tlc

Annie I was using one shot but now if the dogs are running I have been using IA Servo and if they are still I use AI focus, the way I understand it is if the subject is moving AI Servo tracks and focuses and AI focus is good if the subject is still but seems to be more intelligent and can tell if the subject moves and will move with it. Does this sound right? Kirislin, I have been the same and have had a good play today and yesterday, probably choosing a more challenging shoot in a bowling alley, talk about jump in the deep end, I got a few shots that Im happy with. I hope I can get the hang of it, I know practice makes perfect. :laugh: I wish the guy in the shop had not have said to me why not get the 5Dmk3, (he obviously works on commission, :laugh: ) but it was so much more than I wanted to or could afford to spend at this time. But Im guessing the 5D has a similar focus system. Ive been following a 5D FB page and wow some of the photos they are posting are just amazing! I have to stop thinking that way and get on with learning how to use what I have then when I do upgrade (whenever that may be ) Ill be prepared. I think coming from Nikon and being so used to that its been an interesting conversion!

All mine are hand held, Im too lazy for a tripod, although I do have one and use it if need be. I just started another challenge about focus, Im having a bit of trouble with the same issue so thought it might be an idea to have a separate thread for focus.

Thats funny! We had a lady come to obedience with a Frenchi called Gigi, she was a papered PB, she was the funniest most stubborn pig headed dog I have ever met, she was only young and her owner was so blasé, I think that was half the trouble! She told us of stories of Gigi being off lead and running away from them when they were out and about next to a road! I was horrified. :laugh: I only just posted in another thread about the difference between Frencies and Bostons. WIerd that the pound didn't know what they were. Most of the girls at the pound here are up with different breeds and even good at guessing crosses. Maybe she got them at a different pound. Sad they were there in the first place isn't it.

Just thought Id pop another challenge up, this is all about focus, I know all different cameras have different set ups with how they focus and lens will factor into it as well. but thought it might be interesting to see/hear people opinions on photos posted. Having a new camera I am having some issues with focus but slowly getting there. The focus system on the 7D is quite comprehensive, if any other 7D'ers would like to add how they use the focus system best on this particular camera for my benefit I'd be eternally grateful. I think after the last couple of days practice I am finally getting it. I have some pics to upload just waiting for them to transfer to the computer. So post away, pictures, comments, tips, anything to do with focus!

Yes only in PS, they introduce it in CS4, it's pretty amazing, I don't use PS a lot but for things like that it's great.

Great shot I love it! Do you use photoshop at all? There is a brilliant tool called content aware fill, if you wanted to remove the logo from the shirt you just select the logo and go to edit, fill, then content dare and click gone, just like that. It blends the colour around the thing you want to remove to make it the same. very clever, what used to take ages to do is now done in a few clicks.

Poor fella, I can imagine how you would have felt to knowing how frightened he was. His first 6 months may have been hell and what ever happened to him is deeply ingrained, they don't forget!

Yea I think your right, and like a lot of techniques look better on some photos than others, I wasn't a fan of HDR till I found a preset in lightroom that does a similar style and applied it to one pic I took and absolutely loved it, now I will at least experiment whereas before I wouldn't give it the time of day. i love exploring techniques and seeing what people come up with.

I love Lightroom, I've never used the brush, and I have found some of the presets I have used still do need a little tweak to get the look I want. I've only just started to use presets, I've even made a couple of my own. :laugh: Thanks for the feedback guys, it's great. Wish some more would post in here, come on guys get posting!

I've watched countless tutorials and have worked out the different focus points, there is a lot in this camera and you can quickly toggle through them to suit the situation, then there is 3 lots of focus settings, for moving not moving etc. I think the focus was definatley on the ball in this shot it was bright orange and out in front. I also think the B&W preset has given the whole shot a soft feel.

I'll have a better look at Flickr and see what I can find. Even that pic of Alec, its ok but Im struggling to see anything special about it! Didn't like the one of Clooney at all!

GG I'm wondering the same thing, I feed the lamb and rice and two of mine are in perfect nik, the other two are slightly tubby, if I feed the chicken and rice is it just a matter of giving the slighter ones more? I'll give it a try and keep on with the amounts I feed now and change amounts if I need to. I'm not due for a new bag for a while but hopefully our local will have it in by then.

:laugh: it's funny how many people say that! We have just put a makeshift fence up as one part of the yard floods in winter, but if they aren't inside with me they are just sleeping on the back deck, so really only use the yard for toileting, unless I'm chasing them with the camera. :laugh: like in these photos!

I must have a bad eye, to me they just look like regular photos. Although I'm only on my iPad, I'll have a look on my Mac later. Jo have you got a link to Alec?

Ok I'll bite! What sort of decent breeder in their right minds would pass their pups onto a pet shop to live In a glass cage in horrid conditions to wait for someone (goodness knows who) to come along and buy said puppies. Decent breeders want to know who is buying their pups and what sort of homes they are going to. Plus pet shops charge more money for dogs than a decent reasonable breeder, funny about that. I could go on all night but for now that is all!!!

Oh I meant to add, got any photos to share of your girl? :)

Your instincts are spot on, I'd nip this in the bud now. Puppies are excitable enough without being rough housed and roused up. We had a rule when mine were pups, no rough housing what so ever, toys and training games are fine, tugging etc but no roughing the pups up with our hands. Also teeth on humans meant no more games, they soon got the message, they are such clever creatures and so smart! I have had to tell friends on occasion to 'stop' certain behaviors with my dogs that I have thought wasn't doing them or me any favors and it's not easy and sometimes people don't listen and it's so frustrating. Good luck telling your father in law to stop the behavior. Maybe you could direct him to other games to play with your pup instead or get him to teach or practice some tricks with her instead.

Well we went bowling and I just went crazy shooting over 700 images, :laugh: Still going through them, very pleased with the camera in the light in the bowling alley, I pushed the iso up to no more than 1600 and I used AV mode for this shot. f2.8 1/80 and I left the white balance on Auto. I still feel like I am not nailing the focus but I'm hoping that will come with practice.

Look forward to your pics CC!

If your shooting in Manual your flash won't pop up there should be a little button on the left side of the flash to open it manually. If you are shooting in Auto the flash will automatically pop up in low light. I have been practicing hard now to use flash indoors, I don't like it much and one of my dogs in particular if I shoot him with flash he always has his eyes closed and doesn't like it.

Can you post the exif data? how high did you have your iso, I went to the bowling alley tonight and talk about tough light, flashing lights from games and lights down the alleys not to mention the shiney lanes. :laugh: Im about to have a look at the pictures and hoping I got a few decent shots. I think bumping up the iso is the biggest thing you need to do if you don't want to use a flash. Im sure others will be along with other tips. At the bowling Alley I shot on Av mode (Aperture priority) and there was a couple of M shots I took just to experiment, I shot an old light up church on my way home and I can't wait to see how they turned out!

Glad to hear that, the mind boggles! :laugh:

Thanks Snook, I wasn't sure if I was doing the right thing with the RAW files or not, but seems I am as what you described is exactly what I have been doing. On my screen Coops head doesn't look to blown out, a little bit lighter possibly, might be the screen? I dunno. I know what you mean about more space, I didn't crop these at all I just had the camera really close. :laugh: I snapped them quick as the other dogs were running in between me and the camera bombing my shots! :laugh:

Omar is stunning, great shots, I love the last one too, come and join us in the August photo challenge thread, there a few with new cameras in there, great feed back to help you learn!