Monday, July 24, 2006
Continuous Shooting Mode in Digital Camera
I had told you earlier that number of shots should be taken during an exciting event of sports so that any one shot could become by chance a memorable one. You may be asking as to how this shall be done to ensure that shot by all means. The Continuous Shooting Mode otherwise known as Burst Mode comes to your help for this venture.
This is a functional mode normally used with the basic capture mode of the digital camera. You are enabled to take several shots sequentially in succession at a rapid speed with this function when you go on keeping the shutter button fully held down during the critical period of an event. The above speed itself is again a function of the shutter release and image processing system of the camera and indicated as frames per second (fps). Frames per second differ widely in different cameras and models and will vary according to the settings for recorded pixels and quality level.
What exactly happens in this mode? When you continue shooting by pressing the shutter button fully held down over a long stretch of time, the images shot keep on getting stored in a buffer before they are processed and lodged in the memory card. The size of the buffer decides the number of frames that can be taken at a stretch. While some digital cameras specify the number of frames that can be shot in the burst mode, the latest compacts have sufficient buffer capacity that permits you to continue shooting till the memory card is full.
General Guidelines
This mode is not restricted to capture sports events alone. Taking photographs of children is another situation where you may be longing for a wonderful candid shot while they are playing. Burst mode is there to achieve your aim here. Even for taking portraits that you expect to have a candid sparkle, this mode will be helpful. However pre focusing is essential while you shoot in this mode and the battery should be fully charged before you start shooting.Keep a back up battery in readiness if you want to work in this mode for a long session. See that you have another memory card also in reserve if the card in use is not of a high storage capacity,
The manual specific to your camera should guide you for the recommended settings on file size and resolution.
Saturday, July 08, 2006
Sports Mode in Digital Camera
This mode enables you to capture clear images of moving subjects especially those action shots in sports. This is made possible with a high shutter speed. However, number of other constraints is there to be overcome by a photographer before he captures a vital moment of action, which gives life and makes a sports picture fantastic. He has got to be pretty well aware of actions involved and situations of importance distinct to different sports events and the positioning he has to adopt for a specific event.
Equipment
A digicam with 3X optical zoom is fine enough. A tripod or monopod with a pan table is quite essential. A telephoto lens and a flash with high output are optional. For the professional photographer anyway, the needs will be much more and advanced.
Guidelines
Unless you are a press photographer you will not get correct locations close enough for an action shot. You have to plan wisely and decide the apt locations available for you to be as close as possible. This should be your first task.
You should not miss an action. You should be in vigilant watch so that you can correctly expect an event to happen. By keeping the shutter release half way down in a ready mood, you can click at the exact moment of action.
You should keep focus on the player and change it closely following the movement of the player. If the action you expect is on a specific location you can keep the focus there and wait for the player to move to that location.
Keep the camera vertical so that the full height of the player is captured during the moment of action.
You should take a shot of an individual player at any one moment unless two or more players are involved in a special event
A Guide Display should be available in your camera forming a grid of three vertical sections and three horizontal sections. Improve your composition by placing the subject where the grid lines intersect. If the player is moving to the right, place him in the left third line. if he is moving to the right, place him in the right third line.
Keep in mind always that to capture also the face of the player with whatever emotion that gets revealed in his face is most important. Zoom in whenever necessary.
You should make number of shots during an exciting moment of the event. One of the shots may become really memorable and you may not have to worry later that you have missed a good shot!
A bit of experience will really enrich your mettle in sports photography!
