Great Action Pictures

From the PMA editorial bank

If you're getting tired of taking photographs of the same old boring subjects, why not head on out to where the action is? The real action. You need not spend thousands of dollars traveling to Maui for the International Surfing Championships or to Spain for the Running of the Bulls. There's plenty of exciting action going on just moments from your front door.

If you doubt that, check with your local Chamber of Commerce or State Tourism Department. Scan the entertainment section of daily and neighborhood newspapers. Tune in to regional radio and television broadcasts. There you'll find news of upcoming fairs, races, rodeos, sports activities, rallies, and other events-everything from barrel racing and high school diving competitions to baseball, football, and hockey games ... from offshore sailing regattas to a neighborhood game of stick hockey. Not surprisingly, many people are hesitant to try photographing moving subjects. Decades of slow film and slower lenses once restricted photographers to shooting stone-faced subjects standing beneath the mid-day sun on a hot summer's day in August.

Ahh, how times have changed! Today's newer equipment and more sensitive films allow you to use faster shutter speeds to get proper exposures. And fast shutter speeds "freeze" fast action, providing you the opportunity to capture on film some things your parents could only dream about. Here are a few other tips for getting in on the action.If your camera features an adjustable shutter speed, set it for 1/250 second for shooting subjects such as joggers, bicyclers, and cars traveling slower than 25 miles an hour. For subjects such as runners, sports activities, and cars traveling up to 50 miles an hour, use a shutter speed of 1/500 second.

For really fast-moving subjects such as airplanes, motorcycles, and auto racers, use 1/1,000 second or faster.If your camera features an automatically adjustable shutter speed, use a fast film of ISO 400 to 1000 to ensure the camera's ability to select a fast shutter speed for the proper exposure. If you find yourself shooting a slow film or if your camera has a limited shutter-speed range, try shooting moving subjects as they come toward you rather than going from one side to the other. Autofocusing cameras are especially useful in conditions like this.

For a more creative approach to capturing fast action, especially when shooting something like a car race, try using a slower shutter speed of around 1/60 second and panning with the action. Simply move the camera from one side to the other, keeping the subject "frozen" in one spot in the viewfinder at all times. In the middle of your pan, snap the picture. The results: a sharp subject standing out against a dramatically motion-blurred background.

When freezing fast action indoors (like at a hockey game or a party), use electronic flash. The short duration of the electronic flash will accomplish the same thing as a fast shutter speed, resulting in perfectly motionless subjects. Just be sure to check the flash manual or the unit, itself, to see that the subject is within the maximum flash range for your film speed and flash combination. The faster the film (or the higher its ISO rating), the greater the flash range.When forced to shoot a slow film indoors without electronic flash, try to anticipate the "peak of action. That's the precise moment when a moving object stops moving in one direction and begins moving in another. It's the pinnacle of a basketball player's jump shot or the moment a race car veers to make a turn through a tight chicane. To capture the shot at just the right moment, pre-focus your camera where you anticipate the peak of action will occur and be ready fire.It takes split-second timing and plenty of practice to do it right, but peak-of-action shots are some of the most exciting and spectacular of all action photos

Adding Pizzazz to Vacation Shots

From the PMA editorial bank

Whoever said "Getting there is half the fun" must not have been a photographer. You can bet you life he never carried two or three cameras, four or five lenses, a light meter, a tripod, and a dozen rolls of film-all while juggling a baby, diaper bag, and airplane tickets in one hand.

Ahh, but getting those once-in-a-lifetime vacation shots needn't be all that much hassle. As with most things in life, photography-on-the-go gets easier with actice. Still, there are a few tips you can follow to help make the task a little easier-and a lot more fun.

Before beginning your trip, make sure you're familiar with all of your photo equipment. Read all of the instruction manuals carefully and practice loading, unloading, and shooting. Take a roll or two before you begin your trip to assure that both you and your camera are functioning properly. Take a few electronic flash shots, too, to be certain your flash unit is functioning properly.If it's been a year or longer since the camera battery was replace, change it. There's no sense running the risk of having your camera shut down miles from the nearest photo store. And bring along an extra set of flash batteries, to--just in case the originals decide to run low when you need them the most.

If you are still using film, carry a wide variety of film on your trip, too, including a few extremely fast rolls with an ISO rating of from 1,000 to 1,600 for shooting in really low light. They'll enable you to photograph at shutter speeds fast enough to eliminate the need for a tripod. Also, many photographers like to bring a second camera along with them on trips.

Two cameras are better than one for a number of reasons. Should one camera malfunction or be damaged in transit, you'll always have a spare to back you up. And you'll take more photos from more points of view if a second photographer in the family is busy shooting away at your side. No two people see a subject the same way. A second perspective will lead to fresh new insights on your subjects. And don't discount the kids, who are capable of taking some pretty good photographs of their own-especially with today's point-and-shoot auto-everything cameras. You'll be ensuring your success, doubling your photographic coverage, and spreading the job of photography around by letting others in the shooting.

And, finally, never send unprocessed film through airport metal detectors, which can damage or even destroy the images. Instead, carry it in a see-through plastic bag and present it to the security attendant for hand inspection.

Here are a few more tips to help you take better vacation shots. Look for unusual settings. Offbeat subjects (like a close-up of the sun sparkling off a cluster of California grapes clinging to the vine) often make intriguing and visually stimulating variations to traditional people-and-place photos. Don't be afraid to leave the well-beaten paths to the other tourists while you set out to find the back alleys and little-traveled roads that may lead to fantastic photos. Just leave a trail of bread crumbs (or carry a local map) to find your way back.

Approach common subjects from an uncommon point of view. Everyone traveling through the American Southwest stops for a photo of the giant saguaro cactus. But not many take the shot from the ground looking up. That has the makings of a truly unusual and dramatic shot. You can achieve the same results with any tall subject-the Statue of Liberty, California's giant sequoias, etc.Vary your camera angle. That's the angle from which you photograph a scene. Instead of standing on the roadside to photograph a country meadow and babbling brook, take off your shoes and socks and go wading. Stoop down for a shot of the stream from inches above its gurgling surface. The results are sure to be a pleaser!

Photography News Release

Welcome to the Camera Questions blog. I'm a professional photographer that also sells cameras online. I get asked a number of questions about todays digital cameras and accessories on a daily basis. This blog is about some of the more comon questions I'm asked.

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