Top ten tips : follow these tricks for better action
photos
Professional photographer Jordan Weeks
share his advice for great sports shots
Sport photography as a genre covers a huge
area, with lost of tecniques needed to capture a wide range of subjects. A lot
of these principles can be applied to most action shots, but getting the best
out of each opportunity takes time and patience. We spoke to professional
sports photographer Jordan Weeks to get his top ten tips on how to get your
best action photos. Jorndan explains that it is as much your ability to control
your camera as it is to consider your subject in order to capture stunning
shots. For more of Jordan’s images, head to www.jordanweeks.com
Shutter speed
Think about the effect you want. A slow
shutter speed will help to create a sense of movement with blur, whereas a fast
shutter speed will give a pin- sharp, crisp shot.
Depth of field
Assess whether the background will be a
distraction. Use a larhe aperture of f5.6 or less to blur out the background,
or to keep ot sharp use a narrow aperture setting of around f22.
Research your subject
It is a good idea to research and
understand the sports which you photograph, so that you can predict when the action
is about to take place.
Plan your photo shoots
Prepare in advance. Grab a notepad and plan
the photos you want to take. Think about angles and check the weather!
Move with the subject
Do not be afraid to follow the action. When
photographing surfers, for instance, they zip quickly across the beach, so move
with them or else you will miss the shot.
Autofocus us manual focus
Autofocus can be great, but often you will
need to set your focus manually on one point, then take the shot when the
subject enters this ‘forcus zone’.
Watch the action through the camera
Teaching yourself to keep an eye on the
action through your camera and instinctively hitting the shutter at the right
time will save precious seconds.
Be patient
Sports photography requires a lot of
patience. You will often find that you are hanging around waiting for a long
time. Just try to be patient and use the time to learn more about the sport
which you are shooting.
Go prepared
Sometimes when photographing sports, it can
be an all- day event. Take some food, drink and suitable clothing.
Tripods are optional
You will need a tripod for a big (and
heavy) lens, but smaller lenses are no bad thing because they let you get up
close and move freely with the action.
