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wolf


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Best of 2022 (Extended Editing) (Extended Editing*)
Collection: Challenges
Camera: Canon EOS R5
Lens: Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8 L IS USM
Date: Oct 10, 2022
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO: 1600
Shutter: 1/2000s
Date Uploaded: Feb 20, 2023

I don’t expect this to do well. No extended editing here besides cloning out a branch in the lower right portion of the photo. Was my 2nd choice for the Best of 2022 challenge, so now I get to submit it here.

This pic validated my decision to get back into photography. I love taking pics of my dogs. Shot @ 200mm, Nova is running extremely fast here to get back to me. Focus is spot on and the quality of the print is exceptional (IMOP) ;)

[Mar. 5th, 2023 11:51:07 AM]

Um...what?!

Votes: 20
Views: 35
Avg Vote: 7.7000
Comments: 2

Statistics
Place: 3 out of 43
Avg (all users): 7.3913
Avg (participants): 7.2400
Avg (non-participants): 7.5714
Views since voting: 271
Views during voting: 75
Votes: 46
Comments: 10
Favorites: 0


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AuthorThread
03/11/2023 03:15:10 PM
Originally posted by wolf:

Wow, totally shocked this did as well as it did; thank you so much everyone!! Happy with the result given the amazing pics in this challenge. Too many Update button clicks this week for me LOL. Snagged a new score PB.

roz, the Canon R5 AF on full display here + RF 70-200 2.8. The AF is crazy AF, pun intended and the glass is also outstanding. My keeper rate of sharp action shots with my dogs is around 90%. With my old 5Dmkii I'd be lucky at 5-10%. Now my issue is how does the dog look in that tac sharp pic? Which is a good problem to have.

In terms of settings beyond aperture, shutter and ISO, I have back button focus enabled. I have spot focus enabled with initial servo AF Pt set for when tracking starts. This just helps pick up the action from where my AF point is. Animal eye detection is enabled and I am using Case 1 servo AF (multi purpose).

Then in terms of Nova. This was taken on a hike, and I found a pleasing path. Asked her to sit and then I moved down the path and got down on the ground. Released her, but did not do a massive continuous burst. Never works out, too much luck involved. Instead I try to predict her leaps and bounds and press the shutter than. BBF really helps here. Then lots of treats for Nova. Repeated as necessary. I think maybe 4 or 5 runs to get this. I don’t push it much as the dogs prefer the hiking part. But the treats help balance it out :)

Finally having 45mp to play with gives a lot of options in terms with of crop. This pic was snapped as a landscape. But I preferred the portrait view and cropped it that way.


Hey Nick .. your modesty is endearing .. lol .. as this is one of the best 'dog running towards you' images i've seen .. !!..
and congrats on the new PB .. thats definitely a cause for celebration ..
thankyou so much for giving me all the details .. and lol . AF pun .. that was funny ..
and the keeper rate .. INSANE ..
Gaby kasaba took another magic shot of a dog running towards her and she gave me lots of info on how she did that ..
this is what she said .. and i'm putting it in here for anyone else who struggles with this type of action shot ..

"So,here is how I like to shoot the action dogs:
Use a zoom lens so there is a good distance between where you shoot the dog and the camera. If the camera is too close some dogs slow down because they don't want to run into the camera. You don't want that.
If they jump on cue, then obviously have something they can jump over. But even "non-jumping" dogs will "jump" over a log if it is in their path (assuming the are healthy, no back issues etc.)

So find a path or a cut grass area that will give a nice picture and a clear "path" for the dog to run on (dogs like running along paths) put a log on the ground. set the camera up on a tripod/bag, so the log is in focus. Switch to manual focusing (so the camera doesn't start tracking all sorts of "other" things). Have the camera as low to the ground as you can. Take some test shots for light etc.
If your camera can, set it on multiple fast shutter release (can't remember off hand what the right term is)
Get the dog and some doggy treats ;-P. Ask someone to hold him a good distance on the other side of the log ... 4-5 meters perhaps? so he gets nice speed as he comes to you - but play around, some dogs run around the log if they are too far away. You are preferably standing right over the camera (with a remote release/cable release - if you haven't got that then you have to kneel down so you can release the shutter). Now call the dog in an excited voice ... he should run right at you (camera). When he crosses the log release the shutter :-). If you have the multi high speed shutter release thing and you are new to this, start well before he gets to the log so you will definitely have a few shots of him over the log and one at least should be nice.

Depending on the size of log and what you want it for, you can either make it look like he is "jumping", or edit the log out and it will look like he is just running at you :-). "


i will definitely take yours and Gaby's wonderful advice on board .. although i dont have some of the options on my olympus mirrorless .. tried really hard to enable back button like i used on my canon .. but wasnt able to find out how on the oly ..
also i think it would be easier if tod wasnt quite so small ... and not as quick .. none of the dogs he meets can catch him .. !! ..

thanks again Nick .. greatly appreciated .. :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/10/2023 12:08:18 PM
Oh My Goodness! I love this image it is beautiful and so well taken. Yes, the R5 is incredible, in this case so is the photographer. Best running dog shot portrait I ever saw!
Congratulations.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/10/2023 10:38:49 AM
This was my pick for blue; wonderful pet portrait.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/10/2023 08:49:51 AM
Wow, totally shocked this did as well as it did; thank you so much everyone!! Happy with the result given the amazing pics in this challenge. Too many Update button clicks this week for me LOL. Snagged a new score PB.

roz, the Canon R5 AF on full display here + RF 70-200 2.8. The AF is crazy AF, pun intended and the glass is also outstanding. My keeper rate of sharp action shots with my dogs is around 90%. With my old 5Dmkii I'd be lucky at 5-10%. Now my issue is how does the dog look in that tac sharp pic? Which is a good problem to have.

In terms of settings beyond aperture, shutter and ISO, I have back button focus enabled. I have spot focus enabled with initial servo AF Pt set for when tracking starts. This just helps pick up the action from where my AF point is. Animal eye detection is enabled and I am using Case 1 servo AF (multi purpose).

Then in terms of Nova. This was taken on a hike, and I found a pleasing path. Asked her to sit and then I moved down the path and got down on the ground. Released her, but did not do a massive continuous burst. Never works out, too much luck involved. Instead I try to predict her leaps and bounds and press the shutter than. BBF really helps here. Then lots of treats for Nova. Repeated as necessary. I think maybe 4 or 5 runs to get this. I don’t push it much as the dogs prefer the hiking part. But the treats help balance it out :)

Finally having 45mp to play with gives a lot of options in terms with of crop. This pic was snapped as a landscape. But I preferred the portrait view and cropped it that way.

Message edited by author 2023-03-10 18:06:50.
03/10/2023 07:18:04 AM
Congratulations!! I was really hoping this would ribbon. An exceptionally vibrant and exuberant capture.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/10/2023 12:13:46 AM
SO SO HAPPY this got a ribbon ..
and hit your expectations out of the park ..
I LOVE THIS SO MUCH .
do you give lessons on how to capture a dog racing fast towards you .
MAGIC ..
i'm wondering if there are particular camera settings that make this not so much of a miracle ..
not continuous or single shot .. but the 'deeper' settings ..
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
03/09/2023 02:55:17 PM
My pick for red in this challenge.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/06/2023 09:25:25 AM
This is a wonderful capture. Beautiful light and sharpness. The only element that may be a touch off is the DOF on the ground doesn’t quite appear to match the DOF on the dog. 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/04/2023 11:44:58 AM
Great catch
  Photographer found comment helpful.
03/03/2023 07:57:32 AM
ribbon for sure ... one of my favourites in this challenge .. everything about this is perfection .. tac sharp focus just where it needs to be .. gorgeous depth of field ..
and last but definitely not least .. very beautiful dog .. :)
not voting yet .. :)


not voting yet :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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