Adventure tourism is the most photogenic industry in the world, and you can’t convince me otherwise. The problem is finding that exact freeze frame that captures the essence of what you do – of the adrenalin, of the natural surrounds, of the laughter. The old point-and-click can only do so much when there are so many dynamic elements at play!
Stop social media scrollers in their tracks with incredible action shots, using these surprisingly simple tips.
Shutter Lag (Or Processor Lag)
This is the time that your camera takes to take the photo after you’ve pressed the button – you could end up full seconds away from the shot if the lag is too slow. Keep it as tight as possible and familiarise yourself with the lag on your camera so you can time your shots perfectly.
Burst Photography
Using a phone camera? Hold down the shutter button to take a ‘burst’ photo! It’ll take 10 photos a second – sure, you may need to go through and delete 79 images later, but the perfect 80th frame is buried in there somewhere! Don’t be afraid to take a lot of photos, the worst that can happen is that you have to delete them.
Get Your Vantage Point Ready
Whether it’s right by the bike jump, on a bank by the rapids, or capturing the moment someone hits a bullseye, where you’re positioned is going to add volumes to the image. If you’re not sure what angles to use, have some fun first and experiment by looking through the lens and taking some practise shots! You don’t have to be a photographer to recognise when the background is nicely framing the spot you’re looking at, or when the light is going to be hitting the subject (rather than your camera lens).
Camera Settings
A lot of cameras include a ‘Sports’ mode or ‘Action’ mode, getting comfortable with using those will take a lot of the guesswork out! You can focus on your subject by placing them in the crosshairs, and pressing lightly on the shutter. The camera will locate the subject, and you can hold down that pressure down while you track them. When the moment comes, you’ll be perfectly poised to capture the moment!
If you’re feeling pretty comfortable with your camera and you’re ready for more, this article will help you hone the camera settings in for the perfect shot.
