SHARE YOUR PHOTO TIPS - NO PHOTOS IN THIS THREAD

[Keeper]

• Don't let the "rule of thirds" stifle your digital animal photography. So many cameras have software that help you to crop and resize…there are zillions of digital software packages on the market to help you after you have captured your photo.
• Unless you are a pro and/or know your 'heavy equipment', a  smaller digital camera carried with you can make it easier to take photos. 
• With a digital camera you have the opportunity to save and delete at will! Snap plenty of digital photos to compensate for random animal movements.
• Use a Polarizing Filter Near Water - these filters can reduce reflections that might otherwise overpower the images you are trying to capture. Don't have one?  Polarized sunglasses work too.
• Don't just focus on the animals - Digital photos of peoples' interactions with animals can help tell a story.
• Use a fast shutter speed or Sports setting on your camera to compensate for fast animal movements with your digital camera settings.
• A tripod can help steady your shot and free you to be in the photo with your dog.  I carry two in my van, the standard and a bendable one that I can wrap around trees, fences, poles.
• But when up against the right backdrop, a blurred animal might help make an attractive digital photo.
• Keep animals' eyes focused and clear in your digital photos, if using your cameras  auto setting  the rest of the animal should be in the same depth of (field) focus too.
• Avoid flash with your digital camera whenever possible to keep animals from getting startled. And to avoid the dreaded red, blue, white zombie eye.
• If your dog isn't used to photos, give a toy or small treat to keep them still and within the range of your camera.
• Shoot Different Angles.  By varying the angles of your shots you can create many interesting effects.
• Use your digital camera's optical zoom to record detail.
• Show Patience - The best things come to those who wait


Sandra

[shodyL]

Great tips already. 

I would suggest when looking for a camera, test them.  buy the one with the fastest time from pressing the button to taking the picture.  Some have a big delay, and by the time it snaps, the dog has moved on!  I happen to have a Good (translates to expensive!) Olympus camera that is very fast and takes shots in succession.   Always use a sport setting to capture action, but when the dogs slow down, go to the portrait mode, this will blur the background for nice effect.  If you have the option, set the focus to just the center of the shot, so it will be more likely to only focus on the dog you are aiming at, and not the bush next to him.  My camera also has the option to have a fast auto focus mode, that adjusts quickly as the dog is running towards or away from you, increasing the likely hood that some will be in focus!

And take LOTS of shots.  I usually come home with anywhere from 150 to 400 shots.....  to get the 20-40 or so I post.....

[RhodieRidge]

I am in charge of taking shots of the boarding dogs at work when we are out playing in the yards to then display throughout our building.

Some tips Ive come up with over the years is that dogs tend to look "happier" when their tongues are hanging out/panting after playing rather than a closed mouth shot. It makes more of a smiling appearance.

Making a noise out of the blue will most of the time get a dog to look at you. Any kind of squeaky, high pitched, dying animal noise tends to work great.

To get a dog to look really attentive, if they may already be looking at you or have their ears back or something.. offer them to go for a "WALK?" or "COOKIE?" Generally all those *key* words we use with our own dogs to tempt them are universally known in the dog world and a simple word or phrase like "You wanna GO?.." will get a nice head cock or erect ears!

Try to kneel down, or at least hold the camera at your waist (easier if you have digital cameras than the older film models with viewfinders). Get on the dog's level for the photo instead of always shooting down at the dog.

[sirsloop]

Here's a simple tip for people that have point and shoot camera's.  I'm sure you all have been waiting to take an action photo, had your camera out, hit the button at the peak moment....and....and...waiting....and......... crap missed it... oh there it just took a picture of the ground! zzzzz!!! 

Here's a quick n easy way to get around that annoying lag.  P&S cameras are not as robust as SLR's, so it takes a second for them to auto focus, meter the picture, and finally take the photo when you press the shutter button.  The simple tip is to hold down the shutter half way before the action, prefocus where you think you'll be shooting, and wait for the "ready to shoot" box appears on the screen.  Now just hold down that button half way until your dog does something cool, then press it the rest of the way.  You'll probably notice the camera responds much faster!

Or... you could just get an SLR and enjoy lag free shooting!! 

[BearCreekFarm]

Thanks Everyone for posting your tips.

I am shopping for a digital SLR camera- any advice on what to get?
I have a somewhat flexible budget (within reason- I'm not looking at $8000 cameras, lol), but I will need the camera as well as any accessories (lenses, flash, tripods, computer software, etc).

I just enrolled in a local community college and will be taking photography and graphic design classes, so I want to get something that will see me through the program without having to upgrade.

My main interests at this time are, of course, taking pictures of the pups, including action shots of them hunting and lure coursing, and I will continue to do all the pictures for our local pet rescue, only, hopefully, they will turn out a lot better than what I have been doing with my P&S. I'd like to be able to do some close-up shots of bees foraging on plants for our beekeeping website. Not sure about video- it's not something I have had much interest in before, but that might change once I get a camera in my hands again.

Oh, and back in the pre-digital era, I was always a Nikon user and unless things have changed dramatically, I am probably leaning in that direction again.

Thanks,

Elizabeth Williams
Tchaka
http://tchakasadventureblog.blogspot.com/