Action Pics -- Camera Question

[ParNone]

I've been trying to get some action shots of Oz and I want
the background to be blurred and so far I haven't been
successful. Anybody had any luck getting this to work with a
digital camera? and if so, how'd you do it? oh and post your
action shots...

http://whitetrashdumbutt.homestead.com/files/oz_motion1.jpg

http://whitetrashdumbutt.homestead.com/files/oz_motion2.jpg

http://whitetrashdumbutt.homestead.com/files/oz_motion6.jpg

Par...

[primabella]

I know what you mean. The only ones I got out successfully were

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid60/pa60dfd09fcf9c82f924187453e06e1d1/fc491be0.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid60/pd426db21632114794d752063cf2e9c2c/fc4aac13.jpg

Oz is looking great as always :)

[ParNone]

Hi prima!

I really like that shot of Mickey headed towards the camera.

I'd still really like to figure out how to blur the background
though. I've seen some really kewl pictures, where the
dog was perfectly in focus, in motion, and the background looked
really artistic, because it was blurred.

Par...

PS: notice the color of how grass is actually suppose to look;)

[primabella]

Originally posted by ParNone
PS: notice the color of how grass is actually suppose to look;)

Oh, shut-up! ;) It's not MY fault the snow chooses to be super mean to OUR grass :p Hehe

[Cinder & Smoke]

A true *blurr* of the background,
with the main subject *sharp* and in focus -
happens when the camera is moved - to follow the Moving Subject. The difference in the fixed bacground and the Movement (or "panning") of the camera causes the background to *blurr*.

If the camera movement exactly matches the speed and direction of the subject (dawg)... the Dawg will appear frozen and sharp on a blurred background.

If the camera movement is slightly slower (or faster), or in a different direction than the dawg is moving; BOTH the subject Dawg AND the background will appear blurred, but to different degrees.

The effect is more pronounced if the subject and camera are moving left or right horizontally; the
effect is much less if the subject is moving toward or away from the camera.

Take LOTS of practice shots - digital "film" is nice and CHEAP!
Don't like the shot?
*Erase* it and shoot another!

[ramanth]

I know 400 speed 35mm film will give you the blurred background as long as you can keep up with the subject matter. (I shot some film of horses running in a corral for college)

Not sure how you'd achieve the same effect with a digi cam... I'd go with Phred's suggestion. :)

Love the pics of Oz and Mickey. :D

[Dakota's Mommy]

Great pics there, so cute!

[ParNone]

Thanks Phred! I'm gonna try it as soon as I get home tonight.
Course I'm not sure I'm coordinated to pull it off, but you're
right, that is the beauty of digital cameras... the wonderful lil'
erase button...:)

Hi Ramanth! I sometimes feel like I'm taking pictures of a horse,
where Oz is concerned.:)

Thanks Dakota's Mommy!

[ParNone]

Weeeeelllllll no luck so far. I tried it and I never really got the
type of blurring effect I was going for... and either everything
in the picture was slightly blurry or everything was in focus.

Here's some shots I got while experimenting:

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid60/pa5ece6bf07d5ecb9d2890bdab16a985a/fc474eb7.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid60/p1e2d6402a0e8e1d24ddf972b31e4f640/fc474ec1.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid60/p33f23202f9748039ff360f309523674a/fc474ebd.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid60/pba2aff576a9c44fce076486e672d1ae3/fc474ebc.jpg

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid60/pe37276cb6c70b4d2b33da643f7847b98/fc474eb9.jpg

Par...

[Sara luvs her Tinky]

Phred is right..

We went to the Petit Lemans race and I had to turn my head while the cars drove past to take a pic of the car without it being blurred... (seeing how they were traveling 200 mph)

and the cars turned out perfect and the background is a big blurr... so try moving your head/camera with the subject and the background should be blurred.

[Freckles]

You may need another person to call Oz so he'll run from left to right (or right to left) across in front of you. Running toward you won't work.

[ParNone]

Thanks Sara! I'm gonna keep trying. Were you using a digital
camera?

Hey Freckles! Actually I got a couple of chances to shoot him,
while he was going left to right and everytime, the shutter
was so slow after I pressed the button, that he was no longer
left to right by the time it actually took the shot. I'm gonna
have to play with the settings and see if I can get the shutter
to be faster. And another person calling him would definitely
help too.

Par...

[Cinder & Smoke]

Find a nice background -
maybe a tree, or bush, stone wall, wood fence...

FOCUS on a rock or leaf that's maybe 5-6 feet in front of the background (FOCUS on something CLOSER to you than the background...

Now raise the camera up so the background object is IN the viewfinder...

Now hold camera to face;
slowly pivot your whole body, face & camera from left to right...
Part way through your pivot,
*fire* the camera while you continue to pivot/rotate/turn.

See what ya got...
should be a nicely *blurred* background.
Now continue practicing with different SPEEDS of your body's turning/pivoting motion... the amount of *blurr* will be proportional to your turning/pivoting speed.

After you get *good* at blurring the background...
NOW get someone to stand to the side and call Oz - so he *runs* over you focus-on rock or leaf -
Oz runs parallel with the background - from your left to right (or right to left - whutevur!)...
Match the turning/pivoting speed of your face, camera & body to HIS speed - KEEP him *centered* in the viewfinder...
*Fire* the camera when he's directly in front of you - and continue aiming AT him - as you contiue to turn your head & camera, and the camera completes the shot.

Digital Delay - the eternity between when you *Klik da Kliker* an the stoopid camera sez "WHO, Me...? OH... TAKE da Picture??? NOW???? OK, *KLIK*"... :rolleyes:

Remember Oz has to be running "across" - side to side - in Front of you - NOT "AT" you.

Did we mention - this requires *practice*?? :p

[Cookiebaker]

Originally posted by Cinder & Smoke
Digital Delay - the eternity between when you *Klik da Kliker* an the stoopid camera sez "WHO, Me...? OH... TAKE da Picture??? NOW???? OK, *KLIK*"... :rolleyes:



Oh my, Phred....you have such a way of putting things!!! Thanks for the much needed laugh tonight!!! :D

[Sara luvs her Tinky]

no.... i wasn't using a digital camera.. but I am sure it should make the same effect...

and OZ is beautiful as usual...

[wolfsoul]

Here are some of my action shots...they usually come out blurry lol

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid53/p7c193bc206d72fa0ff6ae586488b99bf/fc8c1cfc.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid53/pd54d0db70e5cf16374492618880d0b33/fc8bf63c.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid56/pa457b4ef24e1010b9fdc8cd6a25344e0/fc7835e3.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid59/p069b8891036bbecf05ce48b179cc2432/fc59d76f.jpg
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid59/pb9023bb3c79be49862803e542efea218/fc59d772.jpg

[anna_66]

If it does you could set it up to take alot of pictures, one right after another (ours will take up to 45). Maybe this would help with the slow fire? Just a thought!

[ParNone]

Phred!!!! Thanks much!! Great Instructions and funny too...:)
I tried again and made some progress this morning.

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid60/pea7516a92f73bba5483b30ff1b2c37a9/fc4683f3.jpg

This one isn't part of the blurring experimentation this morning.
This is Oz, during the experimentation, wanting to know why I'm
all a sudden so interested in taking boring ole pictures of shrubs,
when I could be taking beautiful shots of his glorious mug.
http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid60/pd035440af602c94be08b4b5753e832fa/fc4683f1.jpg

Thanks for the additions wolfsoul!

Hi Anna! Yeh I'm gonna have to get out the manual and play
around with the settings some more, cuz with good lighting, it
just seems like it should shoot faster.

Par...

[Jack'sMom]

Ok, so I just have to post this one of Jack - all 4 feet off the ground! What a weirdo!

[anna_66]

That's a good one Jack'sMom!

[Randi]

Like Phred says, it takes some practising to get it right. His advise is excellent!

Another tip is to make sure the red eye setting is on OFF, as that will make it slower. ;)

An action shot of our Inka ! Sorry, this is NOT a doggie, but it is a great shot, hey
http://users.pandora.be/bernardgabriels/images/crazy%20inka.jpg

[marysmerrycats]

Oz is such a beautiful dog!

Lut that IS a great pic of Inca!

[Shelteez2]

Phred described it perfectly. You have to move the camera quickly to blur the background. The camera has to be moving at the same pace as your dog, and the faster your dog is going the more blurred your background will be.

Since my shelties only have two speeds.. fast and faster.... I've had a lot of practice. Thank doG for digitals.....
Here are some examples.....

http://mediaservice.photoisland.com/auction/Jul/20047167114955811197367.jpg

http://mediaservice.photoisland.com/auction/Jul/20047161638878647668534.jpg

http://mediaservice.photoisland.com/auction/Jul/20047164420716247771949.jpg

http://mediaservice.photoisland.com/auction/Jul/20047165414568798382031.jpg

http://mediaservice.photoisland.com/auction/Jul/20047154636154461031072.jpg

[Freckles]

Thanks for the super examples.
What settings do you use on your camera?

[Shelteez2]

The same settings that are always on the camera... I never change them except to change the white balance from indoor to outdoor. Other than that it atumatically focuses... I just have to point and shoot. :)

[dappledoxie]

Wow great shots! I've gotten some nice action shots here lately, never noticed to be honest if I moved the camera with the dog though, I bet that's why some come out nice and clear and others not so much lol!

http://img22.photobucket.com/albums/v67/dachshundfriends/July%202004/IMG_0533.jpg
http://img22.photobucket.com/albums/v67/dachshundfriends/July%202004/IMG_0456.jpg
http://img22.photobucket.com/albums/v67/dachshundfriends/July%202004/IMG_0444.jpg
http://img22.photobucket.com/albums/v67/dachshundfriends/July%202004/IMG_0494.jpg