Final Teaching

[keyroll_spanky]

Dear all photographer,

Need help on how to shoot an extreme sports such as skatebording. There will be a competition coming soon and I need a last minute tips from you. I know I have to shoot a high shutter to get a clean and perfect shots but I still need some tips from all of you.

Any help will be much appriciated.

Thank you.

Don't screw up.

~Eric

[kencaleno]

If you shoot Nikon, (And Nikon is the only DSLR camera that can do this) Try Trap Focusing:

“Trap” focusing:

This is a neat way to use auto focus especially for fast sports/wildlife action, I don’t know other maker’s settings but these are the settings for Nikon users:
Custom (pencil) menu:

Autofocus set to AF-S
AF area mode set to single
AE-L/AF-L set to AF ON

Compose your shot and set the focus by aiming the centre focus icon at a definite target at the precise distance you want, (Say a tree branch where a bird is about to land, or on second base where the baseball player's foot will land) and pressing the "AE-L/AF-L" button near the viewfinder. This will focus the lens, let go of AE-L/AF-L button. Turn away,
press and hold the shutter button all the way down. Point camera at pre-focused point when subject approaches, and your camera will take the shot
Much faster than Human reflexes.

Regards, Ken

[Rolling Stone]

Ken,
I don't understand the "turn away and hold the shutter down" part? I'm a Nikon nOOb. Just wondering.

[morts]

Originally Posted by Rolling Stone

Ken,
I don't understand the "turn away and hold the shutter down" part? I'm a Nikon nOOb. Just wondering.

He means keep the shutter button pressed halfway down so the camera doesn't refocus and then when your subject enters the area you focused on, you snap the shot without having to focus the lens.

Failing that, autofocus the lens on a specific point and then switch it to MF so the camera doesn't refocus it before taking a shot.

[troutwhisperer]

Ken,

Thanks for the tip and instructions. I knew there was some trick with the AE-L/AF-L button but was not quite sure what the process was to make it work. One of those things I hadn't gotten to yet. Thanks again, I think I will find a use for this technique.

[kencaleno]

Originally Posted by Rolling Stone

Ken,
I don't understand the "turn away and hold the shutter down" part? I'm a Nikon nOOb. Just wondering.

When you press the AE-L/AF-L button this focuses the camera-if you don't turn away while pressing the shutter button right down, the camera will start taking images before you are ready-by turning away,when you return to focusing point, the camera will automatically start shooting


regards, Ken

[kencaleno]

Originally Posted by morts

He means keep the shutter button pressed halfway down so the camera doesn't refocus and then when your subject enters the area you focused on, you snap the shot without having to focus the lens.

Failing that, autofocus the lens on a specific point and then switch it to MF so the camera doesn't refocus it before taking a shot.

No, doesn't work like that-when you press the AE-L/AF-L button, the focus locks. when you press the shutter button down all the way,when turning away, when you turn back to face the focus point, the camera will automatically start shooting-If you press shutter button down all the way, without turning camera from focus point,the camera will shoot before you are ready. Ken

[Quo Fan]

It helps to know the tricks they are pulling or "throwing". Then you can know where they are going to be and where the "cool" part of the trick is.

[Chip]

Put the sun at your back, or at least at your side.

If you have to shoot into the sun, it helps if you have a flash with enough power so you can light your subject while using high speed synch.

It might be hard, but maybe try panning shots?