Photo Challenge Topic – August 2009
Taking Action Photographs
The Zoo is a wonderful place to watch animals playing, eating, climbing, and exploring. But getting the perfect picture of animals in action can be tricky, especially when you have to work with such factors as glass, lighting, and weather conditions.
Thanks to everyone who posted a question or comment. Read answers provided by Brandon Remler, Fujifilm Photographer.
I have two digital cameras and am sometimes frustrated with the slight delay I experience between pressing the button to take the picture and the second or two that passes when the camera actually takes the photo. I don't always get the animals in the exact action that I want... or expect. I'm not going to invest in a faster sports digital camera for financial reasons but I was wondering if you had any tips on how to work digital cameras in general to get the "action shot."
—Pamela
This is a very common complaint. The good news is that there are two answers for you. I would recommend you try the following next time you are in that situation:
Try to guess the spot where the animal is crossing toward, aim the camera there, and pre-focus by lightly pressing on the shutter button (halfway) then hold before release. This way the camera is already focused and shooting will be MUCH faster. I know this sounds complicated, but if you can imagine the animal walking across and it is 12 feet away, aim the camera about 12 feet away and focus. If the animal is ten to 15 feet away, chances are it will be in focus. This is better than missing the shot. Another example of this is at a little league game. If you know someone on first base, you can pre-focus on second base and if there is a hit you will be ready to shoot fast when the little athlete runs to second!
The second part is that the digital camera industry knows this is a problem, and things are improving with each new release. So if and when the time comes to replace your camera you will see the difference. For now, you have a great way to capture a bit more action. Enjoy your action shots!
My digital camera has a heartbeat's delay between when I push the button and when the photo actually takes. This means I have a lot of photos of where the animal used to be. Is there any good way to predict a good shot a heartbeat before it happens?
—Brittany
I described one option above. I recommend you try that. The other option is to check your camera manual to see if you have a “rapid fire” or consecutive fire mode. Many cameras offer a special mode for fast action where, when you hold the shutter down, the camera will fire several frames a second and you will capture whatever crosses in your view. Some cameras have even gone as far as to offer more than 100 frames per second! Many cameras offer a sports mode. This is not the same as the rapid fire mode, but check in your manual to see what options you have.
I've tried to take photos of monkeys that are constantly moving (swinging on vines, scurrying across platforms, etc.). However, the photos come out blurry. This is due to my camera (digital SLR) moving with the subject. How can I properly photograph animals that are zipping around?
—Wendy
This sounds like a situation most encountered in an enclosure of some sort. If I am assuming correctly, this is due to low lighting compared to the outdoors. If this is the case you have a couple options.
Check on your camera for an action mode—it may be called sports mode or have a symbol of a person running. If it does not have that mode, then check the ISO on your camera. Are you set at a number higher than 400? Your camera probably offers 200-1600, and when shooting moving subjects in low light you need to be at 800 or higher in most situations. This will increase the “noise” or “grain” in your images, but better to have an image that is sharp and noisy than blurry.
If you are outdoors in bright sun and have blurry photos then I would have to guess that this is an auto-focus issue. I can recommend the following:
Try to focus lock (refer to your manual for this process) on an area where the monkeys or other animals are spending time. This way when you fire the shutter you will be in focus and the camera will not have to search for a spot to lock on to.
It is also important for the camera to be steady. You may want to consider a monopod if you are using a long zoom lens to help hold the camera steady. Good luck with your shooting.
I'd really like to photograph action shots of the gorillas in their enclosure. What's the best way to handle shooting through glass? Should I stand as close to the glass as possible?
—Caroline
This is always a tricky thing to do and I have a few recommendations that I hope will help you get better shots of the gorillas and other animals in enclosures.
First, yes, in all situations it is best to get up close to the glass to reduce the glare and reflections. The main precaution is that when you press the lens up to the glass and then focus the camera the lens may spin a bit to focus so do not press too hard, or back off a bit to focus then gently touch the glass to shoot. This is where lens hoods can be an extremely helpful accessory. You can find one for just about any lens. If you have a point-and-shoot camera you can try using your hand to guide the lens to the glass so as not to bump it and possibly jam the lens.
Always look for the cleanest area to shoot through since thousands of people pressing up on the glass do leave a few smudges.
This works very well in aquariums as well. You can use your flash if the lens is pressed up against the glass and get a decent photo of animals. Good luck!
