One of the most ingenious, if not coolest, uses for still photography is documenting rapid actions and tiny fractions of time. From the moment cameras were given the ability to increase their shutter speeds, Muybridge set out to prove that horses truly do lift all four of their legs off the ground at the same time while in a full gallop. Today, photography is still used to freeze rapid moments in time, and the images that are produced from this still awe the world on a regular basis. From sports to wildlife, the world around us is full of erratic movement, and people everywhere love seeing it! What's most interesting about action photography is that you truly do not need an expensive camera or equipment to capture it- it’s all about technique!
Regardless of the camera that you are using, the main components used in capturing eye-popping action shots are shutter speed, panning, and timing. And within these components, the primary factors that affect how successful you'll be at getting those shots are the camera's focus mode, the camera's shooting mode, and your image composition (yes- we know that the subject is moving, but you still have to pay attention to how you compose the shot! No slacking allowed!).
Shutter Speed: The most significant aspect of action photography is your shutter speed. The higher the shutter speed, the faster your camera will capture the photograph and the more ‘frozen’ your action shots will look! On the flip side of this, the higher your shutter speed the darker the image will be as well; so pay attention to the environment you are in, and adjust your ISO levels accordingly. Just as a higher shutter speed freezes an action shot, lower shutter speeds can cause images to have motion blur. Sometimes, motion blur is intentional! Nonetheless, if you want those freeze-frame stills, you need to raise your shutter speed up. Anything beyond 800 will generally freeze an image fairly well, but depending on the situation, you may want to try faster speeds as well.
Panning: To pan is to follow your subject with your camera. Panning takes a lot of practice, but this is a must-know when shooting sport and action photography. Take some time to practice following your subjects wherever they go with your camera! As with all things, the more you practice this, the better you will become at it.
Timing: Knowing when to click that shutter is very important. Although you may be shooting in a burst/continuous mode (taking multiple photographs per second), cameras have lag and you cannot rely on the burst mode to catch the perfect moment. You need to really know your subject, and you will need to train your sensitivity to predict when to take the shot!
Focus Mode: Go into the menu of your camera, and change the focus mode to AI Servo. As previously covered in the “Working with Animals” article: “On most DSLR cameras, you have the option of selecting a focusing mode: One Shot, AI Servo, and the final being a blend of both. One Shot is intended for a subject that is not rapidly moving. This is the default setting, which is why it is overlooked. AI Servo causes the camera to constantly refocus on your moving subject! Of course, this is not a 100% accurate tool as cameras are not smart and do not think for you. There will be instances in which you will have to refocus on the subject manually to remind the camera what it needs to pay attention to!”
Shooting Mode: In order to quickly capture a series of action shots, you will want to change your shooting mode to continuous/burst mode (the name changes depending on camera model). Using this setting will allow you to take a rapid sequence of action shots and then select and keep just the best ones!
Composition: Generally, when you have a moving subject, you want there to be a decent amount of negative space in the direction that the subject is moving. This way, the image does not feel claustrophobic or stressed. Psychologically, we want to experience the movement presented in the image and an abrupt cut-off in the scene causes us to interpret the image more negatively.
There you have it folks- that’s how this is done! Now, go out there and start offering your clientele some snazzy action shots. Once you've taken the photographs, upload them to an online photography storefront provider, such as Instaproofs, so that your clients can view and order your amazing action photographs at their leisure!
Anabel DFlux is a California native who prefers to spend every waking moment with her trusty camera in hand. In 2009 she started her own photography business on a whim and a wish, and has since gone on to work for a variety of publications, companies, and unique clients throughout the country. With her foot in a variety of photographic doors, Anabel is recognized as a zealous individual with a passion for art that knows no bounds.