animal photos

[mfreg]

is a branch coming out of the head just as bad with animals as it would be with my brother in law ? does it ruin this shot ?



thanks for looking
mike

[RoyL]

Would be nice if it was not there but it is not distracting. It is out of focus so that does help.

[vernons]

i agree with the above poster branch is not ruining the image. the color could have been different though

[mfreg]

thank you for the replies, sometimes with animals you only have a split second to get a shot and usually they don't re-pose themselves...I end up with alot of shots like this, the expressions on their faces are good, the way they are standing is good, but there is something goofy in the background that wouldn't necessarily fly with a "portrait" of a person.....I was curious if the same "rules" of composition apply to nature photography or if a less "strict" interpretation is acceptable.
What bugs me more about this shot is my DoF is too short. His nose is nice and sharp but by the time you get to his eyes they are not. I need to practice changing my settings more quickly....

the color could have been different though

could you elaborate ? I've just started messing with GIMP, how would I go about that ?

thanks again for the replies
mike

[Chip]

Shooting pets makes me very glad I shoot digital. It's hard enough to get good shots like the one you posted here. It takes a combination of skill, luck, patience, perserverance and an alignment of the stars to get one that's any better.

The only times I've had some luck getting my dog to "pose" is when she's done playing or running, and is off leash outside. At least then she might be alert enough to have her ears up and be attentive, but tired enough to be willing to sit still for a short while. Maybe this works for other dogs, too?

I do like your shot, and don't find the brach to be a distraction.

[wulf]

It's not too bad in this picture because the tree in the background is so out of focus. However, whatever your subject - a person, a dog, a building or a bowl of fruit - it is important to consider potential distractions in the background.

As noted, animals can be particularly tricky because they don't keep still. However, you can consider the surroundings before you start shooting. There is still an element of chance but by sizing up the potential backgrounds you can pick good areas in which to position yourself and increase the odds of a good shot.

Wulf

[mfreg]

Thank you all for taking the time to reply, I appreciate your thoughts on the matter. I never realized how much there is to "think" about before pushing that shutter button. It seems like sometimes I spend so much time making sure my camera settings are correct, that I lose track of my compostition, other times, I'm so concerned about my compostion I am not paying attention to my camera settings....
thanks again.

mike

[skm.sa100]

That's right! Pushing that button should be the very last thing you do in a whole series of thoughts and moves that will result in capturing a good photo.
It's a lot like other things. Plan first and then execute.
I remember my tennis coach telling me "Hitting the ball is the very last thing you do. Judge the speed and spin, height, where you want to hit, your body position, how hard you want to hit etc. At the very end of it all, you execute your shot".
Good planning followed by good execution will result in great results.
If you find the branch distracting ( I didn't, until you pointed it out and then only some) you can easily clone it out using a patch of blue from the pic with Gimp.
Sashi

[PrimeTime]

When there are distractions around, don't be afraid to break out the long lens and shoot it wide open. I used a 300mm at f/4 for this shot.............there was all kinds of distractions in the background, but you wouldn't know it. A long lens will give you much better bokeh to hide any distractions.

[2stroke]

I agree, near impossible to "pose" your subject, dogs will just sit where they will.

I love the look on his face here, but it is a terrible shot with all the camping shtuff in the background and carpet in foreground. The orange cone is no help either.