Actions

In photography, fast action can appear and vanish in a wink. Your reaction time is critical. With digital cameras, there's a tiny lag from when you press the shutter button to when the camera takes the picture. So you or the camera might not react fast enough with a moving subject. photo laureates advises that you use these tips to anticipate the action and post a solid entry in our photography contest.

Take the picture a split second early

With the camera prefocused, press the shutter button a split second early? just as you see the first part of the subject entering the camera viewfinder. In photography, if the subject is crossing left to right or right to left through the viewfinder, you might want to press the shutter button just before it's visible in the viewfinder.

photo laureates advises that you have the subject move directly toward you.

Fast subjects crossing directly in front of you zip by so fast you can hardly keep track of them. Position yourself so the subject is moving diagonally across the viewfinder or directly at you. That way it's easier to track and determine when to take the picture.

We also advises you to use the burst mode. Many cameras have a burst mode that takes several shots quickly. Set the camera to this mode when you don't want to miss an anticipated action. You can also use it if you want a choice of pictures or want to show a sequence. Beware that choosing this mode usually lowers the picture resolution. So you won't be able to make big enlargements, but you should be able to make snapshot-size prints and quality photography composition.