Step into the world of 35mm photography with the Photography Discussion Roundtable, heard every Monday evening at 7:00 PM ET on BrandMeister DMR Talkgroup 31266 — the MichiganOne Nets channel. This engaging net is your chance to explore the art and science of photography, ask questions, and sharpen your skills in a welcoming, knowledge-rich environment.
Hosted by James N8TMP, Bob KB8DQQ, Rick AD8KN, and Dave N8SBE, each brings a wealth of experience to the mic. Bob and James are seasoned wedding photographers, while Rick and Dave add deep technical insight and practical know-how. Together, they guide discussions on camera features, techniques, terminology, and everything from aperture to artistic vision.
Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refine your craft, tune in and join the conversation. Your next great shot starts here!
Previous and upcoming Photography Discussion Roundtable topics:
| Date | Topic |
| 8/11/2025 | What is Aperture in photography |
| 8/18/2025 | What is the Golden Triangle? |
| 8/25/2025 | Top photo editing software available in 2025 |
| 9/1/2025 | What is Depth of Field? |
| 9/8/2025 | What is Bokeh in photography? |
| 9/15/2025 | Understanding Lens Focal Length |
| 9/22/2025 | What are leading lines? |
| 9/29/2025 | What is Back-Button Focus? |
| 10/6/2025 | 5 important photography facts that I didn’t know when I started |
| 10/13/2025 | How to shoot in manual mode |
| 10/20/2025 | The different types of lenses |
| 10/27/2025 | All about camera filters |
| 11/3/2025 | On-camera flash vs off-camera flash |
| 11/10/2025 | How to use tripods and stabilizers |
| 11/17/2025 | What is ISO? |
| 11/24/2025 | Film vs digital? |
| 12/1/2025 | How to find and organize your photos in a logical manner |
| 12/8/2025 | Understanding long-exposure photography |
| 12/15/2025 | Enhancing the sky in your photos |
| 12/22/2025 | Where and how to learn more about photography techniques |
| 12/29/2025 | DSLR vs mirrorless cameras |
| 1/5/2026 | The exposure triangle |
| 1/12/2026 | How to develop your own personal photography style |
| 1/19/2026 | Color theory (histograms) in photography |
| 1/26/2026 | Photography ethics in the digital age |
| 2/2/2026 | The future of film and where the analog industry is going |
| 2/9/2026 | How to build a portfolio |
| 2/16/2026 | Photography hints and tips |
| 2/23/2026 | How to take action/motion photos |
| 3/2/2026 | Explaining photography terms |
| 3/9/2026 | Macro photography hints and tips |
| 3/16/2026 | Landscape photography hints and tips |
| 3/23/2026 | Portrait photography hints and tips |
| 3/30/2026 | Night photography hints and tips |
| 4/6/2026 | F-stops and how to use them |
| 4/13/2026 | What are the AE-L, AF-L, and *-buttons? What do they do? |
| 4/20/2026 | White balance explained |
| 4/27/2026 |
https://thediabeticham.com/previous-and-upcoming-photography-discussion-roundtable-topics/
How to Take Action and Motion Photos
Action photos are all about energy, timing, and control of motion. They combine camera craft with anticipation so you can capture subjects in a way that feels alive and intentional.
Start with the Basics
What “motion” actually looks like in a photo
There are two classic ways to show motion:
- Freeze the action: Fast shutter speed, subject sharp, often with a slightly blurred background from camera or subject movement.
- Blur the motion: Slower shutter speed so moving parts streak or smear while the rest of the frame stays relatively sharp.
Both are valid; the question is not “Which is right?” but “What story am I trying to tell with this motion?”
A runner, frozen mid‑air with both feet off the ground, feels powerful and decisive. A long blur of taillights winding through a city street feels fluid and atmospheric.
Gear and basic setup
You don’t need pro gear, but a few things help:
- Camera modes: Use Shutter Priority (S/Tv) or Manual so you, not the camera, decide how motion is rendered.
- Lenses: A mid‑range zoom (e.g., 24–70 mm) for general use; a telephoto (70–200 mm or longer) for sports or distant subjects.
- Support: A monopod or tripod is very helpful when you’re intentionally using slower shutter speeds.
- Drive mode: Set your camera to continuous/burst shooting so one press can capture a short sequence.
For phones, look for “Pro,” “Manual,” or “Long exposure” modes, and see if your camera app supports burst shooting and tracking focus.
Freezing Action
Shutter speeds to aim for
To freeze subjects, you need a fast enough shutter speed relative to how quickly they’re moving and how close you are:
- Casual walking: Around 1/250 s is often enough.
- Kids running, casual sports: Start at 1/500 s.
- Fast sports, dogs sprinting, cyclists: 1/1000–1/2000 s.
- Very fast motion (splashes, flying dirt, birds): 1/2000–1/4000 s or faster if your camera allows it.
Use these as starting points and adjust until your subject looks as crisp as you want.
Balancing exposure: aperture and ISO
Fast shutter speeds cut down light, so you compensate with aperture and ISO:
- Open the aperture: Use a lower f‑number (f/2.8, f/3.5, f/4) to let in more light and help isolate the subject from the background.
- Raise ISO: Don’t be afraid of ISO noise. A sharp, slightly noisy image is almost always better than a clean but blurry one.
Example starting point outdoors on a bright day:
- 1/1000 s, f/4, ISO 400
From there, you can tweak: if the image is too dark, increase ISO; if it’s too bright, increase shutter speed or close the aperture a bit.
Autofocus: keep moving subjects sharp
Autofocus is where many action shots succeed or fail. For moving subjects:
- Use continuous AF: “AF‑C” (Nikon/Sony/etc.) or “AI Servo” (Canon). This tells the camera to keep focusing as the subject moves.
- Use tracking or a small focus area: Subject tracking modes can work well, or use a small zone or single point on the subject’s face/upper body.
- Start focusing early: Get focus locked and tracking while the subject is still approaching, not at the last second.
Burst mode plus continuous focusing greatly improves your chances of catching the decisive moment.
Anticipation and timing
Technical settings are only half the game; the rest is timing and anticipation:
- Learn the rhythm: Watch for repeated peaks—jumps, swings, the exact point in a stride when the subject’s form looks best.
- Pre‑focus: If you know where the action will happen (a finish line, a jump, a doorway), focus on that spot and be ready.
- Shoot short bursts: Fire small sequences around the peak of the action rather than holding the shutter down constantly.
For a youth soccer match, you might pre‑focus on the goal area and shoot brief bursts when the play enters that “zone,” instead of chasing the ball all over the field.
Showing Motion with Blur
Freezing everything is not always the most interesting choice. Intentional blur can make images feel more dynamic and artistic.
Subject blurred, background sharp
This works when you want to show speed clearly:
- Use a slower shutter speed: Often between 1/15 s and 1/60 s, depending on how fast the subject is moving.
- Keep the camera steady: Use a tripod or brace yourself.
- Let the subject move through the frame: You stay still; the subject’s motion creates the blur.
A classic example is a train or traffic at night, where the environment is sharp and the moving elements streak.
Practical starting points:
- Busy street at night: 1–4 s, tripod, low ISO, narrow aperture (e.g., f/8–f/16).
- Daytime traffic: 1/15–1/30 s, tripod or stabilization, lower ISO, moderate aperture.
Panning: subject sharp, background streaked
Panning creates that “speed lines” effect: the subject is relatively sharp while the background blurs along the direction of motion.
Basic panning steps:
- Choose your subject and a clear background (clutter makes messy streaks).
- Stand so the subject moves across your field of view (left‑to‑right or right‑to‑left).
- Select a shutter speed slow enough to blur the background but fast enough to keep the subject recognizable:
- Start around 1/30–1/60 s for bikes or runners.
- For faster vehicles, you might use 1/60–1/125 s.
- Start tracking early: Follow the subject smoothly before you press the shutter, keep moving as you shoot, and continue after the exposure finishes.
- Use continuous AF and burst mode: Fire a short burst as the subject passes in front of you.
Expect a low keeper rate at first; success here comes from rhythm and smooth movement. When it works, it looks like the subject is slicing through the frame.
Blurring everything
Occasionally you may want the whole frame to feel like pure motion:
- Use longer shutter speeds: 1/4 s and slower, sometimes several seconds.
- Look for strong color and tone contrasts: Moving crowds, water, traffic, or trees in the wind.
- Be deliberate: Compose the frame as carefully as you would a static landscape, then let motion transform it.
This approach is more abstract and often works well as a mood piece or background image in a layout.
Composition, Light, and Practical Tips
Composition that supports motion
A few compositional ideas really reinforce the sense of action:
- Leave room in front of the subject: Give the subject “space to move into” in the frame. If they’re running left to right, leave more space on the right side.
- Use leading lines and diagonals: Roads, fences, shorelines, or streaks of light can all point in the direction of motion.
- Watch the background: Busy or bright elements can compete with your subject. Move a few steps or zoom to simplify.
For roundtable discussion, a useful exercise is to present two images of the same subject—one crowded, one simplified—and look at how the feeling of motion changes.
Working with available light (and flash)
Motion shots are often made in less‑than‑ideal light: gyms, dusk, overcast evenings.
- Use the light you have: Position yourself so the subject is lit from the front or side rather than strongly backlit, when possible.
- Increase ISO as needed: Modern cameras handle higher ISO surprisingly well. Prioritize shutter speed and focus.
- Consider subtle flash: Slow‑sync flash or rear‑curtain sync can freeze the subject at the end of a longer exposure while keeping motion trails. This works well for dancers, skaters, or low‑light portraits with movement, but requires practice to avoid ghosting.
If you do use flash, keep the background relatively dark and give your subject some distance from walls or bright surfaces, so the flash doesn’t freeze the background along with them.
Practice drills for your next outing
Here are a few simple drills that work well as personal practice or group challenges for the roundtable:
- Park panning: Stand along a path and pan with runners, cyclists, or dogs. Goal: 3–5 frames where the head is reasonably sharp and the background has clear streaks.
- One location, multiple interpretations: Pick a busy intersection or playground. First, freeze the action at high shutter speeds. Then, from the same spot, slow the shutter to emphasize blur and compare the feel.
- Single subject story: Follow one person (or pet) through a short sequence—start, peak action, and finish—and use burst mode to tell the story in 3–5 frames.
Encourage participants to note their settings and review what worked: Where was the keeper rate highest? Which shutter speeds felt like a good balance between blur and clarity?
Closing thoughts
Action and motion photos are less about “getting lucky” and more about stacking small advantages: appropriate shutter speed, continuous focus, anticipation, and compositional choices that support the story of movement. If you approach motion as something you choose to show or freeze, rather than something you fight against, your images will begin to feel deliberate and alive.
