'Action' Shots

[TheSeagull]

Hi,
I am a thirteen year old wildlife photographer. I have been photographing for a few months now and never really 'nailed' an action shot. My best attempt was yesterday where I got these:



I'm not pleased with them though, they look to grainy for my liking, what do you think? The data is ISO320, f4.4, 1/1000 for the centre and 1/500 for the rest. I'm using a Panasonic FZ28, any tips on how to get a faster shutter speed? I have used the 'burst' mode which gives pleasing composition but reduces the megapixels badly. The above images were taken in 'Outdoor Sport' mode, and if you were wondering I will be investing in an Olympus TCON-17 and Raynox 250 soon but am not really interested in a DSLR, not that I cannot afford one but I prefer the bridge cameras.
Thanks,

[dunlin]

Originally Posted by TheSeagull

Hi,
I am a thirteen year old wildlife photographer. I have been photographing for a few months now and never really 'nailed' an action shot. My best attempt was yesterday where I got these:



I'm not pleased with them though, they look to grainy for my liking, what do you think? The data is ISO320, f4.4, 1/1000 for the centre and 1/500 for the rest. I'm using a Panasonic FZ28, any tips on how to get a faster shutter speed? I have used the 'burst' mode which gives pleasing composition but reduces the megapixels badly. The above images were taken in 'Outdoor Sport' mode, and if you were wondering I will be investing in an Olympus TCON-17 and Raynox 250 soon but am not really interested in a DSLR, not that I cannot afford one but I prefer the bridge cameras.
Thanks,

You could try a neat image to remove the grain, im not sure how your going to get faster shutter speeds with your camera.
I think your pictures are quite good for someone who has only been using a camera for a few months. Taking bird in flight pictures is a difficult subject to try even with an slr camera so i wouldnt be to hard on yourself
One thing i would look at is your white balance setting, the tones look blue which would suggest you may have it set on tungsten light
Photography is like anything else in life the more you practice the better you get at it.
best regards mark........

[PMG]

Well the best advice is keep going and keep trying - I'm nearly 57 and been taking photos since I was 17 (and I'm wondering where the last 40 years has gone?!!) ........

Action shots are very difficult and sometimes its down to the fact that the camera and or lens is just not 'fast' enough. I spent many many years not able to do bird photography cos I couldn't afford the correct lenses but in the meanwhile I did get the very best out of the cameras I did have - for a long time the only one I had (and still have for fungi pics!) is an old Nikon 4500 - many of my images at the beg on my Gallery here were taken with that

Even now when I have a good slr and a 500 lens - this combo still won't do action pics competantly either and it (and my eyesight!) struggle with flight photography ........ photography is a constant compromise between distance, light and speed - the critters movements and your reactions - which at 13 should be pretty smart!

Looking at your pics which are good but as Mark says a bit on the 'blue' side and I wondered if you were using the Auto setting which for some reason gives blue results on most cameras? So check your settings a P or semi-programme might give better colour - Manual is by far the best but difficult to use when you are trying to think about eveything else, but like Mark says check your white balence and set it to sunlight if its sunny or shade/cloudy if its duller and see how colour comes out then.

Every time I get a new camera (or lens) I do some test shots first in the house with some badger pottery to try and get used to it before I get in front of something I might really want to get!

The Neat Image prog is a download for free and can get rid of noise very well but it doesn't work well in every situation and if you think it looks 'false' when you have used it instead of just less noisy then you may need to practice with its settings more

Have fun with your camera and try lots of different things so that when you are able to get a better model you will have the basics in the back of your mind ready to step up and get the shots your mind imagines!

Pauline

[TheSeagull]

Thanks for the advice, yes my white balance was set to AWB (automatic white balance) I have also downloaded Neat Image, it is a nice program!

[Jim Ford]

Hi 'TheSeagull'

I've grabbed one of your images and taken out the blue cast (it's still attributed to you, though!):



I don't think there's much wrong with these photo's (the framing could be better). I also wouldn't worry about the 'grain'.

Jim

[TheSeagull]

Thank you!

[squishy]

The softness isn't movement blur I think, just the FZ28 showing a bit of softness at it's top end. Most bridge cameras are a bit soft at full zoom (i use one too, and I definitely notice it).

But as other people have said, the framing is very good