According to
this list, there are 10 reasons why your images might be soft, but realistically, there are only three reasons why a photo is out of focus/blurry.
- The subject is moving (too quickly for your settings)
- the camera is moving (too quickly for your settings)
- you/the camera missed the focus entirely
1. You can't control this, but you can pick and choose your moments. Clearly, the more static they are, the better your odds. But I'd also argue that you'd end up with a pretty boring set of images.
2. You can't control 1, but you could limit 2 with a tripod/monopod. If you're not using a tripod, then I am surprised that so many people are recommending longer lenses as this will mean you'll have to increase your shutter speed to at least your focal length so it's not camera shake blurring the movement. Move to the long end of your 55-250mm lens for example, and you'd have to shoot at least 1/250th for camera shake not to be an issue. Fine, if there's plenty of light, but if we've already established there isn't, it doesn't seem like sound advice (to me).
That said, with people you shouldn't be shooting under 1/200 anyway (for someone walking and probably over 1/500 if they're running or jogging with the animals). I've no idea what that figure is for dogs and/or horses, but it would be at least as high, probably higher.
3. Multiple reasons for this. Camera chose the wrong points on a multi-focal point setting. Too close for your lens' minimum focal distance (unlikely). Smears on your lens/mirror/sensor.
If you have the liberty of being able to test a few things in this environment, I'd:
- really look at the available lighting and where it is, then take shots when the owner/dog are at their most illuminated - this should be with the (ceiling) light source between you and them (it may not be the most flattering, but will give you the most light on your subject and the best opportunity to freeze the action and stop the blur)
- up the shutter speed and ISO and see how that works - the trade off in noise may be too much but you may find that more acceptable than too much blur
- under expose with a faster shutter speed so it freezes the action and see if you can recover the exposure in Lightroom or A N Other PP programme - again, noise can be a real problem here
- a version of the above might be to take bracketed shots and see if that works out any better
- shoot more open (already discussed), use a shallower depth of field and decide upfront if it's more important to get the dog or the handler in focus
- see how much sharpening your images can take in Lightroom (I'm rubbish at this BTW, but I'm sure that there are plenty of YouTube vids to take you through the processs
The other option, which I can't see that anyone else has mentioned is to actively embrace the limitations and go for shots that deliberately have motion blur in them. Emphasise it to add dynamism to the shots where they're on the move. It may not work, but as Phil mentioned earlier, if the current situation isn't working, you need to change something. If you can't change available light and don't want to change equipment, then maybe think about changing your approach with the limitations as they are.
Albert Einstein is broadly credited with exclaiming “The
definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results."