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Shot from the foot
Lens: Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC Camera: K-5 IIs Photo Location: Tempe Sports Center ISO: 1600 Aperture: F1.4 
Posted By: scratchpaddy, 06-17-2013, 10:05 PM

A few months ago, I was introduced to a little technique that's turned out to be a lot of fun. It lets you capture fast-moving dogs without focusing or even looking at the camera!

It's really not that involved, and I'm sure it's been done before, but it's so much fun I thought I'd share it anyway, for those of you who haven't thought of this already.

Here's how:
  1. Put the camera on manual focus, and set the focus to a short distance away. For dogs, I've found that between 1.5m and 3m works best.
  2. Set the camera to continuous burst.
  3. Wide apertures are recommended
  4. Get the camera really low, like at the dog's level or even lower. Hence the title.
  5. When a dog is about to run past you, through the focal plane, fire away. One of the shots is likely do be in focus. Lucky for you, it's digital! Delete the others, and enjoy your one amazing shot!

Of course, when you're trying to aim your camera way down there, it's trial-and-error. You'll miss lots of shots, but trust me, it makes it so much more worth it when you nail the focus. I suppose you could lie down and aim the normal way, but you know what happens on the ground at dog parks.


Wheee!










Om nom nom

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06-17-2013, 10:12 PM   #2
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These are great action shots with excellent clarity, really enjoyed the view. Now I have to buy a dog.
06-17-2013, 10:18 PM   #3
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QuoteOriginally posted by Bob Harris Quote
These are great action shots with excellent clarity, really enjoyed the view. Now I have to buy a dog.
No, no! You need to adopt a dog! That's what you meant, right? I love my mutt.

Thanks for the compliments. I know my dog's mother would love to accompany you. She loves car rides.
06-18-2013, 02:43 AM   #4
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Whee indeed. I love fresh approaches to action photography.
The first one is great.

What kind of shutter speed do you use? It looks to be faster than 1/1000 ?

Regards,
--Anders.

06-18-2013, 06:09 AM   #5
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Super-shots! Your technique gives great results. TFS.
06-18-2013, 06:35 AM   #6
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Thanks for sharing the technique. Love the results and it is a great way to capture all the action.
06-18-2013, 10:50 AM   #7
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Great from that level. #1 is really cool.

06-18-2013, 10:57 AM   #8
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QuoteOriginally posted by asp1880 Quote
Whee indeed. I love fresh approaches to action photography.
The first one is great.

What kind of shutter speed do you use? It looks to be faster than 1/1000 ?

Regards,
--Anders.
Thanks for the kind words. You're spot on about the first two: #1 is 1/000, and #2 is 1/1600. The next two are 1/400 and 1/500, respectively. That fast lens really came in handy!

QuoteOriginally posted by causey Quote
Super-shots! Your technique gives great results. TFS.
You should get out and try it! I'm sure it would be great with kids, too.

QuoteOriginally posted by slowpez Quote
Thanks for sharing the technique. Love the results and it is a great way to capture all the action.
I had a lot of fun doing it, too. If you leave out the part about resting the camera on your foot and not looking through the viewfinder, it's also a great way to get action shots from fast manual-focus lenses.

I've seen some expressions on my dog in these pictures that I never knew she made. I thought this one was pretty interesting. She reminds me of those heraldry wolves. I always thought those poses looked silly, but it turns out they look just like that sometimes!



QuoteOriginally posted by Den Quote
Great from that level. #1 is really cool.
Thanks! It really pops out at you, doesn't it? I think #4 is my personal favorite, even though it's slightly out of focus.
06-18-2013, 11:33 AM   #9
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Excellent shots! There is an easier way when using recent Pentax bodies, use CIF with a wired shutter release, you won't even have to touch the camera after you set it - just lock the shutter release. I use the cheap opteka plastic sstabilizer as ground feet for the body to ensure the camera doesn't tip over with certain lenses.
06-18-2013, 01:38 PM   #10
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I am totally going to try this tonight when I play fetch with my dogs. Thanks for the ideas!
06-18-2013, 07:33 PM   #11
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QuoteOriginally posted by joe.penn Quote
Excellent shots! There is an easier way when using recent Pentax bodies, use CIF with a wired shutter release, you won't even have to touch the camera after you set it - just lock the shutter release. I use the cheap opteka plastic sstabilizer as ground feet for the body to ensure the camera doesn't tip over with certain lenses.
That's a great idea! Thanks for the tip. I think, for this particular situation, I'd prefer burst mode, though. Things are so hectic that it's nice to be able to pick the focus after you've taken all the pictures. The in-focus point that works could be anywhere in the frame. You have to pick that point beforehand for CIF, right?

Your technique would definitely be a winner in a more controlled situation, like cars driving down a track, or a runner sliding in to home base.

QuoteOriginally posted by Homo_erectus Quote
am totally going to try this tonight when I play fetch with my dogs. Thanks for the ideas!
Sure thing! I was hoping someone would get inspired. Show us what you get, okay?
06-18-2013, 08:40 PM   #12
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QuoteOriginally posted by scratchpaddy Quote
Sure thing! I was hoping someone would get inspired. Show us what you get, okay?
I only had a few minutes and I was also experimenting with the remote release for my camera so the results weren't awesome but I like this shot.




I am for sure going to continue experimenting because if I can get the focus worked out this could yield some awesome shots. Next time I can try this in bright light, I'm going to try hyperfocal focusing and see if I can get *everything* in focus. Also, holy wow can you burn through a memory card in no time flat with the K5ii on high speed shooting. I took 8 gigs of shots in about ten minutes. lol
06-18-2013, 09:53 PM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by Homo_erectus Quote
I am for sure going to continue experimenting because if I can get the focus worked out this could yield some awesome shots. Next time I can try this in bright light, I'm going to try hyperfocal focusing and see if I can get *everything* in focus. Also, holy wow can you burn through a memory card in no time flat with the K5ii on high speed shooting. I took 8 gigs of shots in about ten minutes. lol
That's a great start! Your Corgi is a difficult subject, being so low to the ground.

There was a Boston terrier at the park that I had a lot of trouble photographing. My goal was to get him to fill as much of the frame as possible, but he was so small! I'd focus too close, or he just wouldn't be in the frame at all.



If I were you, I'd focus closer and aim up a bit, so that the ground only occupies a tiny bit of the frame. You'll get a really interesting perspective that way.

You're not kidding about the memory card. I used up more than half of a 32GB card in an hour. Luckily for your hard drive, most of those pictures go straight to the trash. Thank goodness for digital!
06-19-2013, 12:23 AM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by scratchpaddy Quote
Things are so hectic that it's nice to be able to pick the focus after you've taken all the pictures. The in-focus point that works could be anywhere in the frame. You have to pick that point beforehand for CIF, right?
You can use catch-in-focus with auto-5 or auto-11 point selection. At least with made-for-digital lenses like your Sigma. Old M and K lenses only do CIF with the center point.

Regards,
--Anders.
06-19-2013, 07:09 AM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by scratchpaddy Quote
That's a great start! Your Corgi is a difficult subject, being so low to the ground.

There was a Boston terrier at the park that I had a lot of trouble photographing. My goal was to get him to fill as much of the frame as possible, but he was so small! I'd focus too close, or he just wouldn't be in the frame at all.



If I were you, I'd focus closer and aim up a bit, so that the ground only occupies a tiny bit of the frame. You'll get a really interesting perspective that way.

You're not kidding about the memory card. I used up more than half of a 32GB card in an hour. Luckily for your hard drive, most of those pictures go straight to the trash. Thank goodness for digital!
At first I was trying with the camera facing a very narrow place the dogs run through while chasing the ball. I had the focus wrong though so I got a bunch of badly out of focus shots :-( In one of them Ernie is sprinting by and all four of his feet are off the ground!

There's a ton of room for experiment here. I'll post more in a few days when I've had some time to shoot again.
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