you're headed for SLR-land

[ricardo g]

One way to get cars etc (like for rallying) and I suppose it could be transfered to this situation is to prefocus on a point with the camera by holding the button half way down then hopefully your dog will chose to run through that spot and bang... you've got your shot. When I was trying to get some of my dog I let him wander a bit, prefocused on a spot and then called him and when he came running I took the shot. Just my tuppence worth as I am sure the experts will be of more help.

Edited to add that I was panning with the dog as he came running also. Sorry I dont have any shots to show you to hand.

>> Edited by ricardo g on Saturday 15th May 22:56

[nighthawk]

M8, If i had that charging towards me......I wouldn't be hanging round to get it's picture


back on topic though

Nothing really wrong with the shots that can't be touched up in PS.

I took over 100 shots of my sisters spaniel/fox hound cross today to try and get a perfect shot to be used on an ornamental mount, The speed they move is staggering but coupled to the sun light and need to move before the thing lands on top of you the shots seem almost impossible.

I can see why people say Never work with animals now

>> Edited by nighthawk on Sunday 16th May 21:48

[zax]

Thanks for the advice folks! I've had better luck with the "manual everything" method but unfortunately it seems summer is over so there's no more sunshine to be had It get's quite dark under the trees so I've found it difficult to use a fast shutter speed to capture high speed dog attacks

Anyway, here's the gloomy forest effort. At least he's happy...

www.comis.co.uk/forest8.jpg

[simpo two]

zax said:

Anyway, here's the gloomy forest effort. At least he's happy...

Excellent shot zax, I think you'd have to be a pro to do much better.

Prefocus is a good technique and arguably better than 'predictive AF' which I've never had much luck with. However in compact-land, pressing the shutter release button halfway to lock focus may also lock exposure - hence bright dog in dark forest could be overexposed.

Anyway, your dog shots are better thn mine (though I was practising on a black labrador so I've got an excuse!)