Just sharing a snap...

[Adzman808]

Critique if you want! I know it's not in focus!

He came bounding up past me while I was out today... I panned as fast as I could, camera was in MF, I had no time to do anything accept attempt to frame (barely) and hit the shutter... (My X-Pro1 is not renowned as a spontaneous action camera)


It could of come out worse I suppose! Probably more one for dog lovers than photograph lovers!!

[rpcrowe]

I skipped an entire generation of Canon cameras (EOS Film Cameras) because I was sure that I could focus manually quicker and more accurately than the camera could auto-focus. I was quite wrong! Even my original 10D did a better job in auto focus than I could in manual focusing especially, when trying to achieve focus on fast moving quickly accessed subjects like your running dog.

Each of my camera upgrades gave me improved autofocus capability. I now shoot my action subjects with the Canon 7D and am very impressed with the AF capability of that camera when combined with a fast auto focusing lens. The new 7D ii and the 5D iii apparently surpass the 7D in AF capability but, I am quite happy with my 7D...

I don't know much about the X-Pro 1. However, the firmware version 4.0 appears to improve the auto focusing capability of that camera.

[Adzman808]

It's not my dog, I just saw it come zinging past me and couldn't resist an attempt at a picture

I also have a X-T1 which is light years ahead of the Pro1 in terms of AF speed (and would of nailed it without question).

When I know I want speed, I take that camera

When I want to s-l-o-w down, and be almost forced to take a more considered approach I take the Pro1 because I like using the OVF and in some places people give me funny looks using something that looks like a SLR, which happens less with the pseudo rangefinder X-Pro1.

Both bodies are up to date with the FW and it's nice having two quite different bodies in both style and function, but ones that can share batts, chargers and lenses

[mknittle]

Pretty good fr a s little time you had

[Shadowman]

Nice snap.

[bnnrcn]

I love the image Adam I would crop the sea though as it distracts from the dog.

[chauncey]

I'm liking the scene regardless of your dissatisfaction...
a couple of lovers walking ahead of the dog would have been great.

[Geoff F]

I love the image Adam I would crop the sea though as it distracts from the dog.

Yes my first thought was for a slight crop because the dog is too central (vertically speaking).

But I'm not really sure whether to lose the sea, which is out of focus anyway; or to keep the distant sea effect and crop a little from the bottom instead. Either way, there is plenty of space to also take a balancing amount from the right side.

I would probably try each option before making a decision.

[Adzman808]

Thanks everyone, it really was point and shoot, I wasn't aiming to shoot the dog at all, but he came rushing past me, I was crouched down taking a different picture at the time, and he almost brushed against my back, so I stood and spun round, in a kinda 'what the deuce' (which thinking back, might not have actually been the word that sprung to mind!) sort of way and basically thought what the hell, why not and hit the shutter!

I like it as a SNAP because it's got a bit of life too it IMO...

Personally I want to keep the sea... It adds context... But I think there's space to be lost from the right and the bottom.

And I revisited a (different, that I haven't shared here) shot today, and made some quite big crop changes.. So what you've all been telling me, on pretty much every shot I've shared (namely crop!) must be sinking in!

[jcuknz]

I do not see the need to include the sea because with the wet sand it is obvious you are on a beach next to the sea and by cropping top and right you bring the dog/reflection forward to top and bottom left thirds while still leaving plenty of room for him/it to move into. all photos are snaps by virtue of the short exposure but by editing they can become 'action' shots ... also sharpened and added a border to set off a lovely capture of action.

I too posted a 'snap' recently which people liked, also a dog bounding out of the water and shaking itself with people commenting on the shutter speed, pure luck, I was set to my usual aperture and A mode picked the shutter speed which was just right for the situation.

[IzzieK]

John's edit looks better...I like your shot too, Adam...and I am a dog lover. Some lucky accident there.

[jcuknz]

I was brought up with a dog, a sealiam badger hunting dog with an unfortunate long back which led to his death in a car accident while I was unhurt thanks to piled up cushions in our Morris 8 knocked for a burton by a large car cutting a corner.
As "Lord of the Household' I lived with a golden labrador which was bought to be companion for our son and when she died the family had a cat ... on a too small a section [35'x75'] for a dog a kitten arrived and was called Kittydog ... my wife wanted another dog but a cat was more sensible with just a 15ft back garden.Later a beautiful white kitten adopted me, featured on CiC, and lived 15 yrs with me, ashes buried in the garden now.
So I like both cats and dogs, but unwise I think to get another to likely outlive me

[Adzman808]

well seeing as Jkucnz mentioned Cats...

Another SNAP from the day... some teenage girl bought her cat to the beach, on a lead... (it didn't look happy about the lead to be fair, seemed to like the beach though)

Hideously out of focus[[, but at least the SOOC framing is better than the dog! (And it didn't try to knock me over)




(yes I like dark pictures)