Dog racing

TonyCooper

My first time at a dog track, and - as a photographer - I'm humbled. I didn't realize how difficult it would be to photograph greyhounds. Shoot fast enough to minimize the blur, and too much of the pack is not in focus. More at my SmugMug site. Next time I'll photograph a turtle race.

We've all seen those famous early photographs that prove that a race horse has all hoofs off the ground at times when racing, but greyhounds sometimes resemble kangaroos they are so far off the ground.

Comments and suggestions appreciated. I'll go back again and see if I can do it better next time.

torags

good first effort...

My read on the shot is, you need at least f4 to get the entire group. I have had to go to at least ss1200 to stop the paws. The first dog doesn't appear to be in focus

During the day that's easy, not so at night. Greyhound Rick is the best at this, he shoots in AZ

Here is one at 4.8 and I don't have the last black dog. This is shot in Daytona, they have limestone (very white - almost pinkish) in their track



Jeeze I love to shoot the dogs

good luck with your efforts

Rags

TonyCooper

torags wrote:

good first effort...

My read on the shot is, you need at least f4 to get the entire group. I have had to go to at least ss1200 to stop the paws. The first dog doesn't appear to be in focus

During the day that's easy, not so at night. Greyhound Rick is the best at this, he shoots in AZ

Here is one at 4.8 and I don't have the last black dog. This is shot in Daytona, they have limestone (very white - almost pinkish) in their track

[end quote}

I live just a couple of miles from the Sanford/Orlando track (which is in Longwood and not in either Sanford or Orlando), but this is the first time I've ever been there.

Most of my shots were at 4.8 to 5.6. This one was at 5.6. I switched around from Program to Shutter (Nikon D40 & 55/200 lens) priority because I didn't know what would work. Most were shot from the end of the front straight-away as the dogs came towards me.

I had the ISO set to 200 (not automatic), but EXIF says the ISO ranged up to 440 on some shots. I don't understand that. Stayed at 200 for most.
Some noise in some shots when at 400.

Determining where to put the focus point was a problem. They go so quick you can't think it out. I suppose if I go down to 4.8 and focus on the middle dog I'd do better.

What settings, other than f-stop, do you use for daylight?

The track here is yellow sand, and the color in the shot I linked to here is right on.

I *hate* black animals. I've shot dogs, horses, and cows, and it's always the black ones that ruin a photograph when you shoot a group. No detail at all in the black one, but the rest look good. Gimme a race with all brindles and white dogs. Gray is OK.

torags

Hehehe... You got to get to the track boss , maybe they allow color requests..

I never use program (will over ride iso settings), because what the hell does program know about speed.

I use manual and auto iso max 400, during bright days usually winds up at 200.

Jeeze your apertures should work for the size of your groupings, but hike it up if the histogram (&the light) allows. The depth of field should be 10 -15' at that distance I'd guess. I try to blur the background so I use as wide open as possible.

If you're shooting with a variable aperture lens, your control over aperture is limited. Just depend on SS priority (keep a watch on your histogram)

TonyCooper

torags wrote:

Hehehe... You got to get to the track boss , maybe they allow color requests..

I never use program (will over ride iso settings), because what the hell does program know about speed.


I use manual and auto iso max 400, during bright days usually winds up at 200.

[end quote]

Well, that answers a question not asked. I have a post in a photo.net forum asking why my ISO varies in the EXIF data when I have it set to 200. I often shoot in the program mode.

I thought if you set the ISO on a number (and not on Automatic) that the camera locked into that figure. I didn't realize that Program can over-ride it.

Think I'll go back to the Saturday matinee and shoot a few more on Manual.

torags

TonyCooper wrote:

torags wrote:

Hehehe... You got to get to the track boss , maybe they allow color requests..

I never use program (will over ride iso settings), because what the hell does program know about speed.


I use manual and auto iso max 400, during bright days usually winds up at 200.

[end quote]

Well, that answers a question not asked. I have a post in a photo.net forum asking why my ISO varies in the EXIF data when I have it set to 200. I often shoot in the program mode.

I thought if you set the ISO on a number (and not on Automatic) that the camera locked into that figure. I didn't realize that Program can over-ride it.

Think I'll go back to the Saturday matinee and shoot a few more on Manual.

I don't use program but I'm pretty sure it does over ride. I've been told that program is the auto on the D700. Don't use 3d mode either, use 9 or 11 points.

Post 'em I'd love to see them.

Rags

PS Go here ... Rick is the man..

http://www.nikoncafe.com/vforums/showthread.php?t=217794&highlight=greyhound+rick

TonyCooper

I went back to the track today and added ten more photos to my gallery. I don't know if there's much of an improvement over yesterday, but some are interesting. The gallery is at
http://tonycooper.smugmug.com/gallery/7931129_Ldwdg#515384550_Y2Kvq


The ten new ones are the first ten in the gallery starting with this tattooed lady:

torags

Hey Tony...

You got it. Well done. I like the angle of the break.....

#5 a little over saturated for my taste...

good job