A while ago I wrote a post where I suggested that it is a good idea to just keep snapping when trying to get action photos of animals. Seems like common sense, but it actually took me a little while to figure out. Here is what I have learned:
1. Put your camera on high-speed continuous shooting mode.
2. Make sure you have fast memory cards that can handle the burst mode of the camera you are using.
3. Set your camera’s focusing mode to AI-Servo.
4. Use a wider lens. On my 50D, I prefer my 24-105 L lens as it has a nice wide range. On camera with a full sensor, like a 5D, I would probably opt for a 70-200. If your lens is too tight, you will likely find that you are cutting off ears or antlers or feet. You can always crop later, but you can’t add in later!
5. Use either AV or TV modes. I personally prefer AV mode. I set the F-stop to something that will give me a nice depth of field with the animal in focus and the background a little blurry, like 5.6 or 8, then let the camera adjust the shutter speed. You pretty much need at least 1/250 for shutter speed or you will get blurry photos. So, if I am not getting a fast enough shutter speed, then I bump up the ISO a notch (the noise reduction in lightroom 3 is great, so don’t worry!).
Then, start shooting! You will likely have to burn through a lot of shots before you get a winner. I was pleased to get these shots of the dog on a recent trip to the Blue Lakes trailhead.
Hope this helps!!
- Rod
Rod Simpson Photography
