Dock-jumping hunting dog competition! (10 pics)

[Steve Foss]

I've watched a bunch of this on ESPN2 but have never been to an event.

This weekend, the event came to Ely for the first time. What a blast! Dogs, lots of people, sun, food, water. Just a great time. These are from Friday and Sunday. My only regret is i missed Saturday's vertical leap competition (my favorite) because I was out in the woods.

Hope this event comes back to Ely next year!

All with the Canon 30D and Canon 70-200 f2.8L, iso200, most al servo focus mode with center point focus, a few one shot focus mode, a couple manual focus (vertical leap manual focus on hanging dummy), shutter speeds from 1/800 to 1/3200 at f2.8 and f4.

Giving the chessy a look

Egging him on

Not so sure

Hey, just who's diving in, anyway!?

Yikes, he's leaping right toward me!

Catching some air

That's a lot of dog

BIGGGG stretch!

Riveting landing

He loves his toy

[bassNspear]

Great shots Man!!!!!!! Very intersting shots. Awesome stuff

[polarsusd81]

As always Steve. We have come to expect the best. I wonder what would happen if you posted up some of the out-takes. You have to shoot some out-takes for that to happen though.

[Steve Foss]

Thanks, guys.

Tom, I fired off 361 images. I kept 158 after chimping. Of those 158, here are 10. I will say these were very difficult conditions regardless of the camera. Keeping the focus point on the face of a dog launching into the air is a chancy business. Some dogs jump pretty flat, others elevate like Air Jordog, and unless you come to know each dog, you don't know which is which. That's why there aren't many images here of dogs taking air.

No one knows how many images a photographer "missed" unless he tells you. Now you know. But it's not how many cards you take from the deck that count. It's the hand you lay down when the money's on the table.

[JayinMN]

I bet that was a blast, if I would have known about it, I would have been there too. The pictures are great! Thanks for sharing. I love watching it on T.V. it would have been nice to see it in person.

Funny thing, yesterday we were doing baby dock diving into the ditch after all the rain. Molly at 9 weeks old. Maybe we will see you next year!

[tedl]

Hope to see that little guy there next year, looks like a champ

[Iambjm]

Put a cape on Molly and call her Superdog, able to leap tall dandelions in a single bound.

[Voyage North]

Wow, wow, & more wow. Very impressive pictures!

Wish I could have gone down to the park, but we were so busy this weekend I was lucky I have had time to sleep!

[DeeDee]

Great shots, I love the ones where they look like they are looking right into the camera.

Love the pup too. Looks like he will be playing with the big dogs soon.

[finnbay]

Love those water dog shots! Well done Steve! And Jay, the pupply looks like a champ!

[MN Shutterbug]

Awesome shots, Steve. You really maintained nice DOF on these shots. Most are sharp from front to back.

[Dbl]

Nicely done Steve! The pup is growing up Jay!