4 Essential Camera Tips for Shooting Fast Action Photography

Posted on July 23, 2018 by DanJuly 24, 2018

It’s summertime, and we all know that summer is the time for adventure and lots of outdoor sports, right? Ok, so maybe there are lots of good sports to photograph in the spring and fall too. And of course, there’s snow biking and skiing in winter…

I guess what I mean to say is that any time of year is a great time for shooting action. In today’s post, I thought I’d give you a quick primer on how to approach trying to capture fast moving subjects. Keep in mind, these tips all apply, no matter if you shoot mountain biking, snowboarding, flying birds, (also known as FB’s), fleeing wilderbeasts, your kid who’s about to score the winning goal, your hyperactive grandchildren, or your new puppy.

After all, action is action, and the same camera and photography tips apply, regardless of what happens to be moving in front of you.

My Fast Action Camera Workflow

Although you don’t need top-of-the-line camera equipment to make jaw-dropping action photos, in this genre of photography, the gear does make a difference.

Higher end cameras and lenses have faster, more precise autofocus motors, more advanced AF algorithms and higher frame rates. In addition, faster lenses let in more light, which lets you use faster shutter speeds without having to crank up the ISO dial when the light gets dim.

That said, here are the four steps that will set your camera up for shooting fast action. They’re universal steps, but since every camera has a slightly different layout, you may need to refer to your manual to find the specific controls to set these parameters.

Practice these steps so you can do them by feel in about three seconds with your eyes closed. That’s what it will feel like when some amazing moment is unfolding right in front of you. If you have this stuff down, you shouldn’t even have to think. It should be second nature.

Rebecca Rusch, the Queen of Pain.

1. Set Your AF Selector Switch to AF-C

On many cameras, (except for Canons) you’ll find the AF Selector switch on the front left, and there are usually three choices: S, C and M, for Single Servo, Continuous Servo and Manual Focus. You want C, which puts your camera into Continuous-Servo AF Mode. If you don’t want to sound too nerdy, you can just call it Continuous, or AF-C. Also, it doesn’t matter if you like to use back button focus or do it the regular way, you’ll still want to be in AF-C.

AF-C mode sets it up to track moving subjects, and it’s optimized for the predictive AF algorithms that are programmed into your camera. Doesn’t matter what you’re shooting. If it’s moving, and especially if it’s moving directly towards or away from you, this mode is essential to helping you nail it. (Note: On Canon cameras, AF-C is called AI-SERVO mode. This is changed via the top deck LCD or inside the menus.)

2. Set Your Drive Control to CH

Often times, the key to grabbing that one awesome moment is to shoot a quick burst as your subject is flying by. It can be hard to know just when the exact right moment is when the entire scene is exploding in front of you, and it’s even more challenging to time it perfectly with your finger.

Shooting a sequence at 6, 8 or 10 fps will help you grab that perfect moment, even though you might not recognize it right when it’s happening. Sometimes you won’t know until you review the individual shots later.

Most cameras have the Drive Dial right on the top left. Find it with your finger and learn how to set it to CH without looking. If your camera requires you to go into the menu to access Drive Mode, learn where that is, and if possible, set it to a quick menu or a Function button.

3. Set Your Focus Mode/Pattern to Zone or Tracking

Even though your camera might be set up for tracking, you need to make sure your autofocus mode is set for tracking as well. Most cameras have a variety of autofocus patterns, so you probably want to refer to your manual to see which one will work best of the kind of subject you’re trying to capture.

With the Fujifilm X Series camera, I use Zone-AF as my default mode when shooting any kind of action. I prefer this mode over WIDE TRACKING, because it allows me to change the size of the zone to better match my subject matter.

With the Nikon cameras, you have Dynamic Area AF, which is similar to Zone-AF on the Fujis. You set the point where your subject starts, and it will continue to track, even the subject moves unpredictably around the frame, or briefly leaves that selected area. Auto Area on the Nikons is like Full auto autofocus. If you don’t know where the subjects will enter/move around the frame, then this is a good choice.

3-D Tracking on the Nikons allows you to change your composition and still keep your subjects in focus. It’s similar to selecting the largest zone in Zone-AF on the Fujis.

If you use Canon, I recommend using either Zone AF, Large Zone AF. You should experiment to see which of the two modes work best in different situations.

Some higher end cameras have an AF-C Custom Settings menu. This allows you to further optimize the cameras autofocus system for the particular type of subject movement you’re trying to capture. See my primer on using the AF C Custom Settings on the Fujifilm cameras here.

4. Set Your Desired Shutter Speed

Once you have your AF system set up and your camera set to Continuous High shooting mode, the last thing you’ll need to set is your shutter speed.

Of course, your desired shutter speed depends on a number of factors, including how fast your subject is moving, the focal length and speed of your lens, and what kind of creative look you’re going for. Do you hope to get a razor sharp subject in the frame, or do you want to capture the action with a motion blur technique?

Depending on these factors, you’ll probably need to make an adjustment to your aperture (open up for a fast shutter speed, stop all the way down for a slower shutter speed), and you may want to change your ISO to compensate for the light or for the speed of your lens.

With this in mind, STEP 4 might actually be a multi-threaded task, which is why it’s so vital to set the first three as quickly as possible. In some situations, you might decide to make this your STEP 1. If you already know what kind of look you’re going for, or how you’ll compensate for your light and equipment, it might make sense to get this stuff out of the way first.

If you have an inkling you’ll be shooting some action in the next few minutes, you can go ahead and set your ideal shutter speed as you’re walking up to your scene. This is where anticipation and a little bit of forethought can help you be a much more proficient photographer.

OK, You’re Ready to Shoot!!

Now that you have your camera set, you’re ready to bring your camera up to your eye and nail some great action shots… that is, after you anticipate the potential movement of your subject, gauge the light, search for the right background, find the best vantage point, decide which lens you’re going to use…

Oh sorry, I didn’t mean to overwhelm you there. There are a lot of creative methods that go into action and sports photography, (here are 3 simple tips to get you started), but if you can get these four steps out of the way first, that gives you more time to focus on the rest of the process.

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE

No matter what, the best way to be a good action shooter is to practice. Shooting on a regular basis and becoming more familiar you become with your gear is the key to success. Technical ability and confidence comes from repetition, so get out there and photograph some action as often as you can.

Even if you’re just fooling around and trying to get a sharp photo of your puppy or if you’re walking around with your camera on lunch break, practice my Action Photography Workflow until it becomes second nature.

Behind The Scenes – How I Got My Favorite Road Biking Photo

Posted on April 2, 2018 by DanApril 2, 2018

One of my favorite things to shoot during the past couple of summers here in Anchorage are the short track road bike “crit” races that happen every Wednesday evening from May through August. I got this image back in July of 2016, and it’s quickly become one of my favorite images.

I love how dynamic it feels, I love the simple palette of strong colors, and of course, I love the light. Such bold sunlight contrasting against deep, dark shadows and caught just at the right moment, when the riders are stacked 3-deep as they come out of the blackness and turn the corner.

This was a very challenging scene to tackle, and it certainly put both my skills and my equipment to the test. Although I’ve shown and talked about this image in my classes and presentations, and it’s featured in numerous posts here on my blog, I’ve never broken it down and talked about it was made.

First a little background. I’ve been an action photographer for over two decades, but I’ve never really considered myself an “event” or “race” photographer. However, shooting races is a great way to practice action technique and try out new styles and equipment.

I had just gotten the Fujifilm X-T2, which was designed as an “action camera,” the Vertical Booster Grip, which makes it even more “action ready,” and the XF100-400mm lens. This seemed like an excellent opportunity to put all three to the test and see just how capable these tools were for relatively high speed sports photography.

After all, what better way to test your autofocus tracking system than by capturing races with a long zoom lens at 11 fps when they’re racing directly towards you at over 25mph in strong, contrasting light?

I’ve also been a bike rider for well over four decades, but I’ve never considered myself a “road bike racer.” However, racing with a bunch of dudes who are stronger than you is a great way to stay in shape and keep the heart and legs strong.

Plus, it’s a really fun scene out there, hanging with friends and teammates on a summer evening, riding bikes, shooting photos while standing really close and not trying to be run over, and yes, drinking beers afterward. What’s not to love?

Anyway, let’s get down to business.

When I shoot subjects like this, I’m always trying to change things up by looking for different vantage points, varying my technique and using different lenses. I started with the XF35mm f/2 lens, because even though it’s not really considered an action lens, it’s good practice to get outside of your comfort zone.

As you can see above, the light is nice and strong, with direct sunlight. However, on that backstretch of the loop, there are a coupe of sections where the light is blocked by trees. This creates large areas of shade, or as we like to call them in photography, “Shadows.”

Shooting in the shade doesn’t often make for bold photographs, but shooting against the shade is a technique that can really make the subject pop. Not only do you get that isolation against a solid black background, anytime you put bright colors against dark, those colors appear more saturated.

After trying out a couple of different locations, I found a great spot on the back corner. Shooting straight on with the 100-400 lens, my plan was to capture the racers right as they emerged from the shadows.

Although I had been shooting horizontally, I noticed that if I positioned myself just right, I’d be able to catch them “stacked together” as they drafted off of each other in the downhill turn. For that reason, I decided to switch to vertical, which I felt would play well with three closely stacked racers.

Manual Exposure

I knew that this extremely contrast of light and predominant shadow might make for a tricky exposure. If I used an auto exposure mode, that big wall of dark behind them would likely cause the camera to overexpose the scene, blow out the highlights and reduce the impact of the super bright colors, as it did in the shot below.

Also, autoexposure could very well have shifted things a bit as the riders got closer and filled more of my frame. In this kind of situation, you want consistency with your exposures.

In order to preserve the scene and keep all that wonderful contact, I chose to shoot in Manual Exposure mode. Basing my exposure on the bright sunlight, I set my camera to 1/2500 sec @ f/5.6 at ISO 400. Since I was trying to freeze super fast action with a very long lens, I wanted a very high shutter speed, and bumping up one stop to ISO 400 would give me a good jump with no loss in image quality.

AF-C and Zone Autofocus

The last problem to solve was focusing. The X-T2 has an incredibly capable autofocus system which features highly intelligent tracking algorithms. The XF100-400 lens has twin linear autofocus motors, making it one of the fastest AF lenses in their entire lineup. Although it’s a slower lens with regards to maximum aperture, it has a slightly faster AF motor than the XF50-140mm f/2.8. Both are pro-quality workhorse zooms.

Using Zone AF, I set the camera to AF-C to track the motion. I wanted to make sure I caught the riders before they came out of the shade, so I actually started tracking them while they were still in the shadows. Although the final image shows a background of inky black, the human eye, and the camera, can actually see into those shadows.

I was able to acquire and lock onto the riders, so that when they came into the sunshine, there was no delay. I could fire at will. With the Vertical Booster Grip on the X-T2 and the lens zoomed all the way out to 400mm, I was able to grab at a quick burst of four shots at 11 frames per second.

At that speed, even a split second can make a big difference framing. A second later, it’s over. In this sequence, the first frame was my favorite. I felt it had the best body position in the lead rider and the best “stacked” framing of the other two guys behind him.

I parked myself in this location and shot a few more laps, but I never got anything quite as good. The next best one was this last image below, which is significant for two reasons. Not only did the guy in white make his move on the last lap and get the win, he’s the son of my friend John, a fellow photographer and bike rider.

So, to wrap, Manual Exposure, AF-C autofocus and the Vertical Booster Grip on the X-T2 make an excellent combination when you’re shooting sports and action with bold, high contrast light. If you use a different camera setup, then it’s all about bold light and manual exposure.

Ok, your turn. Spring is here and summer is right around the corner, so get out there and shoot some action!!

Follow @Danbaileyphoto

Photographing The Amazing Action of Cyclocross

Posted on September 21, 2016 by DanJanuary 25, 2017

Every fall, a very special thing happens: At the tail end of summer, before the snow starts to appear and the chill of winter sets in, there’s an in-between season that’s absolutely wonderful to photograph, and it’s called Cyclocross.

This is the time when cyclists who are in no way deterred by the onset of cool, wet weather, grab their knobby-tire road bikes and race short, fast circuits over dirt singletrack, spongy, rain-soaked grass, puddles, sand and mud.

And when I say mud, I mean lots of mud. Deep pits and trenches of sloppy muck that suck down both feet and tires, steal huge amounts of momentum and energy, and pretty much negate all hopes of pedaling through it, unless you’re one of the few, strongest superheroes of cross.

Oh yea, and then there are the barriers and hill climbs. This is when you have to get off your bike and carry it up and over double, 2-high wooden blockades, up stairs and ridiculously steep hills. And for what? For extra lung and leg busting punishment and pain. And for the further enjoyment and heckling of spectators.

Originating in Europe in the early 1900s, it is said that the sport began when off-season road bikers would race each other from town to town, with the added challenge of cutting through forests and farmers’ fields, and taking shortcuts over fences and through terrain that road bikes are clearly not designed for.

Running/carrying sections and hill climbs were incorporated for their cross training benefits, and also to help warm up hands and feet in cold temps. With the first official cyclocross race occurring in 1902, the sport has taken on great popularity throughout Europe during the past century, and since the 1990s, through the US. Today, most riders use dedicated cyclocross bikes that have wider tier clearance, sturdier frames and lower gearing.

I LOVE cyclocross. I love everything about it. I love to race it and I love to photograph it. Even fall, I look so forward to this amazingly fun time when I get to enjoy the camaraderie of my fellow bikers and challenge myself on the bike, and practice my action photography skills.

For me and the style of photography I love to shoot, it has everything: fast action, quick moments, awesome expressions of physical exertion, elation and pain. It’s also an excellent opportunity to practice a wide variety of compositional and creative skills and hone your camera skills.

Since courses are usually one to two mile circuits over that run from about 45-60 minutes, shooting a cyclers race allows you to set up in one spot and capture any number of racers, before moving to a new spot and trying out a completely different set of creative and technical ideas.

Since I typically shoot numerous races through the season, I often try to vary the look of each race by using different lenses, vantage points or even processing techniques after the fact. With the Fujifilm X Series cameras, I often like to play around with different film simulations and even shoot in black and white.

I might shoot one race in Velvia mode to saturate colors, and another in Classic Chrome for more muted colors. I’ll often switch to Monochrome or ACROS mode throughout each race, and sometimes crank the ISO way up to get more grain and grit.

Sometimes I shoot close, other times far away. I like to capture multiple elements of these races, which may include details, expressions, cool lines and overview shots. One lens I’ll shoot a zoom, maybe another week I’ll bring a couple of primes. Like I said, it’s an awesome opportunity to practice and hone my skills.

I’ve shot cyclocross with numerous cameras over the years. I started with my Nikon DSLRs, then shot with the Fuji X10 and even the X-E1, before getting the X-T1. This year, I’m using the new Fujifilm X-T2, which hit store shelves right before cyclocross season started. Coincidence? I think not. ;D

In fact, the second I got my hands on the X-T2 back in May of this year, I couldn’t wait for cyclocross season. With its new ultra-fast AF system and increased frame rate of up to 11 fps, it’s truly an amazing action camera; by far the best I’ve ever owned. (You can read my full review of the X-T2 here.)

Paring it with the XF50-140 f/2.8 lens is an incredibly capable combo for shooting action and capturing all the variety that sports like this have to offer. If you’re a Nikon or Canon shooter, it would be equivalent to the classic 70-200mm f/2.8 or those 70-200 f/4 VR from Nikon, or the 70-200mm f/4 IS USM from Canon.

Also, with it’s new updated image processor, the JPEGs and film simulations look even better, especially the black and white and high ISO images. I often crank the dial up to ISO 3200 and 12800, just to go something different.

Of course, any camera will work. If you’re not a Fuji shooter, just use whatever gear you have. Like I pointed out above, the key here is practicing and trying out different techniques, creative ideas and equipment.

Here’s a shot of me racing before my big crash on Sunday!

Post Crash!

Mommy… I fell down and now I’m bleeding!

Shooting, bike riding… like I said, it’s a blast. And the other thing I love? I’m hanging out with a great group of friends and making them all look like badasses! It’s so much fun to share my photos with everyone on Monday morning after the race.

If you like shooting action and sports, or if you’re into biking, I would highly encourage you to look for cyclocross events in your town and go try and photograph a race or two. Bring a cowbell, or a loud voice for cheering on the racers- that’s sometimes the funnest part of the whole day! Better yet, bring you bike and try it out for yourself! Be careful, though, you might get hooked.

Do you already shoot cyclocross? Post a link to your photos in the comment section, I’d love to see your images!

Here are just a few of my favorite CX photos from the past weekend. To see more, check out my Saturday race gallery and Sunday race gallery. (I think I like the Sunday photos better. The really close up one immediately below is probably my favorite shot of the entire weekend. I can’t believe I nailed that one!)

Enjoy, and stay tuned, I’ll be posting more CX images during the next few weeks.

Follow @Danbaileyphoto

More Action and Autofocus Tests with the New Fuji X-T10

Posted on June 9, 2015 by DanApril 26, 2016

A couple of weeks ago, I posted my full review of the new Fuji X-T10, which is now shipping. I’ve been so impressed with this little camera; it really is a hot little number. The little brother to the X-T1, the new … Continue reading →

Photographing Cyclocross – Tips for Shooting Action

Posted on October 6, 2014 by DanOctober 8, 2014

Of all the action subjects that I tackle, cylcocross racing is one of my favorite sports to shoot. In some ways it’s easy. Being a circuit course with roughly an hour of laps, I can camp out at great spot and … Continue reading →

My Pick for The Best Memory Card

Posted on October 2, 2014 by DanDecember 30, 2016

Cameras keep getting better every year, which is awesome. Higher capacity buffers allow you to capture huge bursts of RAW files without having the camera lock up. This is crucial when shooting sports and action, even when photographing people and lifestyle. Expressions … Continue reading →

The Fuji X-T1 AF Tracking Performance. How Good is it?

Posted on February 11, 2014 by DanOctober 27, 2014

I’ve had my Fujifilm X-T1 for over a week now, and during that time, I’ve shot over 1,200 frames with it, covering a variety of subject matter, including landscapes, people, action, travel and the Northern Lights. NOTE: The Fuji X-T1 … Continue reading →