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Show Faces |
Get in front of people and stay there. Don't take ear shots or
profiles. If your subject is sitting, bend your knees and get down to
eye level. Scalps and shoulders are not recognizable features on most
people. Use the rule of thirds to frame heads and, in close-up shots,
eyes in the top third of the photo.
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Show Activity |
Just like every sentence needs a noun and a verb, a good photograph
shows a subject doing something. Most of the time people are doing
things with their hands. Don't forget to picture your subjects' hands!
This is another reason we frame heads near the top, since hands will
usually end up near the bottom of the photo.
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Set Your Focus in Advance |
All our digital cameras use auto-focus. This is set by lightly pressing down on the shutter button while framing the subject in your viewfinder until you hear a quiet beep. You may see focus change in your viewfinder as it adjusts. If you see no change, check the little switch at the base of the lens. If it is on MF (manual focus), set it to AF (auto-focus). As long as subject distance does not change, you can be assured of sharp focus when you release the shutter. Be careful not to get too close to your subject, as your range of focus begins about three to four feet out from the camera.
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For most small group close-ups, set the camera's exposure dial to the portrait setting (the little face). This will insure that the flash will fire in dim lighting, which is always the case indoors. Do not use the "P" or green rectangle settings, as these will not fire the flash automatically.
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For Sports |
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Film Speed |
Action
photography calls for film that can expose correctly even when the
shutter is on a fast setting, such as ASA/ISO 1600 speed film. The
digital camera carries this concept over to its exposure settings. On
the Canon EOS, "film speed" can be adjusted in one of the manual
modes: full manual (M), Aperture variable (Av) and Shutter variable (Tv). Press the Up Arrow button labeled ISO on the back of the camera, and the current speed shows in the left hand side of the digital display. To change it, roll the thumbwheel adjustment behind the shutter button.
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Shutter Speed |
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For
some action photos under good conditions, the Sports setting (running
man) will produce good exposures. When you review your photos and
motion blur is an issue, Shutter variable (Tv) is your fallback
setting. The adjustable shutter speed appears in the left
hand side
of the digital display. The ideal range is between 125 and 200, where you should find a compromise between motion blur and underexposure. The thumbwheel also adjusts shutter speed.
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Telephoto Lens |
Most
sports photos will be taken at some distance from the action. You must
use the 80-200 mm lens to bring it closer. Find the best zoom setting
between difficulty of aiming at and following action, and subjects
that will look too far away. A tripod is a necessity when using a long lens,
so make sure you check one out for sports assignments.
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Stay in Front of the Team |
For
those sports that move up and down the court or field, know which side
our team moves toward and stay there. Not only will you be close to the
action when we score but also will see the athletes' faces as they
advance in your direction. For variety, however, you should also
get a few shots of our team playing defense at the other end.
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Shoot the Ball!! |
Swimming,
wrestling and gymnastics don't use a ball, but most sports do.
Volleyball, basketball, soccer and football are difficult to shoot
because the ball moves quickly and can reach some height above the
players. You must try to get as many photos of the ball in the frame as
possible, simply because it's part of the action.
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Peak of Action |
Every
sport has its moments when action reaches its most exciting point.
Whether it's the touchdown catch, the slam dunk, the spike, or the
header getting by the goalie, these are opportunities for the best
sports photos. Learn to recognize moments when the action is building
toward such moments and click the shutter just before the action
reaches its peak.
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Get the Whole Picture |
There
is more to an athletic contest besides what happens during the game.
There are the team rituals, the coaches yelling instructions, the bench
cheering for their teammates, the trainers tending to the injured.
These are pictures that tell the story around the game, add variety to
a photo layout and, best of all, fill in when the action photos aren't
so great.
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