# I fail at action shots



## maddiek (Nov 3, 2008)

Those are good!


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## Aidan (Mar 4, 2009)

haha but those are like 4/500 shots, lol! I got mostly rears, paws, some with just the park and no dog! I do like how those 4 came out though.

At least i'm not having to worry about film! I also bought an 8g SD card i think it is, it holds tons of pictures.


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## spoofan (Dec 11, 2008)

He is a beautiful little boy.
Is his tail docked or natural?


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## Michelle Underwood (Aug 15, 2008)

Wow! Those look great compared to what I get! lol! I get a blur. lol!


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## Aidan (Mar 4, 2009)

Natural tail.

I have trouble getting non blurry pics!


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## T o d d (Sep 25, 2007)

The D40 is a DSLR right?
Are you using manual settings or auto? Is there a "Fast Auto"? With a DSLR on fast auto you should be able to just hold down the button and it will take a BUNCH of pics in a row  Great way to get action shots. I have the original Cannon Rebel XT and when people are jumping off rocks or bridges I can capture like 3-6 frames for each person that way.

Also to get focused more on your object your going to need a lens that has a low f stop... A good cheap lens (relative to others) is the 50mm fixed great for outdoor shots of the dog, fast lens, and great focal point.


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## Aidan (Mar 4, 2009)

Yeah I have been using that setting, i think it's called continuous or something like that and i keep it in the "action auto" mode. You're right I just hold the button down and get lots of shots in a row.

It works well but some of the shots will be blurry. Maybe you're right I need a different lens. The one on there is 18-55mm and came with the camera. It came with another lens, if i can dig it out i'll see what it is and maybe it would be better for what im doing.

I'm kind of new to photography but I love playing around with it.


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## T o d d (Sep 25, 2007)

Aidan said:


> Yeah I have been using that setting, i think it's called continuous or something like that and i keep it in the "action auto" mode. You're right I just hold the button down and get lots of shots in a row.
> 
> It works well but some of the shots will be blurry. Maybe you're right I need a different lens. The one on there is 18-55mm and came with the camera. It came with another lens, if i can dig it out i'll see what it is and maybe it would be better for what im doing.
> 
> I'm kind of new to photography but I love playing around with it.


I`m a noob too, it's fun


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## WonderPup (Oct 26, 2008)

I am saving up for a better camera. I LOVED my HP digital one, small, easy, FANTASTIC shots. I did great at everything but was pretty much idiot proof (which is a requirement for me lol). Somebody broke it at my wedding though, when I tried to take a couple of funny shots of hubby after we got up to our room (nooo none of "those" kind!!), it wouldn't focus at all, and hasn't focused sense. This past October I set out to buy a new camera only to find that HP no longer makes cameras at all.  I bought a finepix Z by fugi film... not happy it with it really. So here I sit soaking up everything that gets said about photography hoping to learn what camera I should invest in next... 

I love Vega's tail by the way. The way the hair on it trails behind him when he runs, love it.


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## spoospirit (Mar 10, 2009)

_Those are really nice shots. I really like the one where he is to the left of the image. 

I own a Nikon D80; which I am selling on E-bay because I bought a professional one in Canon. It has many of the same features as yours. Your right about the choice of continuous shooting. That can be helpful when trying to capture a moving object. Something you might want to try is panning while shooting. Follow your subject with the camera as you shoot. You may have to practice this for a while to match the speed up correctly but with an 8GB card, you can do a lot of practicing. My guess is, if you really love photography, you will get good at it if you keep shooting. 

And, T is correct about the lens choice. You want one that is fast and the 50mm is a good choice. That is not a zoom lens so if you want to have a closer shot or one further away, you have to move closer or further away. They are called prime lenses and even though they don't zoom, they are better lenses than the zooms.

I hope this was helpful to you._


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## Pamela (Sep 9, 2008)

I think your action shots are great!


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## Yorkiecrazy (Jun 17, 2008)

I love your pictures. He is such a handsome boy.


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## Blue Fox (Oct 22, 2008)

They are great shots, ahhh the beauty of digital, you can take a heap and it doesn't matter. I can't even get decent ones when T is standing still :sad: absolutely no hope with action shots.


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## AgilityIG (Feb 8, 2009)

The pictures you got are great! He is a VERY VERY pretty boy and I LOVE the tail!! I am hoping my poodle will have a full tail!

The D40 is a great camera - I have the D300 (I had the D40 prior to the D300) and am totally in LOVE with it (heck, I even have it's birthday on my calendar! LOL).

Besides the panning and continuous shooting, you can try putting your camera in "shutter priority" and set your shutter speed at 1/1200 of a second (and adjust your ISO and aperture accordingly). This is what I use when I am shooting agility trials. You want to "stop" that action and a higher shutter speed will help. The 18-55 is a decent kit lens - the 50/1.8 is better (sharper) IMHO, but in either case, just remember - when you increase that aperture, you are decreasing your depth of field and less of your subject will be in focus. Personally, I try to stay around f4 for action shots. Hope this helps a bit!


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## Tyler (Mar 9, 2009)

*Black dog + motion....*

VERY difficult. To get the dog exposed, you need a tremendous amount of light to get a fast enough shutter speed to stop the motion. I usually get the motion, but not the dog. I think you did great. You just need to take a LOT of pictures to get one good one with what you're already doing, I think.
This one turned out kind of cool, with the sun just coming up over Lake Tahoe.
Cell phone cam shot!


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## Aidan (Mar 4, 2009)

That's a beautiful photo and to think it was taken with a cell phone. You have a very pretty dog!


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## Tyler (Mar 9, 2009)

You are too kind!
Looking the other way, at the other dog, same cell phone camera with the sun at my back, Cleo is underexposed.....


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