Get Air!

My #2 son and his opponent are airborne in the 800 meters.

Photographers use a fast shutter speed to freeze action at track meets. But sometimes it’s nice to show some action. How?

Janel (left) runs in the 3200 meters.

Get photos of your athlete up in the air!

Owen sprints towards the exchange zone in the 4 x 200-meter relay.

I’m not talking about the jumps, pole vault, or hurdles—it’s only natural to snap pix of kids moving through the air in those events.

Hilario runs along the curve in the 3200.

No, I mean during a running event. It’s really cool to freeze the action while a runner seems to be floating in the air.

Alex shows his intensity during the 300-meter hurdles.

And it’s easy to do! Just make sure your shutter speed is fast enough so you don’t blur the runner (at least 1/300th of a second). Then focus on your athlete and hold down your shutter button, initiating burst mode. Keep your finger on the shutter until your kid runs past you.

Hopefully at some point during the series, you should have a good, in-focus photo of your athlete with his/her feet up in the air. Long-distance events (800 meters and up) give you at least a couple opportunities to score that winning shot.

Now, go out and get some air!