Project two: Creative techniques - Motion pictures

Mike Harris embraces the Z series' advanced AF abilities to capture a sequence of action shots

- Mike Harris

The Mission – Learn how to set up your camera for fast-paced action photography

Time – Three hours

Skill level – Intermediate

Kit needed – Nikon DSLR, mirrorless or bridge camera – Adobe Photoshop

Back in March Nikon invited us to London’s Lee Valley VeloPark – the cycling venue for the 2012 Olympics – to photograph break-dancing, BMX freestyle and, of course, cyclists navigating the incredible velodrome. Armed with a Z 6II and a brand-new Z 9, we were able to make full use of the very best camera equipment Nikon has to offer.

But while the Big N’s latest bodies boast incredible low-light capabilities and its most advanced AF systems to date, they don’t take the photographs for you. High-end camera kit is constantly pushing boundaries further than ever before and redefining expectations, but the basic ingredients required to capture a good action shot haven’t really changed…

Images need to be sharp and subjects need to be in focus, shutter speeds have to be fast enough to freeze the action and noise levels need to be kept to a minimum. That might seem like a lot of stuff to think about when a cyclist is hurtling towards you, but the trick is setting your camera up ahead of time so you only have to worry about capturing the shot.

Full control over your shutter speed is essential, so you need to work in either Shutter Priority or Manual mode. Continuous auto-focus is another must, so the AF will continuously focus as you track your subject.

But some of the finer details we’ve covered here, for both DSLR and mirrorless users, are down to personal preference, so make sure you experiment to find out what’s right for you.