Flyball

[Cynthia Blue]

I hope dog sports are considered sports.

I took this picture with my new Olympus evolt e-300 in Vegas early this month. The lens is a 40-150mm f3.5/4.5. Exposure is 1/640 sec at f 5.0, length 150mm, ISO100. No flash, it's in the sun.

I'm happy with the picture... though with taking these types of shots where the dog is coming toward me, I'm finding that I would like a large depth of field so the camera doesn't have to adjust the focus as the dog comes closer. I had this on the action shot auto setting so the camera automatically chose the settings.

This is my first digital SLR so I am still learning. Is it possible to increase the DoF? Will I still get pictures nice and sharp if I do have a greater DoF? I have not played much with the manual settings on the camera yet. I hope to as spring and summer warm up the outdoors.

Thanks!

[BFiredup]

Welcome to the forum.....I think everyone loves animals....LOL...
Great shot...the only thing I would do, would be crop out the blur on the left and bottom of the shot....

As far as helping you get set up with your new SLR.....I am not the one to give advice, I am still a seeker, not a giver....LOL...
Keep on shooting....

[ciddog91]

Cynthia...

Yup I think it is a sport..... You win things, it is a sport....

Nice timing on this shot. But as suggested, crop out the blur... You can use manual and adjust DOF... I personally like a shallow DOF as the focus is then on the subject and not background. But everyone is different...

Someone here can give better advice than me, but if you want greater DOF, go manual and close (use a bigger number) aperture.

Good luck....Keep posting..

Phil

[SmartWombat]

Oh it's definitely a sport !

Setting up for greater DoF probably isn't the answer to getting good pictures.
Because then you will have to use a much higher ISO and get more noise in the image.
You also have less separation of the dog from the background, the blurred background is useful.


I would stick with a wide aperture, and also manual focus.
Decide where you want to take the picture, and let the dog come to you.
Then it is all down to practice and timing. It is a skill you will acquire.

If you leave it on auto-focus there is a good chance the camera's computer will see the hard straight line of the jump, and the contrast between that and the background, and decide to focus there, not on the dog as it runs toward you.

Also check which autofocus you're using, if you don't want to try manual.
S-AF focuses each time you press the shutter half way.
It's only good for stationary subjects.

C-AF focuses when you press the shutter half way, and carries on focussing.
So this is right for sport, as long as it has a chance.
Provided you can keep the dog's head in the focus box long enough.
AF is not instantaneous, so you have to track the dog until you get focus confirmation and then it should stay in focus - as long as you keep it in the box.

Dogs are fast but I think the shutter speed might be OK, I would go to 1/800 or even 1/1000 to be sure.
Your choice of aperture is OK, I expect the lens will be sharper stopped down one stop from wide open. You can do that if there is enough light, of if the ISO is higher.


There's a trick to this.
Take your position and focus on the jump the dog will be crossing as you take your photo.
Check the exposure, remember you want a fast shutter speed and if possible one stop down from wide open. So if you're at full telephoto, that's around f/5.6, increase the ISO if you can't get that.
Now, here is the trick.
Lean forwards.
Your head, and the camera are a foot or so closer to the jump.
Now focus on the jump.
If you're using S-AF don't let your finger off the button !
MF, just focus and you're good.
Straighten up.
Your focus is now closer to you than the jump.
Because you moved your head back.

When you see the dog jump - take the picture.
You should have the paws coming over the top of the jump.
But the focus will be on the dog, not the jump.


The same applies to the slalom weave between the poles in agility, you can get the dog's head just as it passes the pole, but a beautiful curve of the body behind.


Warning - maths ahead
Motion blur, how much will you have?
At 10mph the dog is covering 14.67 feet per second, that's only twice walking speed !
1/640s gives a movement of 0.27"
1/800s gives a movement of 0.22"
1/1000s gives a movement of 0.17"
Head-on you might not notice the difference, but I'd prefer to go faster because of the vertical bounce you'll see with a small dog.

Remember it's all about timing, and at the speed the dog runs, you have one shot to get it right. You might think burst mode would help, but even 6 frames a second the dog can be moving too fast to be in focus.
Again 10mph, 14.67 feet per second.
Now take 6.5 frames per second and the dog is moving 2.25 feet between frames.
With your camera and lens at 150mm zoom, f/5 will only give 9.6" DoF 20 feet away.
So at fastest burst speed, you might get the dog in focus once, at random.


All of which comes back to you, the photographer, taking the picture at the right moment.
Practice, practice, practice.

Please show us some more, I love flyball and agility - and I'm not a dog !

[retroactiv]

I like this shot and would like to see more of your four legged athlete, crop out that blurred out leg, and follow Wombats advice on the manual focus and you'll have some great looking shots.

And welcome to the forum.

[Cynthia Blue]

Thanks so much for the information! I'm going out to flyball practice again today so was reading up and will practice what you have told me about.

I like taking box turn pictures too... I have one that I'll post up later as I've got to run!

[Lori11]

I love the shot and yes it's a sport! I can't wait to see more. I have a 7 month old Border Collie/Blue Heeler mix and I cant wait till he starts with the frisbee!

[Cynthia Blue]

Okay... well then.

Here is Apache on the box. Nice turn, but our team is thinking the box is not shooting the ball out fast enough, thus her nose is squished on the box. Also, she is deaf. She is such a good, smart girl. She has a gorgeous box turn.

This picture has an exposure of 1/800 sec at f 5.0 (it was set on auto action setting). I took it on March 9th at our practice, we always practice with a prop in front of the box. Though Apache doesn't really need it.

[Cynthia Blue]

And here's Apache doing a nice fumble on the box. Kinda fun shot, though. I took this one today... 1/1000 at 5.0. Still on auto action. When I had the camera on S for shutter, it wouldn't take the shots very fast sequentially. Not sure why. It did when I had it on auto.