Canon EOS Digital SLR Product Range - Eos40D, Eos400D

Have you ever wondered how our sports photographers get those great action shots? Photographing moving subjects is both challenging and rewarding and the tips below work equally well for adults’ and children’s sports – and also for taking candid shots of children and pets. For great action shots, you need the right gear, the right vantage point and the ability to involve yourself with your camera and lens so much that knowing when to press the shutter button becomes instinctive.

1. A digital camera with a long zoom lens and a wide range of aperture and shutter speed adjustments.
2. Some kind of image stabilisation system: built into the camera, a stabilised lens or a tripod or monopod to prevent camera shake.
3. A high-capacity memory card (at least 512 MB).

Location is critical for good action shots.
1. You must be close enough to fill the frame with the subject but far enough not to be involved in the action. Depending on the sport, you will probably be limited to designated locations, usually on the sidelines or in the stands. The further you are from the action, the longer the lens you need - and the greater the need for stabilisation.

   Fill the frame with the subject and use a long telephoto lens, if necessary.

   Know the sport so you can anticipate when to press the shutter release.

2. If possible, avoid positions that require you to shoot into the sun. Backlit subjects can be tricky to expose and you may end up with a silhouette.
3. Know the sport - and know its 'decisive moments'. For golf, it could be the swing - or the impact of club on ball; for football, it could be the tackle, try or goal; for racing, it's crossing the finish line; for sailing, it's getting the boat skimming along with the wind. Understand the timing and you can anticipate the action and press the shutter to capture it.
4. Track the subject with your camera, pressing the shutter button when the shot you want appears in the viewfinder. If your camera has a spot AF sensor, it must be right on the subject or you'll get a focused background and a blurry subject. Wide horizontal sensors allow you to lead your subject a little bit or compose shots that are off centre - although they don't work well when the camera is turned for a vertically framed shot. Cameras with an array of AF sensors can handle both horizontal and vertical shots.
5. Practice makes perfect. The more shots you take, the better you will get. And, with a digital camera, you only need to pay for the shots you print!
6. If possible, avoid positions that require you to shoot into the sun. Backlit subjects can be tricky to expose and you may end up with a silhouette.
7. Track the subject with your camera, pressing the shutter button when the shot you want appears in the viewfinder. If your camera has a spot AF sensor, it must be right on the subject or you'll get a focused background and a blurry subject. Wide horizontal sensors allow you to lead your subject a little bit or compose shots that are off centre - although they don't work well when the camera is turned for a vertically framed shot. Cameras with an array of AF sensors can handle both horizontal and vertical shots.

   Practice makes perfect. The more shots you take, the better you will get. And, with a digital camera, you only need to pay for the shots you print!

   	Using your camera’s continuous shooting mode can give you a series of shots that includes the ‘decisive moment’ – but only if the burst speed is fast enough and you anticipate when to press the shutter.

   	It’s easier to ‘freeze’ action when subjects are coming towards you.

Some photographers try using their camera's continuous shooting mode for action photography. However, the results are often poor because unless the camera can record shots at five frames/second or faster you're likely to miss the 'decisive moment' that makes a great action shot. A more reliable way to get the shot you want is to use the single-shot mode and press the shutter button as the peak of the action arrives. Practice is needed to use either mode effectively!

A few additional tips will help you to take better photos of children and pets.
1. If they're small, get down to their level. Shots of toddlers and small animals have a more 'approachable' look when you see the subject with the correct perspective, rather than looking down at them.
2. Avoid flash. On-camera flash will produce red-eyes in people (and green or yellow eyes in animals). It will also draw their attention to you and eliminate the spontaneity of the shot. It can also produce shots with over-exposed foregrounds and under-exposed backgrounds. Increase the ISO, if necessary, to compensate for dim lighting.

	Blurred arms or legs can convey a powerful sensation of movement – as long as the subject’s face and important items in the shot are sharp.

Novice action photographers usually want to concentrate on taking sharp pictures but, sometimes, introducing a little blurring can result in a more satisfying picture. Blurred bats, fuzzy arms and legs and blurred backgrounds all imply movement - and all are achieved by shooting with relatively slow shutter speeds. As long as most of the athlete's body and the face is sharp, motion in the hands, feet and a blurred background is acceptable and, in many cases, desirable.

Panning the camera in synch with the subject is a great technique for action photography. Set the shutter speed to between 1/8 and 1/30 second, pre-focus the camera at a point where your subject will pass and follow the subject, pressing the shutter to take the photograph. Keep your feet still and rotate the top half of your body as you track the subject. If you pan at the same speed as the subject it will appear sharp against a streaked background. These types of shots require patience, concentration - and a lot of experimenting.

1. Shutter speeds that are too fast to blur the background.

   	Moving the camera in synch with the subject while you shoot blurs the background and creates an impression of speed.

2. Things that could come between the subject and your camera (e.g. poles, bushes, other people).
3. Missed action due to shutter lag. Use the camera's viewfinder so you can see exactly when the camera will record and half-press the shutter button to lock focus.
4. Distracting backgrounds. Dark backgrounds produce more attractive panned shots that backgrounds with bright or colourful areas.