Friday, 2 April 2010

Practice makes perfect

I discover that I’m unable to get any good action pics of Charlie because I just don't have enough pairs of hands!

I have to be dangling Mr MacDoonagoogle in one, leaving the other to hold the camera, focus and press the button.

It doesn't help that Charlie is also very, very fast.

The results are mainly pics like these:








Anyway, practice as they say makes perfect.

I don’t have another person or any other gizmos to rely on to help so I must learn to master the art of taking action shots myself!

Just as I must learn to master the art of writing fiction myself. If I fail it’s because I’ve not tried harder. It’s no-one’s fault but mine. I don’t have anyone to blame but me (and maybe my ditzy muse).

You see, Charlie gets Mr MacDoonagoogle every time no matter how hard I make it for him. He never gives up. He is patient and remains focused and determined until he gets his prize.


Have a lovely Good Friday everyone!

38 comments:

Amy & the house of cats said...

It is hard to get a good action shot even with an autofocus, because the camera can't focus fast enough. I think that the pictures you have look great - you just have to do what I do and get rid of any of the truely awful ones right away (learned that from my dad - he did that even with film pictures).

Theresa Milstein said...

I love that Charlie is teaching you how to be a better writer by never giving up!

I'm impressed that you were waving a toy and snapping pictures. There has to be an easier way!

Have a wonderful weekend.

Love Meow said...

charlie has so much energy :). I love the pictures. I wish I had a pair of extra hands to help me with my photos too.. hmmm but then i would look weird.

I am like you learning and practicing so hopefully I will master the work I do. :)

Good luck to both of us.

Brian's Home Blog said...

Yep, practice is what it takes! Hey, maybe you could play with Mr MacDoonagoogle and Charlie could take the pictures.

Jacqueline said...

It is very cool how we can learn so much from our cats; they are so wise if people just pay attention!...I'm single also and it is very hard to play with them and get a good shot at the same time!!...Charlie seems like a wonderful boy...Hope you guys enjoy Good Friday together.

fairyhedgehog said...

I wish I could come over and dangle toys while you take pictures!

Have a happy day today.

lupie said...

Happy Easter!!

It is always very hard to get good action pics, just have to keep trying!
Lucky thing with digicam is that you can try as much as you want!!!

The last shot looks good!

Kea said...

If you have a "sports" mode on your camera, use that (in good light, otherwise the pics will be too grainy). It just allows you to click the shutter repeatedly without the usual time delay. At least mine does.

It's VERY hard to get good action shots! When the boys are outside wrassling, I just sit on the step, camera in sports mode, and click a hundred or more pics. Seriously. Then I weed them down to the best, which often is 20 or 30 out of that 100+.

It's almost impossible to do this inside, when dangling a toy. If you have good natural light, you can use your sports mode or whatever fast shutter speed mode there is. In my case, I'm right handed, so I have to wield the toy with my left hand while holding the camera with my right. That's why most of my cat action shots are cr*p. LOL.

But don't give up! Even professional photographers will take hundreds of photos for just that perfect one.

Chandrika Shubham said...

Nice photos. :) Practice makes one perfect so last one is the best.

Happy Easter.

Anonymous said...

Your Charlie looks like he's having a lot of fun.

You guys have a Good Friday and Happy Easter.

Paws & Whiskers,
Jude,Poo,Babybella,Piper & Marley

ANGEL ABBYGRACE said...

Don't give up on taking action photos the key is definitely take a LOT of them. Most of them (like 95%) will not be usable. But those that are -- wow -- they're great.

I have taken over 20,000 pictures of the cats and have only a handful I consider really good.

So, I keep encourage Momma to try harder!


purrs
>^,,^<
Abby

Hannah and Lucy said...

I struggle to get good shots as well - when I press the button it seems to take and age before the flash goes and by that time the face has turned away or else all I get is a pic of a back or something. I taken what seems like hundreds of pics and delete 90%.
Hope you have a Happy Easter.

Marg said...

I am in the same boat. I have a really hard time getting action pictures. Just when I think it is going to be good, the camera goes off just as they walk out of the picture. I have waved toys and taken pictures too. Don't give up, it gets easier.

Karen Jones Gowen said...

Love the pics of Charlie in action! He is so adorable, and truly an action hero lol!

Anonymous said...

I get the action shot when the cats are playing with each other but I have had to do it all too! Not easy! Happy Easter to you both!

Talli Roland said...

Go Charlie! I love your photos of him; seems like you two are really bonding. It's great indoors bonding weather, anyway (when oh when will spring come?).

Happy Friday!

Susan Fields said...

You have a lovely Good Friday, too! Charlie's very photogenic, even in the action shots!

Ann said...

I know what you mean. I just can not get the good shots of Louie. He won't stay still long enough.

I also know what you mean about the writing too. I know because I am your twin over here.

All we can do is to keep plodding.
Happy Easter!

Jans Funny Farm said...

Looks like Charlie is happy and settled in for life. How sweet.

We're not having computer problems. We have been having Blogger problems ever since we put in their new template. And today they went nuts and wouldn't let folks post. The browser problems are with those who use IE. We don't! We hate IE!

It's a good thing Blogger is free or we'd stop paying them. :-)

Old Kitty said...

Hi Amy and the House of Cats

I'm at that stage where I'm keeping every pic I get with Charlie in it!LOL! One day I will weed the bad shots out cos my pc;s fast running out of memory!

Take care
x

Old Kitty said...

Hi Theresa Milstein

Awww Charlie is my stand by muse!

:-)

I'm just lucky Charlie doesn't mind the picture taking - and yes there must be an easier way!

Take care
x

Old Kitty said...

Hi Love Meow

LOL!!!

There must be a secret trick to all this mustn't there? If you find one do let me know!

Take care
x

Old Kitty said...

Hi Brian

Oh if only!!!! LOL!!!

I'll ask Charlie!

:-)

take care
x

Old Kitty said...

Hi Jacqueline

So, so true!!! I think you do so excellently well with your pics of Suki, Calle, Halle, Momcat and Dadcat!

Charlie sends lots of purr-meows!

Take care
x

Old Kitty said...

Hi fairyhedgehog!

awww thank you!!

Have a great easter too!

Take care
x

Old Kitty said...

Hi lupie!!

Awww thank you!!!

I'm just glad Charlie doesn't mind the camera at all!

take care
x

Old Kitty said...

Hi Kim

Sports mode? Shutter mode? What language are these?!?! LOL!

I think you take damn fine pics of Nicki, Derry and Annie when in action mode!! They're really good like a professional would take!

Thank you so much for the camera tips - really helpful!! I shall keep on trying!

Take care
x

Old Kitty said...

Hi Chadrika Shubham

Thanks for popping by! And Thanks for liking the last shot!

I'm happy now!

:-)

Take care
x

Old Kitty said...

Hi Melody

Thank you! I hope you and Jude,Poo,Babybella,Piper & Marley have fantastic Easter too!

Take care
x

Old Kitty said...

Hi Abby!
Awwww thank you lovely Abby!!

You are so wise and so right!

Take care
x

Old Kitty said...

Hi Hannah and Lucy

That's so true!!

The pic taken is never the one I frame to take if you know what I mean!

It's all a learning curve, I suppose!

Take care
x

Old Kitty said...

Hi Marg

Awww I'm so glad it gets easier!!! I've got tons of Charlie pics but they're all of him asleep!

LOL!

Take care
x

Old Kitty said...

Hi KarenG

Awww, he is, he really is! And very very fast too!

Take care
x

Old Kitty said...

hi wilcatwoodscats

It's difficult isn't it? I just told Marg how all my Charlie pics are of him asleep - when really he spends most times running around chasing after me! and Mr Mcdoonagoogle! LOL!

Take care
x

Old Kitty said...

Hi Talli Roland

When indeed!!! It's like a long weekend from work so it would be nice to have some sun and less rain!

Take care
x

Old Kitty said...

Hi Susan Fields

Awww thank you!! Happy Good Friday to you too!

Take care
x

Old Kitty said...

Hi Ann

Awwww, so true!! Louie is lovely!! and yes we do plod away but you write gorgeous poetry like Chivalry!!

I really really like Chivalry!

:-)

take care
x

Old Kitty said...

Hi Jan's Funny Farm

LOL!!!

Awwwww I'm just so glad there is firefox to fall back on so I don't miss any of your blog pieces - I'm always excited to find out whose turn is it to blog at your blog!

:-)

take care
x