If you have been following our instagram page you will know I have a love affair not only taking photos of our dog Badger, but also of so many other mountain puppies from around the globe.

Here I have listed my favourite grammin' pooches and asked them for their top tip when it comes to taking photos of dogs!

I have started with my own pup Badger... 

My top tip is to keep treats up by your camera so he looks lovingly at you, or jumps trying to catch them! @furtherfasternz

"Get down low! Pictures taken from standing height look boring. Get on their level to show their perspective. The lower you get, the more dramatic your dog looks." @robinventures

"It's useful if you can get them to wait, normally via a bribe or some sort if you have a nice background, I take hundreds when I'm out. I constantly have the camera ready and just fire away. Out of 300 about 10 are normally any good.
Also, timers can sometimes be useful if you want to be in the shot. Just be prepared for many attempts to get a decent shot!" @bitchin.beer.treats

 "1. Be curious, You can find great backgrounds and details from the most ordinary of places. Look for different patterns and lights.

2. Image composition, as Instagrams square format supports the symmetrical composition, You might also try to frame your object somewhere else in the frame than in the center. Or maybe crop a part of your model out of the frame and go really close.
3. It's easy to shoot a dog You can control well. But many times when the dog is sitting and waiting for your next word the atmosphere can be static. So take also photos of your dog doing his own things freely.
4. Take a lot of frames. It's super tricky to get a good photo of a dog. But if You take a hundred pics, there's probably a few good one's there too! Aim for the eye to eye level, it means You have to go lower, unless You have a really big dog!
5. The most important one. Have fun. A good photo is a by-product of a great walk with your friend. You don't get good photos everytime so there's no need to be frustrated and definitely not showing your frustration to your dog!"  @kaffegram

"I’m pretty fortunate to live in Queenstown where everyone is an instant photographer haha. The scenery here is stunning so all you have to do is point and shoot! With pup, we go on loads of hikes (at least a 2 hour walk a day).
So I just walk with him and let him do his thing while I have the camera close by. Nothing fancy here.Oh yes. Filters to help the scenery pop! Some HDR tampering is a must 😜" @murph_the_vizsla 

"So ya got 1. Dogo, 2, sunsets 3, snow 4, truck 5, super attractive wife. Then just try and get as many of those into the same shot. Extra points if dog has tongue out. Oh and iPhone camera + portrait mode" @senbilcock

"Hmmm good question. I've been noticing that GoPro facial shoots are usually the photos that are liked the most. The photos where the dogs face is more macro creates more likes". @adventures_of_major_and_aspen 

  "Um, unless your after something specifically different get down to their level. The lower the better 😀🐶👍" @mark_and_myas_adventures

"Umm hard question, I guess just try and find a stunning landscape and then blend the dog Into it. Usually pretty easy to find with any adventure in NZ.👍"  @sean.beale

"My biggest tip is to exercise your dog out first because they’ll be more likely to listen and pose & stay still when they’re tired 😂 also always have treats, that’ll make them look whatever directions the treats are!"   @jazz.paws

So there you have it! So many tips and amazing dogs in the mountains... We want to see your adventures, so send us your pics or tag us #furtherfasternz 

Happy Snapping Folks!!

Written by Odelios Rüegg.

The Summer Rogaine Series is around the corner. Get amongst it and get ready with these seven lessons FurtherFaster athlete, Odelios “I love to win” Rüegg, has learnt on and off the trails.

Ode loves to do adventures ... and is famous for the quote, "Why are we doing this if we aren't going to win?", while the rest of us just like to go for a good time! 

1. Expect surprises.
   
   Yeah, so when I said the “no-surprise guide”, I lied ‘cause there’s really no such thing. No matter how many lists and plans and courses you plot, there will always be surprises. For instance, I’ve met with an unmarked patch of thorny bushes someone didn’t include on the map (or was it that I thought our team could quickly scramble though 500m of it unscathed?). I’ve lost precious time and pride looking for controls on the wrong spur. I’ve underestimated the size of a course, or my ability, and our team crossed the finish line late, in the dark and we managed to accrue negative points. 
   
   To arm yourself as best you can against surprises, learn to roll with the punches and follow my hard-won lessons below.
2. Don’t get lost.
   
   This one seems obvious, but learn to read a map and practice compass navigation! 
   
   When I started rogaining as a teenager I couldn’t do either. My map and compass are still are still a work in progress, and the more rogaines I compete in, the more I learn from my teammates and the better navigator I become (though my teammates might still give me a B grade).
   
   When starting out with rogaining, find a topographical map and carry it on training runs and weekend walks. Familiarizing yourself will pay dividends in the heat of the moment when you’re racing.
   
   Practice at night, it’s daunting but fun! Practice with a head torch. Practice using your compass and map to hold a bearing. Practice, practice, practice.
3. Food. You can’t eat, or carry, too much.
   
   No one wants to go hungry while racing, whether it’s a 1-hour event close to home or 24-hour event on farther shores. Food = energy, and no one I’ve ever competed with has ever complained about too much energy, or too much food. 
   
   Be sure, though, to make a plan to eat every thirty minutes or so, and be a good teammate and make sure they’re all eating too. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of the race and forget to eat. Not enough food = low/no energy = not winning. 
4. Teamwork makes the dream work.
   
   Team leader. Navigator. Gopher. Packhorse. Pick a team with diverse skills (with any combination of the above), and know how to use those skills as you work harmoniously together to reach the finish line. 
   
   - The team leader needs to be bossy and able to call the hard shots.
   - The navigator is the scapegoat when navigation goes wrong.
   - The gopher should be your fastest runner who does all the extra steep, technical and tricky bits to get to the controls (remember to stay within the event’s required proximity).
   - The packhorse can carry all food and compulsory gear. Note picture below... Rocky is often the packhorse!
5. Gear-up good! 
   
   Have the right toys and know how, and when, to use them. Rogaining goes ahead regardless of weather and there’s nothing more miserable than being caught out with a cheap rain jacket or not enough batteries. Each rogaine will supply a gear list and that list is always a lifesaver. Read it! And make sure you’ve ticked every single item off! 
6. Get social.
   
   Rogainers are a social bunch. As far as competitive sports go, the typical rogainer is happy to give you a hand and a few tips! Don’t be surprised if you find yourself tracking along on the same route as another team and sharing a few yarns. And don’t be surprised if you make a few friends along the way.
7. You might find love.                                                                                              Despite my lack of success in this category, I know numerous good people who have          found love (and eventual marriage) whilst on the rogaine trail. It happens! There may be   hope for me yet! #rogainetinder

Rogaines introduced me to the epic New Zealand outdoors after I moved to Christchurch from the United States in 2006. I’m now an adventure sport athlete, having competed in countless 2 – 24-hour adventure races, Coast to Coast, Heights of Winter and I’m now training for the 2018 Red Bull Defiance and Coast to Coast. The skills I pick up during each and every rogaine—whether our team wins or loses (although winning is best!)—I take those skills into every adventure sport.

Get amongst it and be radical!

Canterbury Summer Rogaine Series! Wednesday's 1 & 2Hr Afterwork Events

Great views and hidden corners are always a bonus on a Summer Rogaine. Not in Chch but still keen? Check out NZ Rogaine Association for a event near you!

The best thing about rogaining is the social aspect. Everyone starts at the same time, and generally finishes at the same time, it is just the amount of ground that has been covered by teams that differs. Rogaining can be held in city environments or in farmland and bush, and you get to visit parts of the country you never knew existed.

Awesome practice of the skills for adventure races like Spring Challenge (Just ask these girls who won in 2016!)

Anybody that has a moderate level of fitness can participate. A high level of navigation ability is not required. If is a great way to learn or practice for events, adventure races or backcountry trips you have planned.

Teams travel at their own pace and anyone from children to grandparents can experience the personal satisfaction that comes from cross-country navigation at their own level of competition and comfort. Team members stay within earshot of each other.

1 hour option available too. Kids and families are welcome to come and have a fun time.

Don’t miss it, bring your friends!

Any excuse to get in the hills is a good one!

2018 Dates and Locations in Port Hills Christchurch: 

Wednesday 17th January, Horotane Valley

Wednesday 24th January Bowenvale Valley

Wednesday 31st January Sumner

Time: Registration from 5:30pm, Start 6:30pm, Finish 8:30pm

Terrain: Exciting hills and route choice options to satisfy all tastes.

Entry fee:
Under 12 - Free (must run with an over 20)
Adults - $20
Junior/Student - $10

Responsibilities: Team members need to be aware that they will be participating at their own risk, and that the landowners and organisers accept no responsibility for accidents or injuries that occur. 

Entries open now, Click here to go to the Canterbury Rogaine Series Entry Page.

This isn't the team... just dreaming of a white chrimbo and all that!

Got some outdoorsy folk or dog lovers in the family? Check out Team FurtherFaster's picks for this year’s Christmas presents!  

For the Dog: Ruff wear Gnawt-a-Stick throw toy. This piece of bouncy, floatable drift wood is made of natural rubber and is super safe for those stick obsessed dogs avoiding nasty splinters and stick injuries! Vet nurse Becky give this a huge tick of approval!! 

As rated 10/10 by this pup!

For the Runner: Montane VIA Visor. So essential for summer running to protect the face and eyes from the harsh sun and act as a sweat absorber. I can't live without mine. Great stocking filler!

Becky and Rocky both keeping there eyes dry from the sweat... but there still may have been tears from running up the Bridle Path!!

For a RAD Guy or Girl: FurtherFaster Trucker Hat. The coolest item you could own this summer anyone who wears one is part of the awesome FF team and their coolness is out of this world! Girls love them just as much as guys!! 

Team Member Teddy approves!

For the Adventurer: LifeVenture Sleeplight Hammock. The best gift you could give an adventurer is a night under the stars. This hammock is "the coolest way to chill" and packs up tiny for hiking and biking adventures. Weighs only 315 grams!

Looks like a great way to spend Christmas Arvo... tempted? I am!

For the Tramper: Jetboil Mighty Mo. Imagine giving a tired tramper the gift of a hot meal and coffee at the end of a long hike! This tiny gas stove is a brilliant little pocket rocket and weighs only 95grams!  

TINY!! Don't be fooled by the large pan!

Still not sure what might float the boat for your adventure lovers? Give us a holla and we can help you out!

 Merry Christmas Team!!

Damm it is hot out there!!! But still Jacob and Jen keep hitting those trails. How do they keep up the training when it is 31'+ outside? I wasn't sure so I asked! Here is what they had to say!

Jacob looking hot hot hot!! But still out there loving those hills! (Note the slip, slop, slap, slide!)

1. Keep hydrated. Put ice in your bladder or bottles to keep water cold and body cool.
2. Drink a slushy (or similar) to lower your core temperature before running (cools your core in the heat for at least a hour +).
3. Beat the heat and head out early morning and train before it gets too hot.
4. Keep away from dark coloured clothing and make sure it's breathable. Wear lighter coloured clothing to reflect heat/sun. 
5. Wear a hat and glasses. Putting cold water on the cap while out (if possible) is epic.
6. Or be old school and wear a sweat band to keep sweating dripping into your eyes!.
7. Sunblock!!! Waterproof sunscreen lasts longer when you are sweating it out in the heat. 
8. Try to run where you can catch a breeze or run through rivers (an added bonus which will help with back country trips later on)! 

Today we ended our run near the sea and went swimming afterwards to cool down (epic!!)

Didn't swim in here... but gave me a mental cool down!