Action Shots! Fast-Moving Photos

Action photos are some of the most rewarding types of photos to take, although that doesn't mean that they are easy. Taking an action shot requires a lot of practice, skill, and above all, patience. Focusing your camera on a fast moving object can be very difficult when trying to use auto-focus. Many cameras take a second or more to adjust, by which time the image will already be out of focus.

Focus

When taking any photo, the most important aspect is good focus. When you are focusing on an object that doesn't move this will be easy. You can either use auto-focus or manual focus. Either way, you have plenty of time to focus your shot because nothing is moving.

Taking photos of moving objects, however, can be very difficult. You will need to learn how to focus your camera and take photos of objects which are moving quickly. There are actually a lot of different techniques which can be used to keep your photos in sharp focus, even when taking photos of moving objects.

Infinite Focus

If you are taking photos a long distance away from the camera you will be able to set the focus to infinite. This means that there is a set range of focus, and as long as the moving objects stay in this range then clear images will be taken.

This is useful sometimes, although this technique cannot be used to take photos of airshows or shooting events because it doesn't offer good enough results.

Manual Correction

If your camera supports manual focus you can focus the camera by moving the focus ring. This is typically only possible on digital SLR cameras with separate lenses, and you will first have to turn off the auto-focus feature.

This may work well in some cases, although it is not possible to use this option for items which cannot be predicted, because it's not possible to change the focus quickly enough.

Single Focus

The camera can be set to single focus mode, which will mean it will focus on the item when the shutter button is pressed. This is only suitable if your camera can focus very quickly, as most cameras take a split second to focus. If that's not quick enough you will have to look for another option.

Focus Lock

Another possible solution is using focus lock. This is where you press the shutter button down half way to start auto focusing the image. However, instead of pressing the button down you hold it half way to lock the focus. Wait for the moving objects to come into view and then press the button.

Using focus lock is the easiest and often most effective technique in taking high speed moving photos. However, this will also drain your batteries because it uses a lot of motors while waiting for the object to come into view.

Learning how to take photos of moving objects is difficult, but with a little patience and practice it becomes easier. Once you have mastered the basic skills there are many other things that you can adjust.