7 tips for taking an action photo
- fleurvrakking
- 29 apr 2021
- 5 minuten om te lezen
An action photo creates more tension in your food photo, but how do you take an action photo? In this blog I give you a few tips, helping you to capture the perfect action photo. Action photos make your images more interesting. Taking an action photo is not difficult at all, if you follow my tips and tricks below.
My camera settings for this photo. Canon 250D, Canon 50mm 1.8 lens
Shutter speed: 1/500, Aperture 1.8 and ISO 400.
1. Use the correct shutter speed
The shutter speed determines whether the movement of your subject is frozen. Therefore it is useful to know what effect the shutter speed has on your photo. For taking an action photo, it is useful to know how your camera works and how to photograph in manual mode.
If you shoot in automatic mode, the camera determines the shutter speed for you and you have no influence on this setting. Shutter speed, aperture, and ISO all affect the exposure of your photo. If you find it difficult to set everything yourself and use the manual mode, there is a mode on your camera to only set the shutter speed, then the camera automatically adjusts the other settings for the exposure. If you want to use this, you can use the TV (s) mode. Still, I highly recommend to learn and use the manual ​​mode as soon as possible.
The shutter speed determines how long the camera sensor has to catch the incoming light and take a photo. The slower the shutter speed, the more light enters and a faster shutter speed means less light. The shutter speed determines whether the movement of your subject is frozen. The adjustable shutter speed range on most cameras varies from 1 / 4000th of a second to a time of 30 seconds. When taking a picture with a shutter speed of 1 / 250th, this means that the sensor will be exposed for only one-two hundred and fiftieth of a second.
With a fast shutter speed, movement will be frozen and the movement will be displayed in focus.
The movement of the subject is depicted with a slow shutter speed. The moving part in your photo will be blurred because the subject is moving during a slow shutter speed.
The shutter speed depends on the movement you want to capture and how fast it moves. Beata Lubas writes in her book How to Photograph food that there are a number of shutter speeds for photographing movement that you can experiment with.
1/250 seconds to pour caramel or melted chocolate
1/400 seconds of capturing smoke from a candle
1/800 seconds for icing sugar or grated cheese.
1/1000 seconds to capture a honey swirl.
2. Use a tripod
When you shoot handheld with a slow shutter speed, the smallest movements can ruin your photos. Using a tripod prevents unwanted camera movement.
A tripod is also necessary when you are photographing action photos on your own, without any help. When your camera is on a tripod, you have got your hands free. And then you can use your hands to create the action. After all, something must be sprinkled or poured on your subject. I have a Manfrotto 290 dual 3 way head tripod.
Remote control
In addition, it is useful to have a remote control for your camera. With a remote control you don't have to touch the camera for making a shot. That allows you to control your camera from a distance. Search on Google for the remote control that works on your camera.
I can also control my camera via an app on my mobile, as it is a newer model, with the canon camera connect. Search on Google of this option is also possible for your camera.
Tips for photographing without a tripod
If you do not have a tripod or do not want to use one, it is useful to look at the rule of thumb to prevent camera movement. It is recommended to use a minimum shutter speed of 1 / focal length of your lens when shooting handheld. So for a 50 mm lens, you set a shutter speed from at least 1/50 second. If you want to be safe, you can set the shutter speed a bit faster.
3. Use the burst mode
Try to take as many photos as possible. Sometimes you have to be lucky for an action photo. Often you need more photos to achieve the perfect action photo. Therefore, do not give up quickly. Take as many photos as possible and try to adjust the shutter speed if you see that the one that you are using is not working. The burst mode (also called the continuous mode) allows you to shoot a sequence of photos in rapid-fire succession. So use the burst mode on your camera to make as many photos as possible.
4. Make your photo with someone else
In my opinion the easiest way to make action photos is doing it together with someone else. My boyfriend always helps me with my action photos. He is the one who is implementing the action. When he is helping me, I can totally focus myself on photographing the food and giving him instructions.
When that isn't a possibility, you can always take action photos yourself by putting your camera on a tripod and using a remote control. Then you can create the action yourself.
5. Focus on your subject
It is import to focus on your subject you are photographing when you are taking an action photo. The photo is about your subject and not about your action. Therefore try to focus on your subject in stead of your action.
Do you want to shoot sprinklers as well? In this blog I explain how to shoot sprinklers
6. Use a contrasting background
My advise is to use a contrasting background relative to the moving object, so your action stands out. Like I dit in the sprinklers photo above. In the chocolate lava cake photo below I didn't use a contrasting background. You can see that the powdered sugar doesn't stand out. So if powdered sugar (light) is your action use a dark background.
7. Preparation
A good preparation is key for making a perfect action shot. Prepare your set and make sure that your camera is set with the correct camera settings. Nothing is so frustrating making an action photo, with the wrong camera settings. Often you only have one change to make the perfect photo, so make sure that everything is perfect.
The action burst photos can be used for making a stop-motion video. In this article I explain how you can make a stop-motion.
Source
Disclaimer: The links used in this article are affiliate links. As a blogger, I can earn some money if you order something via these links. As a reader, it will cost you nothing if you order something via this link.