Our last Summer Sprint of the year is underway and the stock photography theme this month is: Play!
Think: water sports, playing games, flying kites, blowing bubbles – or any way that YOU like to play… hiking, riding horses, taking photos, cooking… the list could go on and on…
Odds are that many of the ideas that come to mind for this theme probably involve action or movement of some sort.
Capturing moving subjects can be tricky, so here are three tips for getting the shot:
1. Use burst shooting mode. Set your camera to fire off multiple shots while you hold down the shutter button, and you’ll greatly increase your odds of stopping the action at just the right moment.
2. Watch your shutter speed. If you’re trying to stop the action, you want to be sure your camera is set at a fast enough shutter speed to do that. Depending on how fast your subject is moving, you will probably want to use shutter speeds of 1/500th of a second and faster. (If it’s not that fast, raise your ISO!)
3. Switch to focus tracking. Most cameras have an action mode in which your autofocus system will try to track the movement of your subject while you hold the shutter button half way down. Check your camera manual’s autofocus section if you aren’t sure how to do this.
These Challenges are always a fun way to get out and be creative… but they’re also a way to discover your camera and get used to its settings. Don’t be afraid to try different things to see what happens… this is all a big long learning journey, after all!
Keeping these three tips in mind, get out there and create some playful stock photos this month!
[Editor’s Note: Learn more about getting started selling your photos online in stock agencies – no matter how much or little photography experience you have – in the Breakfast Stock Club e-newsletter. It’s once a week, and it’s free to join, here.]