How to Set Your Camera For Action Shots

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By Alina Bradford
eHow Contributing Writer

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(1 Ratings)

A picture taken with a camera's action mode.

Action shots are fun, and they are easy to take with a digital camera. There is very little you need to do to get great shots, but here are the settings you need for perfect action shots.

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Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Digital camera
Your camera's manual (to locate buttons)

Using Action Mode

Step 1

Look at the top of your camera for an icon of a man running. This icon stands for the digital camera's action mode.
Step 2

Set your digital camera set to action mode by switching the dial to this icon.
Step 3

Take a picture in this mode to capture a great action shot.

Action Settings for Digital Camers Without Action Mode

Step 1

Set your camera to its manual setting by switching it to the icon marked by a capital '"M."
Step 2

Set your camera to a fast shutter speed setting such as 1/250th, 1/500th or 1/1000th of a second. Many cameras will automatically do this when set on "Shutter Priority." "Shutter Priority" is marked by a capital "S."
Step 3

Turn off your flash.
Step 4

Take a picture in this mode to capture a great action shot.

Tips & Warnings

Set the camera to "Burst Mode" by pressing the button that has an icon that looks like several pieces of paper stacked up. Burst mode helps you to take several pictures by pressing the shutter button just once. This will help you make sure that you get at least one good shot of an action sequence.