shutterspeed
10-02-2009, 11:22 AM
Life doesn't happen in slow motion. So we have to be ready to capture all the action that happens around us!
This week's challenge is all about action or movement. Capture your son kicking the ball at his soccer game or your daughter as she does a pirouette at ballet class. Got a teenager who loves to skateboard or rollerblade? Do you have a crazy pet that does a funny trick? Get that on “film” too!
A technique that is helpful in showing motion is called panning. What is panning? Well if your camera is installed on your tripod, moving the camera horizontally back & forth is called panning (you can also achieve this with hand-holding your camera as well but the results aren't as crisp typically). The technique of panning for a photograph means to follow the motion with your camera. So if you're photographing your husband riding his motorcycle, your camera should follow him. The resulting image will have the background blurred and out of focus and the subject in focus, thus capturing the look of motion. For P&S users go here for a “how-to” article on action photography: http://www.ehow.com/how_5189365_great-pictures-pointandshoot-digital-camera.html
Here's how you should set up for a shot like this:
1.Select a slightly slower shutterspeed than you would normally choose for this situation. (start with 1/30 of a second and play around with it). However you have to have enough ambient light to coincide with this. If it's rather dark your shutterspeed will have to be higher or you will have to adjust your ISO to 800 or 1600.
2.Make sure your view of the subject is unobstructed.
3.Find something that is the same distance away as your subject, ready your focus so that you're all focused when your subject comes into view.
4.Make sure you are parallel and on the same plane with your subject.
5.Track your subject smoothly with your camera.
6.Using a shutter release cable is helpful to avoid pesky camera shake.
Maybe you want to freeze motion instead. To achieve this all you have to do is bump up your shutterspeed! Either technique can result in outstanding images that really make you feel like you're in the action.
If you have any questions please feel free to post them or email me. I'm here to help.
You have from*Friday Oct 2nd*to*Thursday Oct 8th*to shoot your photos for this theme. Please submit only photos taken during that time frame. Below are some examples to get the creative juices flowing. Good luck and I look forward to seeing everyones photos!
I've gotta be honest..my forte is portraits. Action photography is not my specialty. And I've had little experience with the panning technique. So this week was a challenge for me too! :)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2633/3938333681_bfac80e4f1.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2659/3974624242_5a0bf903a5.jpg
i tried. i shall practice some more!
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3500/3974675760_a0788c43cc.jpg
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1365/1249517950_291ae099d3.jpg
REMEMBER:
- You may post up to 2 photos per challenge.
- Post-processing and use of actions ARE ALLOWED.
- Photos must be taken by you during the challenge week.
- Photos must be posted in the *new* PHOTOGRAPHY gallery & in this thread.
- PLEASE SIZE PICS to no larger than 600px WIDE and/or TALL.*
- Please number or title your photographs for recognition.
This week's challenge is all about action or movement. Capture your son kicking the ball at his soccer game or your daughter as she does a pirouette at ballet class. Got a teenager who loves to skateboard or rollerblade? Do you have a crazy pet that does a funny trick? Get that on “film” too!
A technique that is helpful in showing motion is called panning. What is panning? Well if your camera is installed on your tripod, moving the camera horizontally back & forth is called panning (you can also achieve this with hand-holding your camera as well but the results aren't as crisp typically). The technique of panning for a photograph means to follow the motion with your camera. So if you're photographing your husband riding his motorcycle, your camera should follow him. The resulting image will have the background blurred and out of focus and the subject in focus, thus capturing the look of motion. For P&S users go here for a “how-to” article on action photography: http://www.ehow.com/how_5189365_great-pictures-pointandshoot-digital-camera.html
Here's how you should set up for a shot like this:
1.Select a slightly slower shutterspeed than you would normally choose for this situation. (start with 1/30 of a second and play around with it). However you have to have enough ambient light to coincide with this. If it's rather dark your shutterspeed will have to be higher or you will have to adjust your ISO to 800 or 1600.
2.Make sure your view of the subject is unobstructed.
3.Find something that is the same distance away as your subject, ready your focus so that you're all focused when your subject comes into view.
4.Make sure you are parallel and on the same plane with your subject.
5.Track your subject smoothly with your camera.
6.Using a shutter release cable is helpful to avoid pesky camera shake.
Maybe you want to freeze motion instead. To achieve this all you have to do is bump up your shutterspeed! Either technique can result in outstanding images that really make you feel like you're in the action.
If you have any questions please feel free to post them or email me. I'm here to help.
You have from*Friday Oct 2nd*to*Thursday Oct 8th*to shoot your photos for this theme. Please submit only photos taken during that time frame. Below are some examples to get the creative juices flowing. Good luck and I look forward to seeing everyones photos!
I've gotta be honest..my forte is portraits. Action photography is not my specialty. And I've had little experience with the panning technique. So this week was a challenge for me too! :)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2633/3938333681_bfac80e4f1.jpg
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2659/3974624242_5a0bf903a5.jpg
i tried. i shall practice some more!
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3500/3974675760_a0788c43cc.jpg
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1365/1249517950_291ae099d3.jpg
REMEMBER:
- You may post up to 2 photos per challenge.
- Post-processing and use of actions ARE ALLOWED.
- Photos must be taken by you during the challenge week.
- Photos must be posted in the *new* PHOTOGRAPHY gallery & in this thread.
- PLEASE SIZE PICS to no larger than 600px WIDE and/or TALL.*
- Please number or title your photographs for recognition.