How can I get a shot like this?

[DiscoTex]

What sort of lens would I need? Could I get a shot like this with a Sigma 120-300 2.8 or would I need a prime to autofocus even more quickly? Would a flash (Nikon SB 800) help at all or would I need to place lights along the path the kitty was predicted to run? Would I set it to Aperture or Shutter or Manual priority? What other camera settings should I use?

Thanks for helping out a newbie!
Ben

[NathanJK]

If I was going for a shot like this I'd use a 300 2.8, fill flash, and prefocus on a spot. Then, I'd hope to god I could convince the kitty to come bounding towards me about 500 times until I could get the image just perfect!

[Tracy Hicks]

You could always hang the kitty by a string and then photoshop the string out... lol!
J/k you cat lovers....

[dsjsws]

It would be easier to get that shot with a puppy....

[dlbdata]

Step 1. Get Big Dog
Step 2. Get Kitten
Step 3. Release Animals
Step 4. Lay in Grass, Set camera to burst mode, Use big glass to avoid cat scratch marks.
Step 5. Swat fire ants
Step 6. Slam the shutter release
Step 7. To doctor for ant stings
Step 8. Review images from camera in doctors office
Step 9. Have wife explain to neighbors that you are quite sane.
Step 8. Shucks.....got to do it all over again. Wife says "Again"

Joking aside......other than equipment and skill, some of these great shots are not planned..... The planned shots are quite time consuming,a lot of patience, and some false starts. Your submitted photo of the kitten is fantastic and some of us dream of those
photo ops.

David
Murphy, TX

[epoh]

That Nikon D2hs (or whatever it's called) would help! Continuous RAW shooting up to 40 shots. :)

[whaussies]

Aperture priority, then have someone with a string pull it through the area that you are wanting the kitten to go to. I have done similar with puppies!;-) Just don't have them crash into you like these almost did! I was shooting a coursing race.

[dsjsws]

[QUOTE=dlbdata]
Step 5. Swat fire ants
Step 6. Slam the shutter release
Step 7. To doctor for ant stings


Don't forget about poison ivy....
Poison ivy seems to be my downfall whenever I crawl around on the ground to photograph.

Donna

[KJ Smith]

Depth of field is the area in a pic that is in focus. To get a shallow depth of field, you need to use a wide open aperture. With the lens you are using, that means set it at 2.8. Any focal length will give this effect, however it is more apparent with a longer lens. With that lens zooming out to 300 would be the best way to go. From there it takes Patience, try to focus on the eyes of your subject, Depth of field goes from 1/3 in front, to 2/3 behind your point of focus. In other words, the area in apparent focus is one third in front, and two thirds behind your point of focus. that is not much room for error. Give it a try, if 2.8 does not leave enough in focus, stop down to 4, then 5.6. You will get the idea, just experiment some and you will get it.
kevin

[chempilot]

could the DOF effect also be done in photoshop?

[a2rob]

Originally Posted by dlbdata

Step 1. Get Big Dog
Step 2. Get Kitten
Step 3. Release Animals
Step 4. Lay in Grass, Set camera to burst mode, Use big glass to avoid cat scratch marks.
Step 5. Swat fire ants
Step 6. Slam the shutter release
Step 7. To doctor for ant stings
Step 8. Review images from camera in doctors office
Step 9. Have wife explain to neighbors that you are quite sane.
Step 8. Shucks.....got to do it all over again. Wife says "Again"

Joking aside......other than equipment and skill, some of these great shots are not planned..... The planned shots are quite time consuming,a lot of patience, and some false starts. Your submitted photo of the kitten is fantastic and some of us dream of those
photo ops.

David
Murphy, TX

LOL got love this!!

[a2rob]

Originally Posted by dlbdata

Step 1. Get Big Dog
Step 2. Get Kitten
Step 3. Release Animals
Step 4. Lay in Grass, Set camera to burst mode, Use big glass to avoid cat scratch marks.
Step 5. Swat fire ants
Step 6. Slam the shutter release
Step 7. To doctor for ant stings
Step 8. Review images from camera in doctors office
Step 9. Have wife explain to neighbors that you are quite sane.
Step 8. Shucks.....got to do it all over again. Wife says "Again"

Joking aside......other than equipment and skill, some of these great shots are not planned..... The planned shots are quite time consuming,a lot of patience, and some false starts. Your submitted photo of the kitten is fantastic and some of us dream of those
photo ops.

David
Murphy, TX

LOL got to love this!!

[KJ Smith]

I'm not a big photoshop user, however I believe you can do anything you have the time,skill and patience to do.
That being said, it is better to get it as close to right "in camera", and use photoshop as a retouch/special effect type tool.
On Edit:
If you look at the pic you can see out in front of the cat where focus begins, and you can see that its rear leg starts to lose focus. Past that in the background, it does look like it was "doctored".

You would need to decide for yourself if you like that look or not.



Same Idea, Different subject.