Capturing great photographs in fast moving environments can be a difficult task. However, here are nine simple steps provided by Desert View Aerial Photography to ensure you are prepared to capture those great action photos on this year’s summer vacation. Practice these nine steps and hone your skills as a professional photographer.

Understand your equipment. Have the right equipment for the photographs you plan on taking. Determine what size lenses and flash you will need for your action photos and bring the right equipment belt, photo vest or camera bag. Make sure you know your equipment inside and out. You cannot concentrate on what you’re trying to photograph if you’re busy figuring out the settings and switches on your camera. Knowing the scene/subject that you are going to shoot and understanding your camera’s shutter speeds will improve your photographs.

Keep the weather in mind. Of course, you can’t control the weather, but you can control the photographs you take, no matter the weather. If it’s cold, keep your camera, flash and batteries warm. If it’s windy, make sure to keep your shot steady and watch for debris flying into frame. If it’s raining or snowing, keep your lens as dry as you possibly can by investing in a lens hood or place a plastic bag around your camera with a slit for your lens. Make it a regular habit to clean your camera lens and you won’t have any disheartening surprises waiting for you when you look at your pictures.

Know the timing and lighting conditions. Strive to shoot photos with the light at your back. Following this simple rule will make a big difference in the quality of your photographs. As a rule, the hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset (often referred to as golden hours) are optimum times to take photographs. Midday (when the sun at its highest point in the sky) is the worst time to attempt outdoor photography.

Use flash to your advantage. Learn your camera’s flash and how it affects your photographs. A flash of light is a great alternative to use if your camera has limited high-speed shutter capabilities. A really short burst of light can freeze almost any subject at any shutter speed. Light from a flash is limited in range, so this technique is best used with subjects that are close by.

Use a triggered flash. Take a spotter with you when you are photographing your event. The spotter can notify you right before your subject comes into frame, allowing you time to snap your picture at the perfect moment. Alternatively, you can purchase a light beam tripwire, which will eliminate human lag time by detecting the subject’s movement and triggering the flash on your camera. This technique is great for capturing animals in midair.

Use a high ISO. Increasing the ISO on your camera will allow you to capture action shots in dark areas or places with less ambient light. Increasing your ISO is great when you need a faster shutter speed than your lens may be suited for. A high ISO allows your camera to see more light, especially at sporting events.

Try pre-focusing. This method is great for photographing amusement park rides. Switch your camera to manual focus and choose a spot where your subject will pass in front of your camera or end up at. Right before the subject gets to that spot, click the shutter release button. Manual focus also works great when shooting in dimly lit environments or out of an airplane window.

Attempt panning. From a stationary position, set your camera on a slow shutter speed and follow your subject’s movement, matching its speed and direction as perfectly as possible. Panning requires a steady hand and lots of practice. When you use this method successfully, it will separate your moving subject from the background, capturing your subject with little or no blur. Make sure your subject remains in the same portion of the frame during the entire exposure. This will guarantee a crisp, sharp subject.

Use a timer. To avoid camera shake, try taking high-speed photographs with a timer. A timer is great when photographing a water droplet. Some timers allow sequential triggering to capture multiple splashes of water and other fast action events. Also, remember to ensure the anti-shake stabilizer on your camera is on and that you’re camera is very close to your body to minimize camera shake.

The best tip we can give photographers is practice, practice, practice!

ELEVATE YOUR MARKETING…the sky’s the limit!®