sports photography | Dan Bailey's Adventure Photography Blog

How to Use the PRE-SHOT ES Setting on the Fujifilm X-T3

Posted on January 29, 2019 by DanMay 26, 2019

One of the coolest features found on the Fujifilm X-T3 is a setting called PRE-SHOT ES. Found in the SHOOTING SETTINGS Menu, this powerful setting is included specifically for photographing fast action and subjects that move very quickly. (EDIT: The new X-T30 also has PRE-SHOT ES.)

However, being a brand new setting that is only described in the manual with a single, confusing run-on sentence, that doesn’t leave new X-T3 users with very much to go on. It took me a bit of experimenting and a few messages to my Fuji contacts to figure it out myself, but now that I have a handle on it, I’m happy to share with you exactly how PRE-SHOT ES works and what you can do with it.

The first thing you should know is that PRE-SHOT ES only works when using the Electronic Shutter and CH mode. That’s because it takes advantage of the X-T3’s highly improved electronic shutter and faster processor, which allow for much faster read rates than what the ES offered on previous models.

PRE-SHOT ES is designed to compensate for the lag time between when you “see” your ideal shot, and when you actually press the shutter. With extremely quick subjects, that delay can easily cause you to miss your ideal moments, especially if your subjects are moving between obstacles, as seen in the shot above.

By enabling PRE SHOT ES, the X-T3 will lock onto the subject and begin tracking at high speed as soon as you press the shutter halfway down. You’ll see the autofocus sensors start to track your moving subject.

As long as you keep your finger pressed halfway down while you’re tracking, the camera will start recording images into the buffer. It will continue to refresh so that you always have up to 20 frames stored in the buffer.

Then, when you press the shutter all the way down, the camera will actually write those buffer images onto the memory card, essentially saving those frames that were recorded during the period of “half press,” as well as the new frames that are captured right when you start shooting. It will continue to capture and write new images the card as long as you hold the shutter.

In effect, PRE-SHOT ES allows you to nail your sequence and capture the entire series, including those initial moments, even if you end up pressing the shutter a little bit late. Normally, those moments would be lost, since it’s nearly impossible to recognize a passing moment and take the picture. Combine this with CH frame rate options of 10, 20 and 30 fps, this becomes a very powerful tool in your bag of tricks.

To capture the forest scene above, I aimed my camera and started tracking the rider while she was still relatively out in the open. I used AF-C Custom Settings option #2: Ignore Obstacles and ZoneAF so that the X-T3 would keep the focus locked, even as she appeared through gaps in the tight trees.

It’s a little confusing at first, but once you understand how this setting works, you’ll see that it can be an incredible tool to help you capture extremely challenging scenes. It helps you nail the perfect body position, the perfect placement in the frame, or the perfect fleeting expression, running wildlife, flying birds, frolicking children, the list goes on…

I’ve done extensive testing with PRE-SHOT ES and I’ve been highly impressed with how well it works. Combined with incredible speed at which the X-T3’s autofocus system can acquire moving subjects, PRE-SHOT ES has given me an amazing mechanical advantage for shooting action.

I’ll position myself where I think the peak of the action will unfold and put my camera on AF-C and Zone AF, setting the AF box size and position to match where the subject will enter the frame. I might do a couple of “practice pans” before the subject arrives, just so I know what I’ll be working with.

Then, when I’m ready, I’ll go beyond my estimated pan so I can acquire the subject(s) when they get close. Again, I do this before I reach my idea spot so that I can get a good lock with the AF. As soon as they’re in my view, I’ll half press the shutter and start the buffer rolling while the AF keeps tracking the subject. When I think I’ve got a good lock, I’ll go ahead and press all the way down while I follow them through my scene.

You don’t need to pan in order for this to work, you could keep the camera positioned at the “ready spot” with your ideal framing set. Then, as soon as you see the subjects enter your frame, press the shutter all the way. PRE-SHOT ES and CH will do the heavy lifting and take care of you.

With improved sensor technology coming out each year, this is sure to become a common feature on more high-end mirrorless cameras. Nikon had something similar on one of their “action cameras” a few years go, but it wasn’t implemented or advertised very well, and it went nowhere. Fujifilm has done an amazing job utilizing and refining this technology and rolling it into an already awesome and powerful camera.

I encourage you to play around with PRE-SHOT ES, even if you aren’t a dedicated sports shooter. There are a multitude of subjects and moments that unfold very quickly, and this feature can help you start nailing them with more accuracy and confidence.

To read more tips for using autofocus with fast moving subjects, read my post 10 Essential Autofocus Tips for Sports & Action Photography.

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5 Tips For Photographing Sports and Fast Action in Low Light

Posted on October 29, 2018 by DanOctober 29, 2018

Shooting action is a blast. Except when it’s not. There’s nothing more exciting than trying to freeze an exhilarating moment when your subject is whizzing by; trying to capture the feeling of speed and physical exertion in a single frame, except when the light is really bad.

Then this supremely awesome style of photography can turn into an immensely frustrating challenge. Photography is all about light, and if you don’t have very much of it, then you’re hard pressed to get the kinds of images you were hoping for. You’re left standing in the dark with a card full of blurry, grainy frames and very few keepers.

It happens to the best of us, but rest assured, I’m here to help. In this post, I’ll give you five simple tips that will ensure better images when you’re trying to photograph moving subjects in terrible light.

Remember, it takes a lot of practice to be a good action shooter, so don’t get discouraged if you’re not always getting killer shots. Look at each outing as a new opportunity to learn and build valuable experience. These techniques work with any kind of moving subject, no mater if you’re shooting adventure, wildlife, indoor sports or kids running around the yard.

1. Crank The ISO Dial Up…WAY Up.

First and foremost, don’t be afraid of shooting at high ISO. The noise war is over and we won. Modern cameras do an amazing job in low light, so you shouldn’t be afraid of those big numbers on the far end of the dial.

You’ll find that any camera made within the past four years will do a decent job. With my X-T2 and now the X-T3, I have absolutely no problem using ISO 1600 as a baseline and spinning the dial up to 3200 or 6400, or even 12,800 when things get really dim. (The lead off shot above is ISO 1600.)

Sure, you’ll get noise, but today’s image processors are able to render it as “grain” instead of the offensive, blotchy, digital noise that we used to get. And even if you do get a lot of grain, so what?

I know some of you old school guys get a little uncomfortable with this kind of cavalier, care-free attitude, but as I like to say, a little grain never hurt anyone. Your alternative might be a card full of blurry images, so deal with it. If you get a truly great shot, no one will care. They’ll be so blinded by the jaw-dropping bad-assery of your killer action image, they won’t even see the grain. They’ll just see awesome.

This being said, ISO noise does tend to block up in those mid-range tones, so it’s often most noticeable on human skin. i.e., bare arms and faces. If things get a little too splotchy for you, try using different compositions that don’t accentuate your subject’s faces, focus on other elements in the frame or back off and shoot wide.

ISO 1600

ISO 3200

ISO 12,800

2. Shoot in Monochrome

Here’s a technique I like to use with my Fujifilm cameras. Often times when I’m shooting at very high ISO settings, I’ll use the monochrome film simulations.

For some reason, the image processor is better able to reduce ISO noise and make it look even more like film grain when you’re shooting in black and white.

You’ll find this to be especially true with ACROS. It’s designed with a very complex grain structure that holds together extremely well and actually looks great at the higher ISO. I love shooting ACROS at ISO 3200 and 12,800.

In addition, black and white photos just look cool. They carry a strong, timeless representational feel that gives them extra power. Even if you don’t have bad light, and even if you’re not a Fuji shooter, I highly recommend shooting in B/W, or at least processing some of your color image to B/W when you get home. I think you’ll be impressed with your results.

I especially love using the new BW Warm/Cool adjustments, which is a brand new setting found on the X-T3, they let you add an additional element of style to your images.

The first two images below were made with varying degrees of adjustment using the “warm” setting. The third one is straight ACROS.

3. Use Your Widest Lens

Usually when shooting action, you want fast shutter speeds so you can get sharp subjects. By the nature of their design, wide angle lenses let you get sharper images at lower shutter speeds than you would normally be able to get with telephoto lenses.

As you move further away from your subjects and decrease their relative size in the frame, your chances of getting them sharp increase even more.

Earlier this month, I was shooting a mountain bike race inside a dark forest during a heavy rain storm, so my ambient light was very dim. My only hope was using my ultra-wide XF14mm f/2.8 lens and opening my aperture all the way up. With a telephoto, things would have been way too dark to get really crisp frames.

4. Use Slow Shutter Panning Techniques

Panning is an essential technique that should be in every action photographers bag of tricks. In situations like this, it can make all the difference between nailing exciting shots and getting an entire card full of throwaways.

To get the best results, you simply lock onto your subject and follow it with steady camera motion while clicking away with a relatively slow shutter speed. The trick is to move your camera at the same speed as your subject as they pass by. Your background will be blurred, as will part of your subject.

However, any part of your subject that’s moving at the same speed as your camera will be rendered with varying degrees of sharpness in your frame. If you’re able to match the motion perfectly, then that part of your subject will end up being wonderfully crisp, although a nice combination of crispness and blur usually makes for the most dynamic shot.

What speed works best? That depends on your lens and how fast the subject is moving. These photos below were shot with my XF14mm wide angle lens between 1/30 and 1/50 second.

It will take some experimentation to figure out what speeds give you results that match the look you’re going for. In adding to side-to-side panning, I often use front-to-back panning, which gives a different feel.

5. Use a Flash

Bringing a flash into the mix can add a whole new dimension to your action photos. When I’m shooting sports with flash or battery powered strobes, I usually combine it with my regular slow-shutter panning techniques. Although off-camera flash is my preferred method, using the pop-up flash on your camera can work just as well.

A quick blast of light at the end of your shutter cycle will illuminate your subject and create a “ghost-like” motion blur where you have a prominent, sharp subject against a blurred background. In order for this technique to work, you’ll want to make sure your flash is set to “Rear Curtain Sync.”

In addition, by slightly underexposing your camera exposure, you can create effects where your subject is lit even more prominently against a darker background. You can see more examples of my flash/panning technique in action here.

One thing I didn’t cover in this tutorial is autofocus. That’s a whole different beast. To brush up on your AF skills, read my post 10 Essential Autofocus Tips for Sports and Action Photography.

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The Coolest Action Photo I’ve Ever Shot

Posted on September 24, 2018 by DanSeptember 24, 2018

Click to see this image at high res and get the full effect.

This is the coolest action photo I’ve ever shot. I made it with the new Fujifilm X-T3 during last Saturday’s cyclocross race.

I realize that’s a tough claim to make, considering that I’ve been shooting photos for 28.5 years, and I’ve been a professional action and adventure photographer for just about 22 years now.

Over the years, I’ve shot a wide variety of very exciting sports, including rock and ice climbing, kayaking, mountain biking, skiing/snowboarding, hiking and mountaineering. Even without scrolling through my Lightroom catalog or flipping through the pages of my old slide boxes, I can bring up a number of my all time favorite action images that have been permanently burned into my memory.

Those are the photos that defined my career and my style as an adventure photographer. Those are the scenes I cut my teeth on while I worked to make a name for myself in the industry. Those are the kinds of jaw-dropping shots I’ve always aspired to capture and that I still aspire to get every single time I put the camera in my hands.

That’s the great thing about photography, you never stop learning and improving. I’ve been shooting action sports for half my life and I’m still motivated to keep trying to nail even better, more exciting photos each time I go out.

I’m always trying new techniques, building on what I’ve learned in the past and applying new methods and styles to my approach. Through experience, I know what works, so that kind of gives me a head start. I usually have a pretty good idea where to begin, but sometimes that all goes out the window when I get on the scene and the dirt, or in this case, when the water starts flying.

Even though the technical stuff is second nature to me, each scene is unique, so I try to blend experience with on-the-spot creativity to come up with new ideas of how to portrait my subjects in the most exciting way possible.

It’s always a balance between doing what I know works well and launching into uncharted territory. Doing what works is playing it safe. I know I’ll get a good shot, but is it the best shot I can possibly get? Jumping off into the deep end is a gamble, because I might come up with something truly great, or I might biff it and walk away with nothing. I could have stood back and gotten the “safe shot,” but would that make me feel the most satisfied as a creative image maker?

The camera gear makes a difference too. In my 22 years a pro shooter, the camera gear has improved just as my own skills have improved.

As I mentioned, I shot this with the Fujifilm X-T3. It’s basically an X-T2 on steroids. With a faster processor, improved AF algorithms and a new sensor that has 4 times the number of Phase Detect autofocus pixels, it’s tailor made for shooting fast action, providing you have the skills to keep up with it. (Read my full review of the X-T3 here.)

Since it’s brand new, this was my first chance to shoot cyclocross with the X-T3. I was super excited on Saturday morning, because this was my first opportunity to put it through its paces and see if it’s up to the task. In other worlds, could it keep up with me?

Here was my chance to find out.

I shot a lot of photos that day; 1103 frames to be exact. I tried a lot of different techniques and settings. I went back and forth between the mechanical shutter at 11 fps and the Electronic Shutter at 20 and 30 fps. I tried out the new PRE-SHOT ES mode, which starts capturing images as “half press” and writing them to the buffer.

I used different film simulations and played around with the warm/cool tints that can be applied to the monochrome looks. I shot telephoto. I shot wide. I tried out a variety of different vantage points as I ran around the course looking for killer locations.

This giant puddle seemed like it had a lot of potential, so I parked myself there for quite awhile. I shot a total of 698 frames here, hoping to get something truly amazing. At 21:21pm, I saw my friend Amber Stull coming through on her 4th lap. I’d been shooting vertically for the previous 50 frames or so, but when I saw her approaching the puddle, I flipped the camera horizontally. Crouching down, I snapped off four frames in a quick, 11 fps burst as she flew in between the course flags that partially concealed my field of vision.

The second frame was THE ONE. It’s the culmination of everything I’ve learned as a photographer, combined with my well-defined creative ideas about what I want to show in my work.

To me, it perfectly captures the hair-raising, high energy, messy off-road chaos of cyclocross racing, and it has the perfect amount of speed and blur, the perfect exposure, the perfect framing and a gorgeous tonal palette. I love that you can see Amber’s incredibly toned muscles, the determination on her face and her race number fluttering in the breeze on the back of her jersey through all that water.

Part of the reason I like shooting cyclocross is that I know most of the racers up here. Essentially, I’m just trying to make my friends look like heroes and it’s never very hard to make Amber look like one. She happens to be the subject of my last cyclocross post I ran last week, too. Go figure.

Amber is an amazing athlete who’s been competing and inspiring others to do their best for years up here in Anchorage. She’s won many races and triathlons, and this year, she took 2nd place in the 2018 Alaskaman race, a brutal 143-mile extreme triathlon with 11,335′ of climbing.

She and her husband Jamie own Chain Reaction Cycles and 9:Zero:7 Bikes here in Anchorage, and they’re just such great people. Both class acts all around, and very proactive in our Anchorage cycling community. I always enjoy seeing them and their two highly athletic daughters, who keep getting faster every year. In fact, a few minutes after I shot this photo, Amber’s older daughter Cadence passed her up the final hill and beat her mom for the first time ever. What a huge milestone for both of them.

—————

It’s always exciting to nail those amazing moments and walk away with photos that blow you away. It never gets old. That’s what it’s all about, right? And it doesn’t matter who you are or whether you’re a pro or not, we all get the same sense of elation and satisfaction when we capture a truly compelling image.

As I constantly improve as a photographer, I feel like my photos keep getting better as well. Every skill and technique that I’ve practiced over the past 20+ years, and ever single photography experience, success or failure, has led me up to this point, where right now, I’m the best photographer that I’ve ever been.

And if that holds to be true, then it logically follows that this image of Amber is the coolest action photo I’ve ever shot in my entire life. That is, until I pick up the camera again and find myself in another equally exciting situation with equally exciting subject matter. That’s the great thing about photography: It only gets better from this point forward.

If you can’t tell by now, I’m super proud of this image. Here it is again. Make sure you click on the photo to see it nice and big at high res. Thanks for reading.

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