Photographing a Dog Running Towards You!

UPDATE: NOVEMBER 2013. This discussion has gotten so large, I had to start a new discussion....Part Two.... and close this one.

I have been trying for weeks to get a good photograph of Fudge running towards me with her ball. I need help. I am shooting in AI Servo mode and snapping continuously as she runs towards me. Every time I think I have a good picture of her up close, when I download it to my computer, some part of her is blurry. What am I doing wrong? How do I keep her in the frame right up until she gets to me and not have the image blurred? I am concentrating on using a shutter speed higher than 1/250 and preferring to stay over 1/500. Usually depending on my ISO, my aperture is somewhere more than 5. I think one of the problems is I need a greater DOF (narrower opening) or else I just do not have a steady enough hand as she runs right at me. I am not giving up, but I am getting discouraged. Do most of you use a tripod in a situation like this? What I think might be helpful to me is to see some motion shots with the settings used and what lens is being used. Is there one lens preferred by most for this type of shot? I am sorry if all this has been asked before.

Here are some outtakes....I have tons of these kinds of shots.

1/800, 5.0, ISO 200 Blurry

1/1000, 5.0, ISO 200 blurry

Farther away, better focus, too far for a good picture. 1/400. 5.6, ISO 100

1/400, 5.6, ISO 100

Is this just a case of I am not holding the camera still? Are my settings not right? I really want the up close shot and am not as interested in the shots just where she starts to run at me. Is my understanding of AI Servo incorrect? I thought if you focused correctly in the far away shot, as she runs towards me, if I maintain the focus point (her face), it will stay in focus. Any help will be appreciated. Thank you!

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Jarka, Monty & Auggie on March 19, 2013 at 12:31pm

I have the same problem. But I usually bump the speed up to 1/1000 or higher. Dog further away from me is focused, but as he runs towards me, it gets blurry. I've resorted to actually taking the sharp picture and cropping it so that the dog appears to be close to the camera.

Here is an example. This was taken with my old camera, haven't had a chance to practice with the new one.

Permalink Reply by Laurie, Fudge, and Vern on March 19, 2013 at 12:35pm

Thanks, Jarka. This is exactly what is happening to me.

Permalink Reply by Jarka, Monty & Auggie on March 19, 2013 at 1:01pm

Ever since we added Auggie, nobody is running towards me. I only get the shots of running from side to side, LOL.

Permalink Reply by Laurie, Fudge, and Vern on March 20, 2013 at 5:57am

LOL..Fudge likes to run back to me with the ball, but turn to look at Vern like, "haha, I have the ball and you don't," just when I snap the photo.

Permalink Reply by Ronna, Murphy & Wilson on March 19, 2013 at 1:08pm

Laurie and Jarka, what lens are you using? And are you trying to zoom in and or out while you are shooting the dog running toward you? For instance, if you are using your 70-200 Laurie, are you keeping the lens at a focal length of 70 the entire time Fudge is running toward you or are you zooming in on her at the start of her run and then trying to zoom out the closer she gets to you? If you are zooming while shooting...STOP!!! LOL. And raise your ISO. Laurie I think you can raise you ISO to 800 and still not have any noise with your camera.

I am at work so can't post any examples but I think I did post one with my settings back in one of Camilla's lessons.

Permalink Reply by Ronna, Murphy & Wilson on March 19, 2013 at 1:30pm

Also don't forget that every lens has a minimum focusing distance. The 70-200 is 3'-9"...so if you are trying to get an in focus shot of Fudge when she is 3 feet from you it isn't going to happen...4 feet it will. Does that make sense?

Permalink Reply by Laurie, Fudge, and Vern on March 19, 2013 at 6:54pm

Yes, perfect sense. I have been researching that, too. I just want to make sure I am getting this straight.

The 50 mm, minimum focusing would be 1.5'

The 135 mm, minimum focusing would be 3 feet

So, technically with the 50 mm, I should have been able to get these pictures in focus, but is it possible that lens does not focus quickly enough? Does that make sense?

Permalink Reply by John Foote on September 17, 2013 at 2:36am

I know this has probably been answered but here's my attempt...yes, it is very possible that the lens doesn't focus quickly enough. There's a reason some lenses cost 10x what other's do! Also, with zoom lenses, it's best to avoid the extreme ends of the zoom range, especially the longer end. Sometimes on some lenses the ends are a little soft.

Permalink Reply by Laurie, Fudge, and Vern on March 19, 2013 at 6:48pm

Ronna, I was using my 50 mm 1.8 and I think that may be part of the problem. Is it possible it is not focusing fast enough? After I posted this discussion, I switched to my Canon EF 135 mm F/2 L lens and I'm getting much better results. I have tried this with the 70-200 and I am not zooming, so I did that correctly. LOL

I saw your picture on FB of both dogs running towards you. Great shot. I have decided to stay with the 135 lens for a bit and not switch up for awhile and I will raise the ISO to at least 800. Here is what I got when I switched lenses. I am also going back to the tennis courts, so the background is something other than this hideous asphalt.

1/2500, F9, ISO 1600

1/1600, F9, ISO 1600