Don’t Miss A Moment – Great Tips For Action Photography

Photo by vramak

Soccer practice, dance recitals, camping trips and music classes, our modern lives are a blur of activity - but that shouldn’t be the case for our photos! You want to make sure you have clear mementos of those all time important moments, when Sarah is the star of the school play or Jimmy scores the winning goal. 

Photo by andi.vs.zf

Action photography isn’t easy; you’ll find professionals use some of the most advanced equipment in the industry for sporting events and competitions – and they spend years mastering the skills. However, with the right professional tips, even compact digital camera users can ensure they never miss out on the action. Here are some to keep in mind: 

Photo by Patrick|Choi

Pick a good vantage point – get close to the action. Be respectful of boundaries but don’t be shy about being one of those parents that’s right up there in the thick of it, snapping away. Try different perspectives, such as getting low down on the ground or higher up if you can. 

Photo by flydime

Pick the right equipment – not all digital cameras are created equal and you’ll want to invest in a quality product. For action photos, look for a model with a fast response time and reduced shutter lag, such as the Canon Powershot SX210 IS. You’ll also want the ability to take continuous shots and adjust shutter speed as required. 

Photo by carterse

Panning – one of the main causes of blurry photos with digital cameras is shutter lag – the time it takes from when you press the button to when the picture actually gets taken. One professional “trick” that will help to overcome this is panning. Panning involves moving the camera in the same direction as your subject, so you’re tracking the shot. With practice, you’ll be able to use a low shutter speed with panning to create blurred motion effects to heighten the impact of your composition. 

Photo by Geraint Warlow

Continuous Shots – digital cameras give us the freedom to take as many photos as we want – and then delete the ones we don’t like. With action shots in particular, you can take a sequence of photos to find the best shot that really captures the moment. Most newer models of cameras have the ability to take continuous shots, but again be wary of shutter lag and the write speed (the time it takes for the image to be stored on your memory card).

 

Photo by Aristocrats-hat

Get off the Automatic – many of us camera newbies prefer to leave the settings on automatic, which is a good idea if you’re not sure of your equipment and you don’t want to be fooling around with settings in the heat of the moment. Once you’re more familiar with the operations, try experimenting with shutter speed and lighting. Fast shutter speeds mean clearer pictures but will need more light, while slower shutter speeds, combined with panning, can create awesome effects to enhance your photos. 

Photo bycmaccubbin

Enjoy the moment! – Don’t spend the entire time peering through the view finder looking for that one perfect photo. Ultimately photographs are for sharing and capturing a memory – so be in the moment to remember.




Written by Canon Australia