Photographing fast movement - any advice?

[zabous]

I still have problems when photographing fast movement. I rarely get a perfectly sharp picture. And I do not know where the mistake is, what I should do to get better pictures.

This weekend I tried to photograph my friend's dog - yorkshir. He is small and fast and he was jumping down from the stairs when running for a ball. I wanted to capture him while he was in the jump. I set up the time on my camera for 1/500, aperture for 4,5. But the image was still blurred. I changed for the time 1/1000, aperture 2,8. I thought the 1/500 was to slow for him. But still blurred.

Was the time too short? Or how do you focus when you shoot a fast movement? I was waiting until I see him above the stairs and then I focused on his eyes (I was watching his face from the front) and hoped my Canon USM lens is fast enough to focus and to make a picture. This did not work. So I focused in advanced approximately to the place where he should be during his highest jump. It was better but still not sharp enough.

What is easier when shooting a fast movement - shoot the object from a side or from the front?
How do you focus when shooting a fast movement?
Do you use a flash set up for high speed synchronization when shooting a fast movement?

Any advice will be very appreciated.
I am sorry for my English.
Thank you
Gabriela

[lputman]

Is your camera set for AI Servo? I would probably have it on continuous shooting also.

[autofocus]

I set up the time on my camera for 1/500, aperture for 4,5. But the image was still blurred. I changed for the time 1/1000, aperture 2,8. I thought the 1/500 was to slow for him. But still blurred.

1/500 should be sufficient to stop most action. At f/2.8 you also could be dealing with a DOF issue, especially if the subject is moving toward the camera. As Lori mentioned above, in order for your camera to track focus you will need to make sure your camera is not set on One Shot

What is easier when shooting a fast movement - shoot the object from a side or from the front?

Motion moving toward or away from the camera is usually easier, and panning techniques can also be considered for motion moving perpendicular to the lens

How do you focus when shooting a fast movement?
Do you use a flash set up for high speed synchronization when shooting a fast movement?

As mentioned above, the camera needs to be set to continuous focus (Nikons) and to AIservo and / or AIfocus on Canons. And standard flash will normally stop most action

[zabous]

Thank you very much. I probably need more practice to manage it.