Slow Photography #32 STOP - ACTION Marine Wildlife

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Stop-Action Marine Wildlife: 
10 Tips   JIM AUSTIN JIMAGES


PURSUING THE ART of marine photography, I learned about the joys of stop-action. Living on the water, I am close to the marine world. Its wildlife like dolphins and birds offers scenes that vanish in a split second. You can't point and shoot marine wildlife. Slow photography skills of patience and practice are key.


Without blurring these subjects, how do we stop the action? Here are 10 ideas.



































1. Imagine. Only the power of your visual imagination makes your photography compelling. Ask yourself, Does my photo have a visual concept? Simple and fresh concepts make for stronger stop action. To get your imagination going, ask "What If?"


2. Choose Your Moment. There are thousands subjects to photograph. Choose yours with care. Ask yourself what you are most passionate about. Concentrate on the subjects that compel you. Think about how you want the viewer to feel when they see your photograph.


3. Follow a single subject for years. Dolphins have an amazing intelligence. They fascinate us. Having photographed them for years, I've learned to practice keeping my camera and lens preset and ready when dolphins come near. The practive led to this photograph of a bottlenose dolphin tossing a mullet.




4. Learn to be still. Waiting patiently is the most under-valued skill that all photographers must learn.


5. Do your homework. I've watched pelicans dive over the years, but learned only recently that older pelicans can eventually go blind from the impact of their eyes repeatedly striking the water's surface. I became fascinated by that nano-second when a pelican hits the water. For marine birds, it helps to learn how close you can approach. Each species has a unique approach distance, and getting near them by boat, as opposed to a vehicle with a motor, is helpful.



6. Rent a boat, skiff, canoe or kayak. Keep it simple. A boat without a motor is quieter, and you'll get closer to marine wildlife. Also, simple gear is more effective and is safer. If a dangerous situation occurs, save yourself and ditch the rented gear. No outdoor gear or camera is worth getting yourself injured.






7. Practice. Practice both your digital darkroom and camera craft. Use Lightroom, Photoshop or Digital Photo Pro, or Nikon View NX2. Know your camera settings blindfolded. Keep your " go to" lens within 10 feet of you around the clock.



8. Hyperspeed Your Shutter. I choose Manual, and Shutter priority for stop action, choosing my Shutter duration first. I use 1\2000th, 1\4000th, or 1\8000th of a second shutter speed to reveal detail. For true shutter speed sharpness, ignore the guideline setting your shutter speed at 1 over (divided by the) focal length.


9. Keep it dry. Invest in dry cases, dry bags, silicone inserts and microfiber cloth, to keep your gear immaculate.


10. Prepare. The foundation of imagination is preparation.

While fast lenses, good gear, accurate exposures, and good light all help to stop the action, your unique imagination is still your best asset.

The more prepared you are, and the more you love your subject, the luckier you'll be. Seeing your photograph, folks may say "Oh, that's a lucky shot". If that happens, just smile and keep working.


11. An extra idea for the wide open sea.....Play!

Set your Camera preview to Black and White. Your RAW capture will still be in color, but the LCD preview in mono helps visualize form, texture and detail. Thanks for visiting! Jim Austin Jimages










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