it's just impossible!!!

[bernhund]

Over the weekend we added a new member to our family...a tiny kitten. We already have two English Bull Terriers and there are some very sweet, as well as high octane, moments when this small bundle of fur meets the dogs. The problem is we end up looking like something from Benny Hill with all 4 of us running behind one another, me at the end with the camera. Nothing stays still long enough to capture anything that even nearly resembles a good photo. So the question is 'how's it done?'

Best so far is this but only because I had my phone in my hand.

[extraT]

surely your camera has burst or continous mode?

[MudwiG]

Would be helpful to know what you are using if its a Canon 7D my answer will be different to a Point and shoot camera.

[paul911]

Flash will freeze the moment

[bernhund]

I think flash is a must as all the action is indoors until she has her jabs. Camera is a Nikon D80, but I think the real problem is they move around quicker than I can compose & focus!

[Simpo Two]

Tricky indeed, but anticipation and positioning (yours) will help, as will a fast AF-S lens if you don't have one already. And in this case I'd also use AF-C (continous autofocus) and burst mode to get the likely success rate up - but flash won't work with burst mode very well as it won't recharge fast enough; successive photos will get darker.

I like the one you posted, even though the quality is poor.

[14-7]

Is the camera set to continuous focus and shooting?

As someone else has said, flash will be a must unless you have fast glass.

[RobbieKB]

My advice is that young things tend to just crash. Be there as it wakes up. Worked for me.

[bernhund]

Some good advice guys, thank you. I'll have a go & post anything remotely decent back on the thread.

[bernhund]

RobbieKB said:

My advice is that young things tend to just crash. Be there as it wakes up. Worked for me.

Lovely little face, I'm gonna have to try this with my cat....if she ever stops and goes to sleep!

[bernhund]

O.K, the continuous focus has improved things straight away. All I need now is to lose the shadows somehow and hope I can just be in the right place at the right time!

[Hooli]

Love that last pic, I can almost see your dog thinking 'lick it or chew it?'

[bernhund]

Hooli said:

Love that last pic, I can almost see your dog thinking 'lick it or chew it?'

That's exactly what she's thinking. It's quite unnerving to watch but the moggy couldn't care less!

[bernhund]

We're getting there, but I had to put what little knowledge I have of PS to use to try and make the background
less distracting. Still nasty shadows though, but at least Bernard is much more placid and just remains unaffected
by the kitten's presence.

[Turn7]

Try using a bit of flash compensation to reduce some of the glare.

Great subjects to capture, Im envious.

[ian in lancs]

bernhund said:

I think the real problem is they move around quicker than I can compose & focus!

welcome to pet photography!

http://www.ianwalker-photography.com/Animals

My advice would be get outside and practise with more space. Crank up the shutter speed to over 1/1000s, increase the ISO to about 800, continuous frame rate and good luck! You'll need it!

[Simpo Two]

bernhund said:

O.K, the continuous focus has improved things straight away. All I need now is to lose the shadows somehow

That's an easy fix - buy a flashgun with a bounce head (eg Nikon SB series) and bounce the light off the ceiling or wall. Not only will you lose the nasty shadows, but you'll get a much nicer look too and will help to end the 'dark background' problem.

[bernhund]

[quote=Simpo Two]

[buy a flashgun with a bounce head (eg Nikon SB series)]

This has prompted me to ask a question I've wondered about for some time and that is 'what happens about the pop up flash on my D80 if I put another flash on the hot shoe?' Will it still pop up and try to fire or what? If so, it will actually hit the other flash gun too.

Also the glare on the last picture could be something to do with the fact that just after I took it, I discovered a dog nose print on the lens glass!!!

[Simpo Two]

bernhund said:

This has prompted me to ask a question I've wondered about for some time and that is 'what happens about the pop up flash on my D80 if I put another flash on the hot shoe?' Will it still pop up and try to fire or what? If so, it will actually hit the other flash gun too.

The speedlight supersedes the built-in one. You can press the release button but it will just go 'thunk' and stop half way. It doesn't matter because it's now bettered in every way, so leave it down.

If the flash pops up when you try to take the photo it means you have it in Auto mode; use P(rogram) instead until you have the confidence to try the others.

[bernhund]

Simpo Two said:

bernhund said:

This has prompted me to ask a question I've wondered about for some time and that is 'what happens about the pop up flash on my D80 if I put another flash on the hot shoe?' Will it still pop up and try to fire or what? If so, it will actually hit the other flash gun too.

The speedlight supersedes the built-in one. You can press the release button but it will just go 'thunk' and stop half way. It doesn't matter because it's now bettered in every way, so leave it down.

If the flash pops up when you try to take the photo it means you have it in Auto mode; use P(rogram) instead until you have the confidence to try the others.

Thank you, I'm going to have to wait until my accountant has told me how much I owe the VAT man this quarter and then see if I can treat myself. Any recommended flashes, Nikon or other?