[emilf]

Well, not really - actually quite the opposite. I had been planning to stick to my Canon P&S until some time this summer after the new models come out, but then this weekend I came across a really good deal on a *ist D ($255 new, body only) and decided to go ahead with that. I figure maybe around next christmas I might treat myself to one of the new models.

Anyways - my only accomodating subject has been our yellow Lab, so I thought I'd post a couple of the better shots of him.

Let me know what you think - this is my first dSLR, and it has been a while since I used a film SLR.

All images: *ist D w. Pentax SMC DA 18-55mm

First image:
55mm, 1/350th, F11, ISO200

Second Image:
35mm, 1/125th, F8, ISO200

Third Image:
24mm, 1/750th, F9.5, ISO200
Technically this is not ideal as some of his fur is blown and focus might have been a little better on the face. Besides - bermuda grass looks ugly in the winter.

Fourth Image:
26mm, 1/90th, F5.6, ISO400
I call this "A Labs View of the World". He's all Lab, so his sole focus is on his tennis balls - everything else is OOF when a ball is around.

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[vievetrick]

Dog days for sure. Lots of dog posts today 01/07/08. Nice work and nice new toy.

[Neisey]

I love the last one! As I was scrolling down and just the top portion of the photo came into view I was thinking to myself that you may have messed up on focusing but when the whole photo came into view I got it! I might try to recreate this with my Chocolate lab.

[mtnbearhug]

Labs are wonderful aren't they???

Your first picture is very good.. It is a classic lab pose.. you have a beautiful animal... Makes me miss having one of my own...

The last shot I had that same thoughts as Neisey about it possibly being an out of focus.. but then saw the ball.. I think I would of rather saw the ball out of focus and the dog in focus.. to me this shot is alittle lop sided as is.. but that is just my 2 cents worth.. which doesnt even buy a piece a bubblegum anymore..

Thanks for sharing.... Keep that model of your busy and keep playin!!

Kim

[m8o]

lol! Dogs... my favorite subject too. I hope you find and participate in the "Your Pet A Day" thread.

A few thoughts from the initial view.
- I feel most of them, except #2.
- Unlike cat's eyes dog's eyes are difficult to get striking; #1 does a great job of it.
- I really love the effect you were going for in #4. It's something I will try myself, getting the dog a bit further in the OOF area. There's probably an optimal point between detail and blur that will only be found through trial and error; which also varies with every lens in how they render the OOF area (most here call bokeh). I'll try with perhaps a longer lens, closer to the toy, with the dog further away to give even a softer OOF rendering.

[paden501]

I really liked the second one.

Also, great creative idea with the last shot... it looks like it could be the backdrop for a tennis ball magazine ad or something. Good stuff!

[hamidlmt]

Your last shot is wonderful! I too started to scroll down, wondering... hmm... really out of focus... then... the ball! It's a perfect example of where a centered subject works so brilliantly. Dig it!

Not so in the first and second shots... they're ok, except you've got the subject right there in the middle. The composition just isn't inspiring at all to me. Still, a couple of cute snapshots.

The third is a dandy action shot. Too bad about cutting out the paw in the bottom of the frame... but, it still works well.

[Pooky125]

I love your first shot. Exactly how most people picture a big yellow lab.

However

I find your second shot more true to the personality of the breed of dog, which makes it a gem. Not to mention, the exposure is about spot on. I'd maybe go a little lighter, but not much.

The third shot, I'd love to see redone come summer, when your grass is bright green. I think that would really make it.

The fourth shot is definitly my favorite of the bunch. That's a look I know well.

Overall, they're great!

[emilf]

Thank you for the comments. I really appreciate them - and let me point out for the record that I don't mind negative comments at all, that's really the best way to learn.

I definitely do enjoy using an SLR again compared to a P&S. There is just something about the sound of the mirror and shutter mechanism that makes it feel more like you are actually taking photographs. Having a true viewfinder is great as well as the more substantial feel of the camera. I really like the weight and grip on the *ist D.

As for the photos:

1) This is a photo I could get him to do day in and day out because he just loves to pose like that. He sits up so straight that he's almost falling backwards, and as pointed our this is the typical lab pose/look. Whenever I pull out the camera he will just walk over, sit down and look at me like 'ok, I'm ready now'.

2) This one stood out to me because, but I can't really say why. There's just something about the way his head is turned... As Pooky125 mentioned I think the exposure came out pretty good although it's true that I might have been a little heavy handed using the curves tool. That's a problem with the laptop I use for editing - I tend to make photos too dark. As for composition I would have liked to move him more to the left in the shot to follow the 1/3rds a little more. It would also have opened up to lead to think more about what he was looking at, but I didn't frame it like that when I took it and there was not enough room for a crop like that.

Neither of the shots above were taken for any particular artistic or technical reason. I was just taking shots to learn the camera.

3) I hadn't really been successful taking action shots with my P&S, so I wanted to try something there. Some turned out nice and sharp - at least the half of the dog that was actually in the frame; some were framed nicely but completely out of focus and most were neither...
This one was the best of the 'neither'. The paw was cut off, so I tried to rescue it with a crop that was fairly close at the top too and put a lot more emphasis on the ball by giving it its own half of the frame. As mentioned nice green grass would have added appeal too - I'm sure there's a reason no one designed a backdrop featuring a dormant Bermuda lawn :-)

4) This is really the first one that I actually put some thought into. It kind of evolved from first taking one of him chewing on his ball, but taken down at his level, to telling a little 'story' about the dog while using a slightly unusual visual approach. I was hoping to first confuse a little with the majority of the picture being out of focus, then leading the eyes downwards as you follow his gaze to the ball that then almost pops right out at you.

I'm glad that this is the one that grabbed the most of the attention.

I would like to make a different version of this that would be a more true representation of the 'story'. Right now it is the dog that is blurry while it really should be me if it is from the dogs point of view. It would be cool to take this truly from the dogs point of view by having the paws stretching forward from behind the lens with the ball in focus but then have a human be the blurred object in the background.

I also think m8o is right that there is room for plenty of experimentation with dof and the type of bokeh different lenses might produce. Someone else will have to do that right now though since I only have the 18-55 DA :-)

I'll also have to check out the 'Your pet a day' thread. We have another dog which is completely black with shiny fur - I have never been able to consistently get good pictures of her. Only one turned out really nice, but I can't really post that here since it was taken with my Canon A570 IS.

[hamidlmt]

I would like to make a different version of this that would be a more true representation of the 'story'. Right now it is the dog that is blurry while it really should be me if it is from the dogs point of view. It would be cool to take this truly from the dogs point of view by having the paws stretching forward from behind the lens with the ball in focus but then have a human be the blurred object in the background.

Now that's one spiffy idea!! You could make a diptych out of the 2!

But, good luck getting your dog to hold the camera.... mine is too lazy to take pictures!