| When it comes to capturing good action shots - | | | | tricks. |
| whether a teen's latest skateboard maneuver or | | | | 1) Zoom in on Faces - Don't always focus on the |
| Fido's latest antic - one of the most important digital | | | | action. Capture those expressions of determination, |
| photography basics to consider is shutter lag. | | | | triumph and even defeat (especially if it's an |
| More accurately called "processor lag," this is the time | | | | opponent!). |
| that passes between the moment you press the | | | | 2) Tell a Story - Look for shots that tell a story of |
| shutter release button to the moment the camera | | | | the event. For example, begin with a shot of the |
| actually gets the shot and you see that green light. | | | | team's huddle or your fellow paddlers launching their |
| Press too soon, and you end up with something | | | | rafts. |
| completely different than you'd expected. | | | | 3) Freeze! - To freeze the action, set your camera |
| In spite of all their advantages, compact digital | | | | to sports mode or set your Shutter Speed Priority to |
| cameras are slower than film cameras, some more | | | | a high setting. For an example of the difference in |
| than others. This article provides some tips for | | | | settings: freezing action in a soccer game requires a |
| dealing with this lag, as well as tips for just generally | | | | shutter speed in the range of 1/250 to 1/500, while |
| taking some exciting and memorable action pictures. | | | | freezing the tiny movements of a pet that appears |
| 1) Be Ready to Shoot - While you can't know if your | | | | to be sitting still, requires 1/125. |
| child is going to make that soccer goal, try to | | | | 4) Blur the Background - Take a cue from the sports |
| anticipate when then things are most apt to happen. | | | | photographers, and blur the background by |
| Even professional sports photographers with | | | | decreasing the camera's depth of field. If using a |
| speed-of-lightning cameras try to anticipate the | | | | camera that has Aperture Priority, you can do this by |
| action, just so they can be in the right spot and point | | | | simply decreasing the f-stop number. The lower the |
| the camera in the right direction. | | | | f-stop, the more background blur. Want to capture |
| To better anticipate the likelihood of that great shot, | | | | the crowd cheering? |
| gain a basic understanding of what/whom you are | | | | 5) Pan - This is a good alternative for digital compact |
| photographing. In other words, if you plan to | | | | users where dim light underexposes photos shot with |
| photograph your child's soccer game, learn the rules | | | | sports mode/fast shutter speed. Panning works with |
| of the game. If your child's performing in the | | | | automatic focus, but it only works when the action is |
| Nutcracker, watch a rehearsal or two. | | | | moving in a fairly straight line. Here's how to pan: |
| 2) Shop Around before purchasing a new compact | | | | Set the camera to Autofocus. With feet planted |
| digital. Unfortunately, there isn't just one camera spec | | | | firmly on the ground, move the upper half of your |
| that will tell you how fast the camera will capture the | | | | body while following the subject with your camera. |
| picture from the time you press that button. Other | | | | Just before the anticipated action that you want to |
| factors can slow down the processing too, like the | | | | capture occurs, start pressing the shutter release |
| quality of the sensor and in dim lighting, the ISO | | | | button and continue following the subject until you've |
| setting. So check out what others are saying at | | | | pressed the button all the way down and the camera |
| photography forums and honest review sites, and | | | | gets the shot. Autofocus too slow on your camera? |
| read all the specs available. | | | | Focus on an area of contrast, such as the number on |
| 3) Spring for a DSLR (Digital Single-Lens-Reflex). | | | | a uniform. Autofocus works faster with contrast. |
| They're more expensive than compacts, but they're | | | | Experiment with panning to get various effects. You |
| FAST. These cameras do not have shutter-lag issues, | | | | might want to show some blur in the action to |
| and if you're shooting action indoors, you can ramp | | | | emphasize the speed of movement, such as with a |
| up the ISO without your photos being marred by the | | | | race car. |
| digital noise that you'll get when doing the same with | | | | Whether of a sporting event or your dog, action |
| a compact. | | | | shots are really fun to take once you get the hang |
| Digital Photography Basics to Use with any Type of | | | | of it. And once you master the digital photography |
| Camera | | | | basics (like compensating for shutter lag) it makes it |
| Whether you have a compact, DSLR, point-and-shoot | | | | all the more fun. |
| film camera or camera phone, try these professional | | | | |