{"id":76818,"date":"2021-12-06T10:00:57","date_gmt":"2021-12-06T15:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/?p=76818"},"modified":"2021-11-30T09:50:12","modified_gmt":"2021-11-30T14:50:12","slug":"tips-for-horse-photography","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.adorama.com\/alc\/tips-for-horse-photography\/","title":{"rendered":"Tips for Capturing Fast Movements in Horse Photography"},"content":{"rendered":"

Capturing the action of fast-moving subjects is the goal of sports and wildlife photographers. Challenges can include getting a sharp shot, finding the best exposure, capturing a dramatic gesture, having a nice background, and more. In this article, I\u2019ll offer some tips for photographing subjects moving at high speeds. To illustrate my points, I\u2019ll share some of my favorite action shots from a recent horse photography shoot. These were taken at sunrise and sunset in St. Augustine, Florida. All the photographs were captured with my Canon EOS R3<\/a> and Canon RF24-105mm IS lens<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Shoot at the Highest Frame Rate<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The image that opens this article illustrates what happens when many of the elements that go into the making a good action shot come together. This includes the all-important gesture of the subject. Both subjects look elegant and confident, and the position of the horse\u2019s legs is flattering. The sweeping motion of the rider\u2019s dress also adds to the success of the photograph.<\/p>\n

Cameras with a high frame rate help to capture subtle differences in gesture. This can change in a fraction of a second. The higher the frame rate, the better chance you have of capturing the perfect gesture.<\/p>\n

Shooting at a high frame rate means capturing, and then downloading, a lot of images. It\u2019s important to be prepared. I use Delkin Devices CFast cards<\/a> to record my images. On site, I use Delkin Devices CFast card readers<\/a> to transfer my images \u2014 via my MacBook Pro<\/a> \u2014 to my two Delkin Devices Juggler hard drives<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Photo by Rick Sammon<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Take the Wide Shots<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Our goal as photographers is to tell a story. You want to tell the story of the fast-moving horse and rider but if you shoot too tight, your photograph will not have what is called \u201ca sense of place.\u201d Using a wide-angle lens and composing your photograph with the subject relatively small in the frame will help you tell more of the story.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Photo by Rick Sammon<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Note Your Camera Settings<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Your shutter speed, aperture, and ISO are all important when trying to capture the action. This is especially true because your subject will be positioned against different backgrounds (perhaps light and dark) as it moves. The light level can change during your shoot, especially when photographing at sunrise and sunset.\u00a0This is a lot to think about. To get the photo you want, you need to keep an eye on your camera settings as you may need to adjust them during a shoot.<\/p>\n

Here are my camera settings for this image (with my lens set at the 24mm setting):<\/h2>\n