How to Take Better Sports Action Shots

Canon 5D mk IV Canon 70-200mm f2.8L ISII Aperture: f2.8 Shutter speed: 1/1000 sec ISO 100 — Canon 5D mk IV
Canon 70-200mm f2.8L ISII
Aperture: f2.8
Shutter speed: 1/1000 sec
ISO 100

If you are looking to up your outdoor sports photography, here are a few tips to keep in mind. The first place to start, is making sure you understand how your camera works in manual mode. An ability to manipulate the manual settings will allow you more control and will lead to the amazing WOW shot! The best place to start is to play with your camera in manual mode until you understand how the three main settings interact with one another. Focus on the ISO, aperture and shutter speed.

APERTURE

Once you have a basic understanding of manual mode, find a subject and go outside. The exact settings will vary based on the camera model, lens, ambient light and distance from your subject. I recommend starting with your aperture or f-stop. If you are shooting outdoors in the daytime, there will be plenty of light. Most of the time, a blurry background is ideal, so you’ll want to set your aperture as low as your lens will allow. Some lenses will go as low as f1.8 while kit lens tend to be around f4.5.

SHUTTER SPEED

To set your shutter speed determine how fast will your subject be moving. If they are stationary, you can set it around 1/200th of a second. If they are moving slowly, it can be a bit higher (around 1/500). If it’s a fast movement, I recommend 1/1000 or higher.