Iankahler Loc: Seattle WA

SOOOOO. I wanted to experiment with the back button focus option on my camera today. There is an extensive thread on this subject... so I wanted to see how it works.
As a subject I needed a moving car, or bird, or ANYTHING that would move fairly quickly through the field of view in my camera.
So.... I went out and stood on the street corner next my house. I looked up... no birds... ok I thought.... I will wait for a car. I waited... I waited more. I thought about holding up a sign... photographer experimenting here, I don't need money just a moving subject!! Please help.. god bless!
Well that wouldn't have worked, nobody would have seen it.. because there were no CARS... no BIRDS. Not even a %^&*% squirrel for FIFTEEN MINUTES.
SO I gave up... decided to go back in the house.
I walked maybe TWENTY ^&^*$#$% FEET... and I hear not one but TWO CARS coming done the street!!! They could have come down the street DURING those fifteen minutes... but NOOOOOOOOO that would have been asking WAY TOO MUCH of the ….whoever is in charge of making stuff happen!!
I am obviously going to have to find a busier street... but what will happen then? That busy street will suddenly go DEAD QUIET... like a sudden apocalyptic event has just happened and all life except myself just ceased to exist. Yes yes… you are laughing.... but I bet I would be correct...hahaha

MadMikeOne Loc: So. NJ Shore - a bit west of Atlantic City

Funny, but only because it’s happened to you and not to me!

Do you have any pets you could induce to run around? How about children or anyone else in the house who you could ask to run around like an idiot? Just a couple of thoughts. Good luck.

rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA

The Zen of Photography

swartfort Loc: Evansville, IN

My suggestion is to not overthink the experimentation and just practice focusing. I started just standing in my yard and aiming at a "target" hit the BBF, the slide to the next object, hit the button, switch again and again... keep practicing and get the feel and see the focus thru the eyepiece. Start with easy.. get the feel, then move to objects in motion. Practice in any form on a new technique is the key.... Once it becomes "second nature" you will be amazed at how efficient it can be.

Best to ya

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

I lead an exciting life...., please stay the h*ll away from me!!!! LoL
Don’t get hit!!!
SS

artBob Loc: Near Chicago

Thanks for the grin!

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

It is Murphy's law at work.

There is an unfortunate corrolary to Murphy's law:
You cannot use Murphy's law to your advantage.
So if you were to want a quite street, setting up your camera there would not do it.

photoman022 Loc: Manchester CT USA

JD750 Loc: SoCal

ha ha ha yep. Murphy at work.

How about this idea, take a walkabout with your camera. Take some shots along the way, various subjects, moving, still, cars, flowers, snails, street people, et al. Then decide how you like the BBF function.

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

Nikon1201

If your not serious it’s funny , if it’s real you are a very sad person

MikeT9

I was a great advocate of bbf since I had a Canon 7D. I’ve upgraded several times and now with the latest Canon Digic processors and the advanced AF focus cases 1 to 6 which you can individually tailor I’ve moved away from back button focus back to shutter af for birds I flight. I picked this up from an Art Morris blog before he did the unthinkable and unmentionable. I gave it a try, focus acquisition is so quick and accurate I won’t be going back.

lamontcranston

Thanks for a little bit of humor to help me wake up this morning.

BlueMorel Loc: Southwest Michigan

I had to laugh because more than once that's happened to me. The wind is blowing gale force, making trees bend in the wind, but when I go out to shoot a pic there is utter calm, not a leaf stirring. The grandkids are doing something really cute but when I point my camera there they're off to something else. We live on a quiet country road, so forget trying to take pics of cars going by. They only come by when I've gone back in the house.

Jerry G Loc: Waterford, Michigan and Florida

Patience is one of a photographer's most important assets.