Project 52, Week 45, Action Shots

November may not be the best time for me to get action shots as my state is frequently cold, wet, and dismal at this time of the year so who wants to go outside?  But there are many opportunities for interesting and experimental indoor action shots. (Like dropping an olive into a martini and capturing the splash, or dropping a red cherry onto a bowl of vanilla ice cream - you'll have to be fast to get that shot at my house before it disappears.)

There are basically two types of action shots in still photography: 

1. Freeze the action - the subject and background are sharp and in focus
2. Blur the action (which is not the same as a blurry photo!) - the subject or the background is  blurred.

Things to Consider:

• Fast shutter speed freezes motions, sometimes so much that there's no hint of motion at all.  You may want to compose the shot so that the motion is implied. For example, a picture of a person jumping in the air or a running horse with feet off the ground.
• Show shutter speed creates "motion blur" creating a sense of motion. 
• Motion blur: the moving subject or the background is purposely blurred instead of sharp  (Tip: if it looks good - say you composed it that way on purpose)
• Panning: Tracking a moving subject with your camera - either you and the camera move with the subject or you stand still while following the subject with the camera.  Subject should be in focus while everything else is blurry. 
• When photographing something like a race or marathon, you may want to set up the composition ahead of time.  Perhaps even have someone pretending to be a racer on the race path/track so you can decide where to position you and the camera in advance.  After all, you can't very well make the actual racers go back and do it again just because you missed the shot! 

Suggested Readings and Examples:

1. Understanding Shutter Speed – A Beginner’s Guide by Nasim Mansurov; beautifully illustrated article on shutter speed
2. Back to Basics: Five Tips to Freeze Action and Motion by Tiffany Joyce at Beyond MegaPixels; short illustrated article
3. Tips for Action Photography by Tiffany Joyce and Steve Russell at Beyond MegaPixels; short illustrated article
4. Photo Composition # 2: Images that Mean ACTION! at BigNoseBird.com; short illustrated article 
5. 10 Tips for Capturing Action Packed Moments by Jim Harmer on ImprovePhotography
6. Basics of Photo Composition by Connor Walberg on Action Photo School (APS); illustrated article on composition and framing
7. Motion Blur Photography by Erik Kerstenbeck; illustrated short article
8. Master the Art of Action Photography in 8 Easy Steps at APN Photography School; illustrated short article
9. Mountain Bike Photography Technique by Seb Rogers on DPReview; illustrated article includes panning, lens choice, and lighting as well as composition
10. Blurred Panning Techniques at The Global Photographer; short illustrated article
11. Panning in Composition by Scott Simmons at Learn Outdoor Photography; very short article with 1 photo
12. Capturing Motion Blur in Camera Explained by Tiffany Muellar at Light Stalking;

Photos for inspiration:

1. 28 Extreme Action Shots by Lee Milthorpe at Smash & Peas; 26 (mostly crazy) shots with a few tips
2. 15 Stunning Images Using Blur to Portray Movement by Darren Rouse at Digital Photography School
3. 40 Awesome Examples of Action Photography by Bill Jones at Photo Argus

YouTube Videos:

1. Splash Photography Technique - No Flash needed a 5 minute video from LearnMyShot
2. River Landscape Photography: How to photograph Moving Water a 5 minute video from LearnMyShot
3. DSLR Tips: How to blur action shots for a feeling of speed a 6.5 minute video from LearnMyShot
4. Shooting A Strawberry in the Water-Creative Photography Ideas and Images with Bryan Peterson a 2.7 minute video from PPSOP.
5. Digital Photography 1 on 1: Episode 15: Panning a 6.5 minute video from Adorama TV