The Santos Tour Down Under is happening here in South Australia now until the 21st of January, so now is the time to do a special edition of the PhotoCo Blog on how to shoot cyclists and fast moving subjects.
No matter the camera (maybe except a point and shoot!), the two most important things to focus on with high speed subjects are:
Continuous shutter (also called “burst mode”) and a fast zoom lens.
Photo credit: Chris Auld
Continuous Shutter/Burst Mode
Continuous shutter/burst mode will allow you to get more frames faster. This ensures that you get the shot of the fast moving subject versus only having a single frame and risking losing the shot. It’s a great feature to use, but make sure you have a suitable memory card to ensure you have enough room! Digital Photography School has done a great article about burst mode.
Photo credit: Bianca De Marchi
Zoom Lenses and What to Focus On
Zoom lenses are the next feature that you’ll have to take into account. They allow you to have a different range of composition and get closer optically. This is especially difficult with subjects moving quickly around a track! Having the flexibility of a zoom lens rather than a prime lens means you’ll be able to have a wider opportunity of shots, no matter where they are on the track.
This Canon 100-400mm EF lens and Fujifilm 100-400mm X mount lens are both 100-400mm and have autofocus capabilities, which is another element that is very important to look out for in a zoom lens. This is key with a lens that will be used with fast moving subjects! Another great focal length is this Nikon F mount lens – the 70-200mm. It can go a bit wider which is great for those group shots of cyclists all racing against each other! This Sigma brand article is a great reference to check out for more focal lengths and what to look out for.
