CATCH OF THE DAY

Mike Harris shows you how to convey motion in a still image by stitching together a sequence of images captured in burst mode

- Mike Harris

1.5 HOURS

If you’re capturing a fastmoving object, you normally have three options. You can use a fast shutter speed to freeze the action; a slow shutter speed to create wisps of abstract motion; or the panning technique to capture pinsharp subjects and lashings of motion blur. But there is another approach you can take, called sequence photography.

This creative method involves stitching together a series of images that depict a subject as it moves through the frame. As you can see from our dazzling kingfisher, sequence photography is a great technique to use when capturing birds in flight. Consistent framing is crucial, so we’d recommend using a tripod. You’ll also need to make use of your camera’s burst shooting mode and a fast shutter speed to freeze a sequence of shots in rapid succession.

We can then use Photoshop to blend our set of images together to create a single image that displays the whole sequence. Perhaps the most difficult part is anticipating where your subject might appear, and in what direction it’ll fly off. Waiting for it to arrive can be another challenge, as you’ll need to remain alert, and be ready to fire the shutter at the opportune moment.

This technique might take some time to master, so try photographing the birds in your garden, where you’ll have ample subjects to practise on. Once you’re more confident, you can venture to your local nature reserve and try your hand at photographing some of the more colourful characters. Our handsome kingfisher was shot from a hide at Kings Dyke Nature Reserve, in Cambridgeshire, UK.

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