ACTION NEEDS ACTION!
Robert Watkin wrote: “I enjoy taking action
photography of sports, surfing etc, and
had an opportunity when invited along on
a training day with two crews and their
boats from Marine Rescue. Training was
conducted around the beautiful North
Solitary Islands near Woolgoolga, NSW.
The photograph was taken while I was
lying on my back on the engine cover of
the boat trying to keep balance. The two
boats were side by side at high speed, and
the shot was taken just before the crew
member carried out a cross-deck transfer.”
It may have been an exciting
experience, but the action is not quite
here in this shot. There are hints of
something happening with all the bits
of water spray and the angling of the
boats but no real action. If you had been
harnessed somehow or wedged tightly in
position for stability, you may have been
able to get a better point of view. Here
the camera is framing upward so that
there is a lot of sky but I think you needed
to get much more of the boats, men
and sea. Then, even without the cross
boat transfer, you could have captured a
stronger sense of movement and action.
SAIMA’S TIP: With high-speed situations
where you and the subject are moving,
stability is critical to get things sharp.
TITLE: Untitled
PHOTOGRAPHER: Robert Watkin
DETAILS: Canon 700D, 18-55mm lens @ 18mm, 1/500s @ f7.1, ISO 100.