experiencedfun Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Ok, so far I take pretty good (well good enough for me) shots at shows outside. But I am interested in a toy breed and they seem to be shown indoors mostly, what do I need to do to take reasonable shots in the hanger at the park. I have a nikon D50 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kja Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Fast glass Look for lenses with 2.8 at least - 1.8, 1.4, 1.2 etc are even better. You'll have a really shallow DOF though IS will also buy you some wiggle room. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
experiencedfun Posted February 19, 2009 Author Share Posted February 19, 2009 and in english............lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kja Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Sorry! Lenses that have a wide aperture - so they let in more light. They are typically heavier, have wider front elements (the front part) and are more expensive than standard kit or zoom lenses. The closer to 1 the number, the faster the glass is. Don't faint from sticker shock They allow you to shoot in darker conditions. The tradeoff is a shallower depth of field though. Tamron and Tokina and Sigma make very good versions of fast glass that are less expensive than Nikon's offerings so you might want to check them out, too. IS is image stabilization ... I can't remember what Nikon calls it (VR maybe?). I'm not very well versed in Nikon offerings so can't point you to specifics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashanali Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Yep - I have been able to shoot night shows from outside the ring due to the lens I use. Canon 70-200 2.8 IS. Cost approx $2000 though so not exactly a cheap lens (but it does a brilliant job). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
experiencedfun Posted February 19, 2009 Author Share Posted February 19, 2009 (edited) hhmmm lens or divorce............which would I choose. I know its a hobby and to take great shots you need great equipment...maybe I will just ask them to take the dogs outside for pics. at least until my next life when I marry a 95yo millionaire Edited February 19, 2009 by experiencedfun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chezzyr Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 (edited) Hangar can be bad news The wisest/easiest/cheapest option is do the shots outdoors. Ive even had people willing to stack dogs out in the rain because the lighting is better outdoors than in Edited February 19, 2009 by chezzyr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kja Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 Can you use a flash? Adding an external flash and bits might be the ticket if you have some control of the area you will be shooting in. Takes practice to not get that total "flashed" look, but it is definitely another option if it's allowed. Outside is great if you can! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
experiencedfun Posted February 19, 2009 Author Share Posted February 19, 2009 Chezzyr has taken thousands of shots exactly where I will be so knows just what i will be up against...she also knows how average my skills are. Outside it will be even if I have to drag them kicking and screaming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chezzyr Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 EF what sort of lens do you currently use for most of your shots? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Purpley Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 I ahve taken shots inside the pavillion and I used an external flash and 40-150mm lens 1:3.5 - 4.5. They turned out reasonably well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chezzyr Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 It can be done with the right lens, or using a flash, but it can be trickier if you want to do gaiting shots. Also there is the issue of mixed lighting, yucky doorway glare and other things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlottereeves Posted March 1, 2009 Share Posted March 1, 2009 (edited) I don't post much but thought I would just jump in on this thread and share my experiences... I recently (Nov last year) photographed the Great Dane speciality shows down in Melbourne (not sure what the grounds are called? the ones near the showgrounds) indooors and having shot only outdoor daytime shows before I was a little apprehensive as I knew light would be an issue. The very best decision that I made was to include a monopod in my equipment list. I took flash gear (Speedlite 430EX and 580EX) but only really used them for BIS and award photos with the judge. I was shooting with a Sigma 100-300 F4 lens 99% of the time. I just love this lens, cheaper and with a bit more range than the Canon 70-200's, and not too far off quality-wise. Sigma APO 100-300mm f4 EX IF HSM Reviews - pretty sure the lens retails for around $1700 I photographed pretty much the entire 2 shows (open and champ) which ran from about 3pm to about 9.30pm, didn't get many movement photos as the shutter speeds were just too low and panning is a bit difficult with a couple of kilos of body and lens attached to a monopod. Did get a couple of lucky ones but not many! I was however really happy with the way the stacked shots of the dogs in the ring turned out, considering the conditions. Another thing that helps with shooting indoors, is shoot on manual. One definite advantage of shooting indoors and especially at night is that the light remains fairly consistent - no clouds going over the lighting and messing with your exposures! Means you can choose your settings and stick with them, knowing they will be the same for every shot which also helps a lot with editing them later. Also I think shooting at the lenses maximum aperture isn't a problem, as at that focal length and distance it should be just enough to blur out distracting details in the background somewhat and still have the dog in sharp focus. Here's some example pics at different times showing the settings used. Keep in mind that the sun was moving around and coming through the skylights at various times in different spots in the ring so until the sun actually sets, the exposures don't really show a clear progression. 3.30pm, ISO 800, 180mm, F4.5, 1/250 sec (handheld) 4.12pm, ISO 800, 137mm, F4, 1/400 sec (handheld) 5.15pm, ISO 800, 117mm, F4, 1/640 sec (handheld) 5.46pm, ISO 800, 300mm, F4, 1/320 sec (handheld) 7.00pm, ISO 1250, 150mm, F4, 1/100 sec (monopod) 7.28pm, ISO 1600, 137mm, F4, 1/80 sec (monopod) A couple of very lucky panning shots: 8.05pm, ISO 1250, 100mm, F4, 1/80 sec (monopod) 8.06pm, ISO 1250, 100mm, F4, 1/80 sec (monopod) 8.37pm, ISO 1250, 150mm, F4, 1/80 sec (monopod) The settings stayed virtually unchanged for the rest of the night, using that lens and the monopod. I later changed to a 24-70mm lens and flash for the BIS and awards photos. Hope this helps! ETA: Links to the rest of the photos if anyone is interested: http://www.charlottereevesevents.com.au/ - the last 2 shows and then some outdoor show galleries for reference. Edited March 1, 2009 by Kaya & Luna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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