Karlonious Loc: Huntsville, AL

My purebred Border Collie,Chief, is extremely athletic and loves doing agility, swimming, frisbee, cashing squirrels, etc.

I would love to capture a photograph of him in the air while he’s catching his frisbee!( Also other action creative action photos if any one has any ideas. )
What are the best settings for me to use to capture him mid-air?
Also, what suggestions on where to position myself from the sun?
I have a tripod I can use.
Any advice for me to advance my photography techniques are extremely appreciated. Thank you!

RichardTaylor Loc: Sydney, Australia

See some of the answers here;

https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-598591-1.html

In addition to freeze the action use a very high shutter speed (1/1000 or faster). Set up your camera (and lens) so autofocus tracking is on. Shooting with a relative wide (low f number) aperture will help isolate the subject, or have a "clean" background. To make it easy try to have the sun behind you, for starters. Once you can consitently get good results then try deifferent lightoing. A tripod will only hinder you with tracking the dog. Shoot hand held.

Practice shooting birds in flight (similar techniques are needed), or sport.

Silverman Loc: Michigan

Also if you have a Nikon DSLR, use the AF-C = continuous Auto focus, Also, set up your "Back Button Focus" on your camera too.

LWW Loc: Banana Republic of America

Shoot also on continuous high speed shutter.

You only need one great image, the more exposures you take the better chance you have.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

I prefer eye level shots, so I would be seated with a second person throwing the frisbee to a position near to you. You don't need to go over-fast on the shutter, 1/1000 to 1/1600 is sufficient to free action. For practice, again from a seated eye-level position, practice tracking the dog as he races at and past you. The 'continuous' AF tracking is best as well as the high-speed continuous drive mode where you capture a multi-second burst of images. On your computer, pick the best of the series and delete the rest. If you use the center AF point, leave enough room to crop the result to have the animal moved to the left or right of the frame and leading open space on the other side of the frame for the animal to 'run into'. If you find it difficult to keep a single point in the dog's eyes / face, see if your camera model has a 'zone' or cluster of 9ish points and try that AF setting.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

Yes, this is one of those things that probably won’t go perfectly the first time.

via the lens Loc: Northern California, near Yosemite NP

Didn't you post this on June 29, too? For that post, 64 people gave you ideas.

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jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Collhar Loc: New York City.

Why would you remember something like that??? Is it that important?? What time did he have a BM???

Delderby Loc: Derby UK

There was some great advice given to the poster in that topic.
BUT it was all for portraiture work - none of it was for action shots.
So there was no need for your bitchy comment.

Collhar Loc: New York City.

Quite right.

bluezzzzz Loc: Stamping Ground, KY

2011GretchenInvOpenKirby by Marshall Smith, on Flickr


I photographed discdog competitions at events throughout the Midwest for almost ten years, and here are a few of my observations:

Forget the tripod, except for posed portrait shots, etc. The action is so fast and furious that nothing but handholding can keep up, in my opinion. I took a small flat-topped lunch cooler to the sidelines and could squat down on that and brace with my elbows on my knees while still hand-holding. Plus, a tripod would have been dangerous to the dogs. A dog chasing an errant throw would go from A to B in a straight line, regardless. I was bowled over several times! lol!

Uncluttered backgrounds are important, but not always possible, especially if the event field was surrounded by chain link. A long lens wide open helps to fuzz out the background and make your subjects stand out. Solid greenery in the background is good, or get low on a hill and shoot toward the crest to get an open sky.

Try to anticipate good action, moves, and situations. Use a fast shutter speed. Fire short bursts. I usually shot at 1/1600, since most events were sunny and outdoors. Indoor events were uncommon and tough to shoot. Flash would be a no-no there. I didn't shoot too tight, and left some room for a final edit crop to make a pleasing composition.

I used a 100-400 zoom lens, mostly at 400, and wide open, which was f8. AI Servo AF, Evaluative metering, High speed continuous, AWB, and Auto ISO.

You've got a wonderful dog! Border Collies are the best and you're going to have a lot of fun. One final somber note. Enjoy every minute you have with your dog; they just don't live long enough! That young woman in the photo lost that dog, at the age of sixteen, last week, after an amazing discdog career.

More photos are at this link if you are interested. Click on an individual pic and Flickr usually provides the shooting information.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/78687170@N00/albums/72157645952844163/with/14552344618/

Marshall

Red Sky At Night

Lol, or the first 100’s of times. I have whippets and face this all of the time. Agree with back button focus and continuous mode and shoot a ton. If your lucky you will get some good ones. Patience is also key.

Resqu2 Loc: SW Va

These were done with a Canon 6D, high shutter speed with me sitting on the ground. Back button continuous focus with just the center point used for focusing. The lens was a 70-200 f/2.8 L ii.

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Ched49 Loc: Pittsburgh, Pa.

That's what border collies love to do best...running. Most other dogs are happiest when you give them a bone to chew on, Border Collie's, just let them run. Part of the working & herding group, bred in the Scottish border for herding livestock. Known for their intelligence and obedience.