Also called “processor lag” this is the time that it takes between the time you press the shutter release and the time the camera actually takes the shot. Press the shutter too early and you’ll end up with a picture that’s completely different than what you were expecting.

Despite all of their advantages, compact digital cameras are slower than traditional film cameras. This article provides some tips for working with shutter lag, as well as some tips for how you can take great action photos.

1) Be Ready – Always try to anticipate the movement before it happens. Even professional sports photographers with fast cameras have to still anticipate actions so they can be in the right spot at the right time.

By having a better understanding of what you’re photographing, you’ll be better able to anticipate the actions and get better shots. In other words, if you plan to photograph your child’s soccer game, learn the rules of the game. If your child’s performing in the Nutcracker, watch a rehearsal or two.

2) Before you get a new compact digital camera investigate what you really want. Unfortunately, there isn’t just one camera spec that will tell you how fast the camera will capture the picture from the time you press the button. Other factors can slow down the processing too, like the quality of the sensor and in dim lighting, the ISO setting. So investigate what other people are saying in photography forums and read all of the manufacturer’s specs online.

3) Get a Digital Single Lens Reflex (DSLR) if You Can. They’re more expensive than compacts, but they’re FAST. These cameras do not have shutter-lag issues, and if you’re shooting action indoors, you can ramp up the ISO without your photos being marred by the digital noise that you’ll get when doing the same with a compact.

Digital Photography Basics to Use with any Type of Camera

Whether you have a DSLR, compact or an automatic film camera, try these photo tricks of the trade.

Zoom in on Faces – Don’t always focus on the action. Capture those expressions of determination, triumph and even defeat (especially if it’s an opponent!).

Tell a Story – Look for shots that tell a story of the event. For instance, take a picture of a team huddle or a group of runners stretching before the big race.

Freeze! – To freeze the action, set your camera to sports mode or set your Shutter Speed Priority to a high setting. For an example of the difference in settings: freezing action in a soccer game requires a shutter speed in the range of 1/250 to 1/500, while freezing the tiny movements of a pet that appears to be sitting still, requires 1/125.

Blur the Background – Take a cue from the sports photographers, and blur the background by decreasing the camera’s depth of field. If using a camera that has Aperture Priority, you can do this by simply decreasing the f-stop number. The lower the f-stop, the more background blur.

Pan – This is a good alternative for digital compact users where dim light underexposes photos taken with sports mode/fast shutter speed. Panning works with automatic focus but it only works well when the subject is moving in a fairly straight line. Here is how to pan the camera:

Set your Camera to Autofocus. With your feet firmly planted on the ground, rotate your upper body and follow the subject with your camera. Just before the anticipated action that you want to capture occurs, start pressing the shutter release button and continue following the subject until you’ve pressed the button all the way down and the camera gets the shot.

Is the autofocus on your camera too slow? Focus on an area with a lot of contrast like a number on a uniform. Autofocus works better with more contrast.

Play around with panning and see what kinds of different effects you can get. If you want to put more emphasis on the movement, you may want to consider blurring the movement to make it look like it’s moving faster.

And once you get an action shot you love, don’t forget to share it with others by putting it in a photo frame. Most action pictures go best in simple metal picture frames but wood photo frames with simple wood moldings also look good as they both don’t distract from the action photo.

Whether of a sporting event or your dog, action shots are really fun to take once you get the hang of it. And once you master the digital photography basics (like compensating for shutter lag) it makes it all the more fun.

Action Photography Tips for Taking Better Action Pictures is a post from: How to Take Good Pictures

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