My first Venture into Dog Agility

dusty-dog

I was asked by a friend to accompany her and her dog to her agility training class. She suggested that I bring my camera gear and business cards, because she always shows people the protrait I took of her dog, and some people want to hire me. That's sure nice.

Anyway, I packed up my gear, Nikon D200, SB-600 flash, Sigma 70-300 4-5.6, and other stuff. I decided to shoot on speculation, and put some images up. If anyone wants to buy, well go right ahead. I even put up a disclaimer on my gallery saying that this was a new venture, the images aren't great, but buy if you like.

My concern on all of these is that the DOF was too shallow. Yet, there's quite a bit of background. Because the dogs were moving so fast, I set my focus on the ring or tunnel where the dog would be coming through, then snap when he shot through. The tunnel and ring are sharp in the images, but the dog is out of focus. Is this because I needed more shutter speed? I was shooting in shutter priority, which I virtually never do. I always shoot manual exposure. I opted for S priority because I was hoping the camera could fill in where I was lacking in skills. I got a yes and no response from the camera. :dunno I'm definitely looking for some of your input and suggestions. One thing I do know is that I need faster glass. I rented a Nikkor 85 1.8 for next tuesday's shoot. In about a month or so, I'll be able to purchase a lens. So, if any of you have excellently priced sharp glass, I'm interested.

Following are a few of my images.

This Black & Tan (don't know the breed) was lightnening fast, the fastest dog there. Holy cow, he was tough to shoot. Techs on this are 1/400 sec, f/4, 70mm, 1000 ISO, handheld, flash without diffuser (mistake):



This next one is my friend's German Shepherd. 1/400 sec, f/4, 70mm, 800 ISO



And finally, this Rhodesian Ridgeback. One thing I learned..... people aren't looking for perfect. They just want images of their dogs. People love their dogs. I know. I just lost my beloved Zuki, my dusty dog, a few months ago to a wicked nasty illness. But I digress. My point is that this following image is the very first image I sold on smugmug. It was sold almost as soon as I put it up. Not a major sale, but who gives a rat's ass. I made a sale. :clap:clap

Again, 1/400 sec, f/4, 70mm, 1000 IS0

2whlrcr

I have never shot in this environment either. But I have seen this on TV and know how fast those dogs are. I'm sure your shots are much better than what an owner using a P&S would get.

As you know, you need faster glass and faster shutter speeds. F2.8 would allow this and help diffuse the background clutter. I think that would still be enough DOF to have a sharp head of the dog. Plus it would boost your shutter speeds up to around 1000/s. You might also try a higher ISO and could use a noise reduction program, if there is too much noise. I have found my customers don't really complain about noise, unless it's really bad.

OsirisPhoto

Firstly, congrats on your sale! It's a nice feeling, isn't it?

From my experience of shooting dogs, I would say that fast shutter speed is absolutely the highest priority, and do whatever it takes to get it. Think 'water splash' stopping shutter speed. throw as much light on them as you can muster, raise the ISO, damn the DOF! Remember that the f/1.8 will have a much shallower DOF than f/4.. but o long as the eyes / nose are sharp, not problem.

Even then, you are at the mercy of chance so shoot bursts of shots.

dusty-dog

Thanks for your inputs. I guess I am on the right track, but as you can see from my images, I'm not there. The ring and tunnel were sharp, but the dogs' eyes and noses weren't. Not good. How do you focus on fast dogs' faces with shallow DOF? Obviously, focusing on the equipment didn't work. Thanks.

OsirisPhoto

dusty-dog wrote:

Thanks for your inputs. I guess I am on the right track, but as you can see from my images, I'm not there. The ring and tunnel were sharp, but the dogs' eyes and noses weren't. Not good. How do you focus on fast dogs' faces with shallow DOF? Obviously, focusing on the equipment didn't work. Thanks.

Faster shutter speed.. 1/1000, 1/2000, 1/4000, the more the better. These dogs are moving fast! Your flash is providing more than enough light for the subject, it's even lighting the background. Not sure of the highest value that high speed sync will work.

Try focussing ahead of the rings (1st shot). Panning on the dog might work

jonh68

For grins and giggles, try to bounce the light using the 85 1.8 and see if the lighting looks better. Even if the ceiling is high. If it is too high, try to get where you can bounce the light of the back of a wall.

You will probably need to pre-focus with that lens as it is not a fast focuser if the dogs are moving too fast. Also, don't be afraid to bump up the ISO to 1600. IMHO, fast shutterspeed is more critical than low noise in this situation.

Also, sit down to get these shots if it's comfortable. It will make the dogs look bigger, pictures more dynamic and will separate your pictures from everybody else.

johng

on the motion blur. Continue to use flash, but you have to drop the camera's exposure. You need a larger difference between ambient and flash exposure to freeze the motion. Instead of 1/400, f4 ISO 1000 drop down to 1/125 ISO 400. You'll lose some background but you'll get better stop-action. You can creep up the exposure a bit but you want at least a 2 stop difference between ambient and fllash exposure to get the stop-action.

Phyxius

Coming from equine photography I'm used to animals moving quickly over (or through) a certain object. Focusing on the ring or tube is a pretty good idea, but with a narrow depth of field if the ring is in focus the dog will not be. If possible get at an angle that is closer to "head on". Make sure your focus mode is set to CONTINUOUS, get the dog in the focus area as soon as possible, half press the shutter and "follow" the dog through the ring as much as possible. This will help insure that the dog is focus. Another thing you could do is use manual focus, which you set in advance to be in focus for where the dog will be when you take the picture.

Another big thing is definately shutter speed. 1/1000 should be the slowest you use to get "stop action" and avoid motion blur. But, even a fast shutter speed won't get you an in focus dog if you've focused behind, or infront, of where he'll be.

Keep up the good work and practice!!:D

mercphoto

johng wrote:

on the motion blur. Continue to use flash, but you have to drop the camera's exposure. You need a larger difference between ambient and flash exposure to freeze the motion. Instead of 1/400, f4 ISO 1000 drop down to 1/125 ISO 400. You'll lose some background but you'll get better stop-action. You can creep up the exposure a bit but you want at least a 2 stop difference between ambient and fllash exposure to get the stop-action.

That's a good suggestion, to use the flash to create what is effectively a faster shutter. If you cannot get 1/1000 second shutter with ambient light then this is a good alternative. Make sure the hi-speed synch feature on your flash is turned off. Go to Tv, or preferrably M mode. Set a shutter speed under the flash sync speed, get an ambient exposure of about -2 to -3, and put the flash on automatic. That extremely short burst of light from your flash will make the illusion of a faster shutter speed, but only if that burst of light overpowers the ambient light enough. I got this effect in night MX shooting, where a 1/125 shutter was getting frozen wheel spokes, which would normally be very blurred if shot in daylight.

dusty-dog

You guys are great. I want you to know that I am taking notes.

CookieS

Witha long lens high speed sync is pretty much worthless. you lose too much power to cover the falloff of a long lens. higher iso 500-800 or 400 if your camera will push the flah that far. zoom your flash out to 70-85 end.
go to manual mode , shoot at 1/200 or 1/250th an about f4 or 5.6 Focus just in front of your ring or obstancle. Up you ev flash comp if you need too, having flash on half power will help recycle times. get a used 70-200 f2.8 lens for more light.