Jim, I was surprised too at how much that flash can blow out an image! That morning at home I had Hallie (black) in the front yard with just very light shade from a tree and used the flash and it worked great. Just enough fill flash to bring out her details in her dark coat. Once I got to this other shoot though there was nothing I could do even in dark shadow (as illustrated by the second shot there which looks awful) to have the subject look good. I don't believe it was set to high speed flash sync, at least I didn't set it to that. I'm wondering if I should have used the FEL more on the shoot? Yes there is something obviously wrong I will take it out and practice some more and see what I can come up with. I am posting one I took that morning of Hallie, as you can see the sun was behind her and without the flash she was mainly a black silouhette, in this picture the background is washed out too much but her coat isn't too bad and it certainly did not blow it out like it did of the girl and her dog where I was even farther away.

Thanks Jeff, I told them once they choose one to let me know so I can photoshop out some of the nigglies in the background. Photoshop is so cool...our local paper once used a shot I took at a show and before I sent it to them I photoshopped Hallie's head inconspicously at the edge of the shot so she'd be in the paper LOL.

Tony those are great! You are King of the Crop for sure. I'm glad you keep reminding me to think outside of the box (or crop as it may be) I am getting so caught up in the technical aspects and worried about the exposure, etc coming out right at the time I don't focus enough on the actual shot composition. And gads no, I am not a glass slipper! I am very tough and want to learn so PLEASE, everyone, always fire away it is the only way I will learn so don't worry about that. Can't hurt my feelings! I'm not at all discouraged, it's all part of the journey to get to the "good shots". I see it a lot like dog and horse training, when you have one that is easy to train it's great and fun but you dont' grow as a trainer, you need problems to solve to really learn how to train well.

I did think of your comments on focusing more on the interaction between man and beast on the last Schutzhund shots, and I am trying to do that more. I admit, again that on these I was so freaked about having to do this a third time and not wanting to make it four that I wasn't thinking of the poses as much as I should, they were really good about posing themselves lol. Their dog 4-H club need photos done and I think I am going to do them all for free just to get the experience. Once I am comfortable with the exposure being ok I think I will be able to come up with more interesting shots!

I do love your crops though, I will present some variables to them and see what they like. They are going to advertise in a couple of magazines with these I believe. In this case, I'd say the dog and the girl have about equal weight as far as importance as this was a big win for her (and this dog) in Juniors, not a breed win for the dog. I'm soaking this all in and really want to not get stuck in the traditional poses so these comments are great!

Now see I should have thought of that too, to try both lenses! These things always hit me on the way home lol. I didn't think of that one but I was thinking I should have been playing with the EC just in case. I didn't realize the long lens would blur more...that is good to know. I wish I didn't have to tackle this mountain of work sitting here right now, I want to go out and practice some more shooting!