Capturing kids in action: try it yourself

Aim

You should be able to distinguish motion blur from missed focus and see why preparing before the action matters.

Do this step by step

1. Use a consenting family member or substitute a moving pet/toy if appropriate.
2. Choose a safe, predictable movement such as running across the garden rather than towards traffic or obstacles.
3. Use a sports/action mode or a shutter-priority setting around 1/500 second as a starting experiment if your camera allows it.
4. Activate continuous autofocus if available.
5. Follow the subject smoothly and take a short burst.
6. Repeat at a slower shutter speed and compare the kind of blur you get.