Seaton Carew Harley
Harley was our new edition to the family a few years back, so it was great to get out and about with him. He just loved to bomb around the beach, and I am real...
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Harley was our new edition to the family a few years back, so it was great to get out and about with him. He just loved to bomb around the beach, and I am really pleased with this panning shot of him at full pelt. Looks like he is really enjoying himself with us.
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May, 2015Views
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People's Choice in Running Dogs Photo Challenge
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken at Seaton Carew, on the beach in the North East near Redcar. The venue is just over an hour away from where we live. On this occasion we just wanted some fresh air and let Harley run around. He was new to us (originally our daughters dog) and so it was nice to some him charging around. This could even have been his first trip to the beach, but not sure.Time
It was early afternoon in September, it was a windy day, cloudy but dry. There were a few breaks in the cloud helping to brighten things upLighting
The light was coming behind the subject but lighting up his camera side. The clouds were helping to spread the light. I was trying to keep to Harley bright side, which is why I am closer to the sea than him and have boulders in the background. Ideally I was looking for a shot of him with the sea behind, so as to be less distracting, but now I think that the boulders work in this shot.Equipment
I was using a Canon 450D with a Canon 55-250mm IS lens. So nothing spectacular, I had taken a few test shots and played around with settings until I was happy. Then just watched Harley as he ran, explored, chased sticks and stones.Inspiration
Originally, we were out for a walk with our dog. I like to carry my camera around on such occasions so that I can practise and play around. When Harley started to explore and gain more confidence by getting further away from us, I took a few steps away from my partner and asked her to call him. Once he started running, I panned with him and shot a couple of burst modes. I like to shoot equestrian events, and it's always good to practice shooting for these types of shots to improve your skills.Editing
Processing is done using Elements 7 (keep meaning to upgrade or move to Lightroom, but keep wanting more kit). boosted contrast with an S curve, tweaked levels and cropped to keep the boulders in the top of the shot fairly level. Hue Saturation to bring out Harley's beautiful colouring and burned some of the shadows to add some depth.In my camera bag
Depends if I have anything in mind for the day. On this occasion I had a tripod, telephoto and 17-70 Sigma lens plus a selection of filters. My kit can vary for specific engagements, for Equestrian events I reduce the kit to the bare essentials as I can be out walking 10-16km for 4-5 hours.Feedback
Practice your skills, take photos of the things you enjoy as this is more likely to keep you motivated. I love to take photos and experiment with my family, friends and pets. This helps me to improve and become more confident with my camera and equipment. Try to visualise the shots you are after, then break the shot down into sections, such as is your subject stationary or moving, if moving in which direction. Where would the light be, where do I need to be stood to this image etc. Doing this will increase your chances of capturing the shot you have in your mind, And that is another skill you have just practised so that on the spur of the moment you will start to respond quicker to get the shots your after. Also, practise shots that you tend to shy away from. Stepping outside your comfort zone is another great way to gain confidence with you ability. And don't forget that at the end of it, you need to share the results or what is the point. Thank you for voting, it's made me feel fantastic and want to get my camera.
