Tips for Action Photography With Film

Taking action photographs with film cameras can be a little tricky. New technology has made digital cameras faster and smarter than ever, while most film cameras are a little less wieldy and have very little technical components. A film camera probably shouldn't be your first practical choice for shooting a sporting event or wildlife, but if you're like me and almost exclusively shoot film, here are some tips for action shots:

Use the Right Equipment

To shoot moving people or objects, you'll have to increase the shutter speed to something around 1/125 or higher if you want to reduce blur. Shooting at a high shutter speed will limit your exposure time, so you will have to compensate by selecting a film with a higher film speed (ISO) or increasing your f-stop (aperture). Using film with a speed of 800 or higher and a lens with a maximum f-stop of at least f/2.0 will make action shots much easier, especially when shooting instances with less light.

Flash is Your Friend

Sometimes a good lens and film speed just won't cut it. High speed film can be really expensive, and shooting at such a high ISO will reduce the clarity of your image. Lenses with a large aperture range also run for a particularly high price and will limit your image's depth of field. This is where the beauty of flash comes in. Most film SLRs will have a for an adapter for flash connection, but I think using a film point-and-shoot camera with built-in flash is the best way to shoot with flash since it's just so easy. Flash is a great way to get a clear, sharp image within a short range, and it's a great tool for creative experimentation. 

Don't be Afraid of Blur

Listen: blur isn't a bad thing. I get it-- it's only natural to want sharp, clear images. But photography isn't always about communicating an image in a clear and direct way. Blur can make photos come alive because you can literally see the movement in the image. It's also a great artistic effect; for one of my photo projects, I played with moving light and slow shutter speeds to see what kind of shapes and tones the light would draw. I definitely suggest going to a concert or firework show and playing with slower shutter speed to see the kind of photos you get. 

Anticipate the Action

Shooting action photographs is all about being engaged in your surroundings and anticipating action. Always give your subject space to move-- that is, if your subject is moving in a straight line to the left, you want to aim your viewfinder in front of their path, wait for them to step in, and shoot right when they're fully into the frame. If you're shooting analog and the subject is moving toward you, like the picture above, you'll have to choose a distance from where you want to take the shot and prefocus your lens to that distance.