Are you tired of attending those amazing sports and action events where you come armed with your camera and plan to take some amazing photographs, only to be disappointed with your results? This is a common problem for novice photographers, and it can get quite frustrating. Obviously, you can’t re-stage the event, which means you’re totally out of luck with those amazing pictures.

So, rather than leave the next sporting event feeling let-down by your photographs, we’ve put together a few tips that you can use that will help you get that “perfect” shot.

Think Outside the Box

Rather than follow the “rules” on how you should be setting up your shots, don’t be afraid to try something different. This could be the position that you are taking your photos from, the lens you are using, or even the subject matter in the photo. Often, those types of creative shots end up being the best ones of the day.

For example, let’s say you’re attending a rally race or diesel race, why not position yourself a little lower to the ground or higher up so you get a different perspective of the track and the cars. Sure not every shot is going to work out perfect, but you may find you get lucky and end up with some really fabulous photos. Why not cap off the event with some photos of the cars before or after the race too, focusing on their incredible looking engines, which are usually customized and pretty spectacular. The Black Smoke Media site posts all kinds of photos of these race cars; you can look at their photos as inspiration and tips on what to shoot.

Get Those Crowd Shots

Rather than just focusing on the action, it’s also a great idea to get the crowd reaction shots. These too can be action shots in a sense, and help to paint a complete picture of the event, the spirit of the crowd, and just the general excitement.

Make Sure You’ve Got a High-Quality Zoom Lens

It’s very difficult to get that perfect photograph without a zoom lens. Chances are you won’t be right up against the action, so your zoom lens is going to have to do the work for you. It allows you to focus in on a particular player with it being crystal clear. It is recommended that you have a zoom lens that is greater than 200mm.

Full Automatic Mode Isn’t Your Friend

When it comes to sports and action shots, it’s time to turn off the fully automatic mode and take control of the camera. Some cameras also come with pre-set modes such as action or sports. These will give you okay results, but again, it’s not ideal. Instead, you want to switch to semi-manual mode so you have greater control.

Practice Makes Perfect

The final tip is a very simple one and that’s the fact that practice makes perfect. The more you practice these tips and try different techniques, the more confident and skilled you will become.