2013, Day 269 - Ready to romp

This is my friend Jo's baby, well, to be fair this is her husband Glen's puppy.  He came to the last race meet and charmed the pants off of just about everyone.  Bouncy and afraid of no one, he was soon friends with everyone!  He really enjoyed watching the big dogs run and I am sure that when he gets a bit older he will take everything he's learned from watching and burn up the track.

Canon 1D X, Canon 300/f2.8L IS
300mm, f4, 1/640 sec @ 640 ISO

2013, Day 207 - Gums flying

The fun thing I found about lure coursing is that the dogs don't wear muzzles.  They don't run tightly packed so I suppose it isn't considered necessary.  Normally a muzzle wouldn't allow the dog's face to fly like this but I love it.  She isn't upset, her face is relaxed and the motion of her running combined with raw speed is pushing back her flew (lips).  Think of Jeremy Clarkson driving a track-day vehicle or elite runners.  She did great, it was a really nice run and I got some fun pictures in the process.

Canon 1D X, Canon 300/f2.8L IS
300mm, f4, 1/5000 sec @ 250 ISO

2013, Day 164 - Panning practice

Fast action shots are so rewarding but my favorites require good panning skills.  In this photo the dog is sharp but the feet and grass is blurred, even at 1/1000th of a second.  Ideally I would have shot at half that speed but with dogs it is hard, they move so quickly and change speed frequently so it is hard to get good panning shots of them and the keeper rate is already low.  I would love to get out to shoot the racing at Portland International Raceway again some time this year.  Cars move much more predictably and you can really work on your panning skills with them.  In fact it is really fun to use a short lens on the inside of a corner because you can get some amazing motion blur.  I guess that is another thing to add to the list...

Canon 1D X, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II
200mm, f5, 1/1000 sec @ 400 ISO

2013, Day 159 - Til the end

It has been a little while since I've had the opportunity to take Frankie racing.  While I don't know that his is missing it I can say that he's been an active little monkey in the past could of weeks.  If I am not home when the mail arrives it is often partially shredded.  It may be time to take him to visit his siblings and burn off some energy.

Canon 1D X, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II
200mm, f5.6, 1/1000 sec @ 400 ISO

2011, Day 120 - Go go!

Today was the Washington Whippet Racing Club's straight racing meet (NAWRA). Between programs the puppies were given an opportunity to practice and this is Gogo showing his stuff even though he's probably going to be too large to be allowed to compete.


Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II
200mm, f4, 1/2500 sec @ 400 ISO

2011, Day 079 - Slippery when wet

Still not back to 100% but there was whippet racing today and I'm tired of being house-bound like an invalid (plus I am feeling much better). The weather wasn't bad, no rain until the end of the second program which is when I made my exit but the ground was still slippery as Mack illustrated below.


Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II
200mm, f5.0, 1/1250 sec @ 500 ISO

2010, Day 297 - Bark bark zoom

Today was the last day of the final meet of 2010 for the Washington Whippet Racing Club. The weather wasn't great but for the most part it cooperated and the result were worth getting wet for.

Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II

200mm, f4.5, 1/800 sec @ 800 ISO

Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II

200mm, f4.5, 1/1000 sec @ 320 ISO

Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II

200mm, f4.5, 1/1000 sec @ 500 ISO

Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II

200mm, f5, 1/1000 sec @ 500 ISO

Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II

200mm, f5, 1/1000 sec @ 500 ISO

Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II

200mm, f4, 1/1600 sec @ 1250 ISO

2010, Day 276 - Eighty

There was whippet racing practice today and I convinced my friends Stacey and Debbie to come in addition to Terri and Karen who I already tricked into attendence. I say tricked because there was a race meet today too in Washington so the turnout was very low; there were our hosts and one other participant so a total of four dogs were at the practice. It was a record low but it was fun and it allowed me an opportunity to test my camera against Terri's (I've been having trouble getting the autofocus to track moving subjects). Turns out it isn't me but the camera! Yes, that isn't great news but the camera can be fixed, my inability to track with it could not (I could with all of my previous cameras so I thought I was going crazy).

Anywho, the results of the afternoon. Ochenta is the white and black dog and Mater is the brindle.

Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II

200mm, f4, 1/800 sec @ 1000 ISO

Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II

200mm, f4, 1/1000 sec @ 1000 ISO

Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II

200mm, f4, 1/1000 sec @ 1000 ISO

Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II

200mm, f4, 1/800 sec @ 1000 ISO

Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II

200mm, f4, 1/800 sec @ 1000 ISO

2010, Day 262 - Running in circles

Another whippet racing Sunday. Their athleticism is amazing but difficult to capture. These are my favorite shots of the day out of hundreds...

Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II

200mm, f4, 1/2000 sec @ 640 ISO

Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II

200mm, f4, 1/1600 sec @ 640 ISO

Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II

200mm, f5.6, 1/2000 sec @ 200 ISO

Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II

142mm, f5.6, 1/1600 sec @ 200 ISO

2010, Day 122 - Whippet racing

It was a beautiful day to be outside watching the dogs case the "bunny," in truth a plastic bag on a string, around the track. I got a little vitamin D, caught up with some friends and got to play with the dogs.

Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II

200mm, f5.6, 1/3200 sec @ 400 ISO

Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II

200mm, f5, 1/2000 sec @ 640 ISO

Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II

200mm, f5, 1/2000 sec @ 640 ISO

Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II

200mm, f5.6, 1/2500 sec @ 400 ISO

Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II

200mm, f5.6, 1/2000 sec @ 400 ISO

2010, Day 80 - Running in circles

Despite the wet weather I went out to the whippet races today. These dogs are pets first and athletes second but they love to run!

Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II

200mm, f3.2, 1/1250 sec @ 400 ISO

Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II

200mm, f3.2, 1/1600 sec @ 400 ISO

Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II

200mm, f3.2, 1/1000 sec @ 400 ISO

Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II

200mm, f3.2, 1/1000 sec @ 400 ISO

Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II

200mm, f2.8, 1/2000 sec @ 400 ISO

Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 70-200/f2.8L IS Mark II

200mm, f2.8, 1/2000 sec @ 400 ISO

2010, Day 24 - the Rose City Dog Show

Puppies!

Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 135/f2L

135mm, f2, 1/50 sec @ 1000 ISO

Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 135/f2L

135mm, f2, 1/200 sec @ 1000 ISO

Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 135/f2L

135mm, f2, 1/500 sec @ 200 ISO

Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 135/f2L

135mm, f2, 1/500 sec @ 1000 ISO

Canon 1D Mark III, Canon 135/f2L

135mm, f2, 1/400 sec @ 1000 ISO