Photographers have to take pictures under less than ideal conditions. They may not be able to choose the lighting, the background or other aspects of the environment. One of the most challenging situations is taking a clear, sharp picture of a fast moving object such as a bird in flight or a fast-moving race car.

The Importance Of Detail

Photographs used for documentation purposes must contain as much information as possible. Pictures used in fields such as forensics or engineering are vital sources of data, and the sharper the detail the more valuable they are. Typically these photographs are taken at very high resolutions to capture the fine features of the subject, but this also reveals every flaw in the photographic process including blurring due to the subject's motion.

However the motion is only part of the challenge of stop motion photography. Keeping the subject in frame, controlling the lighting, and perfecting the focus are much more difficult when photographing even a slow-moving object. The greater the speed, the greater the challenge. The more control the photographer has of the environment, the better the final picture will be.

Stop Motion Photography Techniques

The most obvious tip for getting a sharp picture in stop motion photography is to use a fast shutter speed, but sometimes even the quickest click isn't enough to get a good picture. Commercial photographers have an array of strategies to minimize blur without interfering with the natural motion of the subject.

If a subject is moving toward or away from the photographer rather, there will be less blur than if the subject is moving side to side. This is because the image crosses fewer pixels during the exposure time, so there is less opportunity to distortion. A photographer might take advantage of this by shooting from a different angle.

Taking a picture from farther away reduces blur by reducing the angular motion of the subject even though its speed remains the same. A photographer might also wait for the subject to slow down, say waiting for a hummingbird to feed before snapping the picture.

You May Get Only One Chance

As with anything else, photographers should practice stop motion photography to hone their skills before an important event occurs. There are many cases where a photographer has only one chance to get the shot, and if the picture comes out poorly then the information is lost. It could be a non-repeatable event such as a crash test, or a situation like a brief sighting of a rare animal. The photographer has to get the shot quickly and perfectly or the opportunity is lost. Preparation and practice are essential to getting the best picture.

On important stop motion photography projects, use a commercial photographer rather than taking the do-it-yourself approach. For a reasonable cost you get access to an experienced professional with high end equipment, and the result is a superior photograph.