Action Photography - Another way

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BluTuna
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Action Photography - Another way

Post by BluTuna »

All DSLRs these days have Shutter Priority and Aperture Priority modes. I have been using Aperture priority because it allows me to control my depth of field which I consider to be important when taking static wildlife pictures. I also use Manual mode for bug shots because use a flash and therefore I know how much light I have to work with.

What about those action shots where the subject is moving?

For action photography, you need a fast shutter speed to avoid subject blur and a small(ish) aperture to give a reasonable depth of field. This usually results in constant adjustments to one or the other or the ISO setting when shooting.

Thanks to Peter Connan, I've now discovered a new use for Manual mode.

For action shots, particularly birds in flight, I set my camera to Manual 1/1600 shutter speed and F/8 aperture and then set Auto-ISO on and set the limits to 100-3200. When shooting, the shutter speed and aperture stay constant and the camera adjusts the ISO setting automatically between 100 and 3200 to compensate for light.

The downside of this mode is that the noise due to high ISO can become a factor, but I would rather have noise than blur because noise can be compensated for in post processing to a certain extent.

I now take all of my action shots using this method and I'm pretty pleased with the results.

These were taken at Austin Roberts Bird Sanctuary. The camera settings for each was 1/1600 @ F/8. The ISO is shown against each image in ().


Redknobbed Coot (ISO 720).
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Yellowbilled Duck (ISO 720).
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Purple Heron (ISO 720).
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Pied Kingfisher at the hover (1. ISO 560: 2. ISO 500).
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Image

Giant Kingfisher : the same picture cropped differently - I can't make my mind up which one I prefer (ISO 800).
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Image

Giant Kingfisher hovering!!!!! (both at ISO 400)
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Image

And finally a diving Giant Kingfisher (ISO 1600).
Image


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ExFmem
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Re: Action Photography - Another way

Post by ExFmem »

Gorgeous pics! ^Q^ ^Q^


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nan
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Re: Action Photography - Another way

Post by nan »

will try... :ty:
...this morning went to the Bea-Eaters... and it was so... catastrophic 0*\

3 or 4 are almost lisible on about 100 shots =O:


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PJL
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Re: Action Photography - Another way

Post by PJL »

Nice one BT \O

I've used the auto-ISO method myself at times but I tended to find that the camera swayed more in favour of a slightly under-exposed image. I much prefer 'shooting to the right' whereby I'm normally over-exposing by 1/3 stop and then if needed correct in post-processing. Unfortunately the auto-iso method doesn't allow for that on my camera, but I think on some higher-end models you can even adjust that in manual mode!


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PRWIN
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Re: Action Photography - Another way

Post by PRWIN »

PJL I have to do the same, I run between +1 and +1/3 depending on the light and time of day, Only One's that I know that can comp while in manual mode are the 1DX and I think the 7DMK11 at the moment, not sure of the new 5Ds and it's twin :-(


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nan
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Re: Action Photography - Another way

Post by nan »

PRWIN wrote:PJL I have to do the same, I run between +1 and +1/3 depending on the light and time of day, Only One's that I know that can comp while in manual mode are the 1DX and I think the 7DMK11 at the moment, not sure of the new 5Ds and it's twin :-(
\O


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okie
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Re: Action Photography - Another way

Post by okie »

Those are stunning pics BT \O Unfortunately my camera does not have facility for auto-iso :no: Oh well........


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PJL
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Re: Action Photography - Another way

Post by PJL »

PRWIN wrote:PJL I have to do the same, I run between +1 and +1/3 depending on the light and time of day, Only One's that I know that can comp while in manual mode are the 1DX and I think the 7DMK11 at the moment, not sure of the new 5Ds and it's twin :-(
I'm hoping that they might do a firmware upgrade on the 70D at some stage - adjusting the compensation in manual/auto-iso would be a very welcome feature addition \O


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PRWIN
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Re: Action Photography - Another way

Post by PRWIN »

PJL just went through the firmware updates for mine, have not addressed the issue :evil:


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PRWIN
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Re: Action Photography - Another way

Post by PRWIN »

Great Topic BT

Got me thinking that there must be another way to get animals in motion , came up with Photoshop 0*\ O** O** O** =O: =O: =O:

Image


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