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Action Photography

Written by Irma Gabbard

The most common way to capture a subject in motion is to use stop-action, which freezes the moment. Stop-action shots are great for seeing facial expressions clearly or for showing details in mid-action.

For this type of shot, you'll want a fast shutter speed, such as 1/400 second or 1/500 second, and fast film (ISO 400 to 800 and above) or digital ISO equivalent. To catch her daughter in mid-slide, left, Heather Melzer set her shutter speed to 1/500 and used a 400 ISO setting.

You also can use your camera's Action or Sports setting. If your camera lacks an Action setting, using the flash in bright daylight will force the camera to use a faster shutter speed.

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