Action Shot Whipping

[pemmett]

I was watching my children playing near a fountain and took some photos. I've posted what I think is my best one below. Does anyone have any hints / tips / whippings to improve this shot and to help me capture great action shots in the future?

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/186/458794796_e36e260ba7.jpg (http://www.dgrin.com/%3Ca%20href=)

Thanks/Peter

[HarlanBear]

This is a great shot of very cute kids. Congrats on that, and on the children. Good colors and especially like the helmet. I also like the composition because you gave them some room on the left - room to run, so to speak. And I like that they each have a foot in the air, good action.

As for whipping: Not sure what kind of camera you're using, but one thing you could do to further emphasize the girls and remove emphasis from the background, which is somewhat distracting to me, is open the apperture of your camera to create a shallower depth of focus and let the background go soft a bit. Not bad to have the other children and people, but not necessary to have them in focus. You could also crop a bit from the right to take away a bit of the signage, I suppose, but the change in focus would do that too. And that's just nit-picking.

But all in all, a very good child action photo, IMHO.:D

[Swartzy]

I love the water droplets in the background but am not crazy about the stuff far to visible across the street. Cropping some of the left side and using some additional blurring may improve the shot's overall mood. This shot has a very jubilant mood to it and like it much but getting the distracting things less distracting will enhance that mood moreso.

[pemmett]

HarlanBear / Swartzy,

Thanks for the feedback and comments. One problem I have with reducing the DOF with these kind of action shots is that I find it very hard to focus on moving subjects, especially in this case when they were running towards me - which is why I used a small aperture.

I have a Canon 30D with a 28-135mm IS USM or a 50mm 1.8. so I know it's not the equipments fault. I know I can blur the background in Photoshop, but as you can see from last entry in LPS#3 I tend to be rather heavy handed as I'm a bit of a beginner with it :scratch

Do you have any recomendations for reducing the DOF but keeping the main image sharp?

Thanks/Peter

[Swartzy]

HarlanBear / Swartzy,

Thanks for the feedback and comments. One problem I have with reducing the DOF with these kind of action shots is that I find it very hard to focus on moving subjects, especially in this case when they were running towards me - which is why I used a small aperture.

I have a Canon 30D with a 28-135mm IS USM or a 50mm 1.8. so I know it's not the equipments fault. I know I can blur the background in Photoshop, but as you can see from last entry in LPS#3 I tend to be rather heavy handed as I'm a bit of a beginner with it :scratch

Do you have any recomendations for reducing the DOF but keeping the main image sharp?

Thanks/Peter

Peter....When attempting to focus on moving objects it will work better to switch to AI Servo mode and Center spot focusing. This takes a little practice keeping the center spot on your moving subject. For sports shooters, birder's, etc., this is how we get those shots. Realize that all aren't going to be in perfect focus but with practice more will be as you improve.

Each lens will respond differently based on the light, i.e. the 50 mm will AF much quicker than the 28-135. But it's important to stop down a zoom lens so the subject is in focus instead of only 1/2 (think one eye and nose but mouth and hair no). The biggest thing in getting a nice bokeh...remember the rule of thumb: the shorter the focal length, the more depth of field. A 28 mm is going to show the background much more at f/5.6 than a 400mm @ f/5.6.

[pemmett]

Peter....When attempting to focus on moving objects it will work better to switch to AI Servo mode and Center spot focusing. This takes a little practice keeping the center spot on your moving subject. For sports shooters, birder's, etc., this is how we get those shots. Realize that all aren't going to be in perfect focus but with practice more will be as you improve.

Each lens will respond differently based on the light, i.e. the 50 mm will AF much quicker than the 28-135. But it's important to stop down a zoom lens so the subject is in focus instead of only 1/2 (think one eye and nose but mouth and hair no). The biggest thing in getting a nice bokeh...remember the rule of thumb: the shorter the focal length, the more depth of field. A 28 mm is going to show the background much more at f/5.6 than a 400mm @ f/5.6.

Thanks Swartzy:thumb I'll try and go back to the fountain and take some more shots. My kids won't need too much convincing to go there and play and get wet :rofl

Cheers/Peter

[wildviper]

I like this picture. have you tried a b/w version of this with the background a little blurred?

Cute kids!

[pemmett]

I like this picture. have you tried a b/w version of this with the background a little blurred?

Cute kids!
Thanks. Here's a black and white version, which I have also cropped and cloned out some of the people. What do you think? Colour or Black & White?:dunno

I tried to make the backgroupd more blur, but it also blurs the water which I thinks adds to the overall affect of the photo. So I'll have to reshoot to get the correct DOF.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/178/464877428_d02c30e948.jpg (http://www.dgrin.com/%3Ca%20href=)

Thanks again to everyone for the feedback.

Cheers/Peter