Blurry sports shots with a point-and-shoot camera

13 years 3 months ago #22308 by edith.s.robinson
I don't have any fancy high speed equipment but I do have a Canon A620 camera. My grandson is in Little League and I would love to get some action shots of him but they all turn out blurry. Any ideas to help me improve them?


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13 years 3 months ago #22313 by Scotty
Buy a D-SLR.

When the last candle has been blown out
and the last glass of champagne has been drunk
All that you are left with are the memories and the images-David Cooke.

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13 years 3 months ago - 13 years 3 months ago #22316 by Baydream
In the meantime, try using a tripod or other stable base to hold the camera steady. Try using the Shutter priority AE mode and set it to shoot as fast as it can (as close to the 1/2500 sec limit that the aperture and light will allow). Check your manual to see how to use this mode.

Shoot, learn and share. It will make you a better photographer.
fineartamerica.com/profiles/john-g-schickler.html?tab=artwork

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13 years 3 months ago #22322 by Screamin Scott
If we could see some of the blurry shots, it would help us determine why they are blurry. Blurriness could be caused by a number of different factors & usually a photo will reveal what caused it, be it subject movement with too slow a shutter speed or camera shake.

Scott Ditzel Photography

www.flickr.com/photos/screaminscott/

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13 years 3 months ago #22327 by Rob pix4u2
I agree that we need to see some pix to help you out.

Remember to engage brain before putting mouth in gear
Rob Huelsman Sr.
My Facebook www.facebook.com/ImaginACTIONPhotography

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13 years 3 months ago #23027 by jlelders
First, I would suggest a tripod. You can pick up a fairly inexpensive one that will do the trick. Then, try to anticipate the action - will it be 1st base, shortstop, etc. Study the action and you will find that almost every action has a peak where for a split second, movement stops. Like when the batter just starts his swing. When the shortstop stops the ball in flight, that sort of thing. Study the movements and try to anticipate that split-second stop. You'll find after a few tries you'll get it.


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13 years 3 months ago #23030 by songmaster
When I was shooting High Schools sometimes I would actually set up a scene and fake it. I'd tell my "players" just when to freeze so I could get a good picture. That's probably not too practical just a little league game, but the advice about the tripod and learning just when to hit the shutter is good advice.


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13 years 3 months ago #23052 by Screamin Scott
I've shot Little League "action" shots for a number of years & a tripod wouldn't help as it's too cumbersome for "action" shots. Anticipating the action is good advice though & Shots taken during "warm up's at the start of each inning help to get shots of all the players (not too many balls hit out to right field for chances of action shots of that player). Now, I have the advantage of being inside the fence, but I also have the disadvantage of getting hit by an errant foul ball...Keep practicing & your keeper rate will improve...

Scott Ditzel Photography

www.flickr.com/photos/screaminscott/

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