Action Photography: (with a DSLR CAMERA)

Stop Action, Panning, & Blur

STOP ACTION:

Stop Action OR Freezing means stopping the motion of a moving object in the photograph, so that it appears sharp. It can completely destroy the effect of motion unless there are elements in the picture that clearly show or imply motion - drops of water caught in midair, or a person clearly in motion from the position of their limbs etc.

To do: set your shutter speed to 400 or FASTER. Usually your F-Stop/Aperture will be F8 or Narrower (F11, F16, F22)

ACTION PHOTO

Shutter Speed: 2000 (1/2000th of a second)

F-Stop/Aperture: F11

Composition: Rule of Thirds, Leading Lines and Stop Action

BLUR

Blur can be created by an object moving while the camera shutter is open, or by moving the camera (or both). Usually blur is more effective if some parts of the scene are rendered sharply, and is usually used as a way of suggesting movement. MOST IMPORTANTLY, Something must be STILL and something must be BLURRED.

To do: set your shutter speed to 60 or SLOWER. Usually your F-Stop/Aperture will be F8 or Narrower (F11). You WILL NEED A TRIPOD or a stable surface to steady the camera like a table or a rock.

BLUR PHOTO

Shutter Speed: 60 (1/60th of a second)

F-Stop/Aperture: F8

Equipment Used: TRIPOD

Composition: Centered, Portrait, Contrast, and "Blurred"

PANNING

Panning is a technique where the camera is moved to follow a moving subject, keeping it in the same position in the viewfinder. It is more effective when the subject is moving across the picture than when it is moving towards (or away from) the camera. It produces a relatively sharp subject seen against a blurred background and can be very effective in giving an impression of movement and speed.

To pan using a handheld camera, you should swing from the hips and follow the movement across, pressing the shutter only in mid swing and continuing to follow the motion through. With practice you can get the effect even better using a tripod.

Shutter Speed depends on light and YOUR MOVEMENT… Generally, Shutter Speed will be about 60 and F-Stop/Aperture F8-F11.

PANNING

Shutter Speed: 30 (1/30th of a second)

F-Stop/Aperture: F8

Equipment Used: (none, steady arm)

Composition: Rule of Thirds, Portrait, and "Panning"

BELOW IS A STUDENT EXEMPLAR OF THE PROJECT YOU ARE SUBMITTING: