If you have recently purchased a digital camera, you may be getting bored by still photography. How do you take action pictures with a digital camera? Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about action photography.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Action photography is the go-to creative technique for sports photography, wildlife photography, and more.
- Before getting started, become familiar with your best digital camera and its various settings. If your camera has a dedicated mode for action photos, be sure to explore it.
- Scope out your subject and the immediate surroundings ahead of time, to ensure proper framing.
- Edit out blurry or unwanted details after the photos have been taken.
What is Action Photography?
As the name suggests, action photography is the process by which photographers snap photos of subjects in motion. Sports photographers, journalists, wildlife photographers, and live event photographers are all action photographers by trade.
Insider Tip
As the name suggests, action photography is the process by which photographers snap photos of subjects in motion.
Why Learn Action Photography?
If you want to take good photos with a minimal blur of moving subjects, you will need to become adept at action photographer. This is especially true of sports photographers.
How Do You Take Action Pictures with a Digital Camera?
Action photography is an art form and the specifics will differ depending on circumstance and the make and model of your digital camera. Still, here are some general guidelines to follow to help you capture good action shots.
Get to Know Your Camera
Before you can take a decent action shot, become accustomed to your camera. You will need to make a boatload of adjustments for any particular action shot, so become familiar with aperture settings, shutter speed, focus, and more. Your DSLR camera could have a dedicated settings function for action photography that will regulate all of that for you, so read up on the instructions before starting. You also need decent memory space. This means you may have to buy a new memory card or format your old memory card to create space. Most importantly, learn how to lock and unlock your memory card to protect the images captured.
Insider Tip
Before you can take a decent action shot, become accustomed to your camera.
Select Your Location Carefully
You want to be as close to the action as possible, to make sure your subject is presented clearly within the frame. Scope out your subject and the surrounding location ahead of time and get into position well before the action starts. As a warning, get close but not too close to active games of sport to minimize the risk of injury.
Framing
Framing is particularly important when going for an action shot. Make sure your subject is in the center of the frame, ideally taking up as much room as possible so as to minimize background noise. You may also want your subject to be facing you, as people tend to respond better to faces when it comes to photography.
Edit Ruthlessly
Don’t be afraid to edit photos ruthlessly, removing any unwanted blur or even unwanted parts of the scenery. The most important aspect of an action shot is the action itself, so don’t be afraid to cut at will.
Warning
As a warning, get close but not too close to active games of sport to minimize the risk of injury.
F.A.Q.
How do I get into action photography?
There are no shortcuts when it comes to action photography. In other words, you are going to have to practice. After that? Practice some more. Finally, practice even more.
What shutter speed is best for action shots?
This will largely depend on personal preference, your camera, and the type of action you are shooting. Having said that, start by setting your shutter speed at least 1/3000 second or faster.
What is the easiest type of photography?
No type of photography is considered to be easy, as even selfies can prove to be frustrating in certain scenarios. Action photography, still life photography, and macro photography all have their difficulties.
STAT: The global action camera market is forecast to be worth 10.25 billion U.S. dollars by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 12.6 percent between 2018 and 2026. The American company GoPro is the leader in the action cam market. (source)
