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Shoot Stunning Action

Pick the right lens

Focal length is everything in action photography

10-22mm

Wide angle lenses are perfect for landscape shots, but action photography aren't really it's forte. Although getting closer to the subject can help, the slight fisheye effect at the edges can distort the perspective somewhat, and staying far away will keep the image in shot, but will remove any drama by making the subject too tiny in the frame.

28-80mm

When considering what lenses to take along with an SLR on a day out, don't simply dismiss the standard lens without a though. It provides a helpful middle ground between wide angle and long zoom, so when space gets tighter it's quite simple to switch across and still get the shots you need.

70-200mm

A decent long zoom lens is a must have for any DSLR owner, with there being plenty of options available that offer longer lengths at the sacrifice of brightness. At 70-200 there are plenty of f2.8 lenses available, making it possible to get a bright, well exposed image regardless of how much the lens is zoomed.

400mm

For a shot at a huge distance away it's far better to opt for a fixed lens, getting the best possible quality glass and a low enough aperture to offset the light being lost. Most will also come with image stabilisation, although expect to have to attach a monopod as most weigh a fair few KG. 

Finding a focal point

Set where the camera will focus before shooting

Modern autofocus systems allow for a particular part of the frame to be selected as the point of focus, rather than allowing the camera to decide. This avoids the camera picking out the wrong section of the frame to focus on.

The best option to chose when picking out a focal point is the centre, as a well framed action shot should have the subject in the middle of the frame. This means that, as long as the camera tracks the subject well enough, there's no chance anything other than the intended object or person being sharp.

In order to switch the focal area normally a button must be pressed first for the camera to allow manual selection. This usually resembles a square with a number of smaller squares within. After pressing the button the D-Pad or scroll wheel can then be used to select which area will be used.

Metering can be similar set to the central area if the subject will be occupying a part of the frame which will be lit differently from the rest of the area, such as in shadow, to avoiding incorrectly exposing the object or person making up the majority of the shot. 

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