Burst/Continuous Shooting Mode
All but the most basic cameras have some sort of burst or continuous shooting mode. The icon, shown in figure below, looks like layers of rectangles. Typically this mode is a menu option, but some cameras display it as a button option that you can access at any time. Either way, it allows you to shoot a series of pictures while holding the shutter button in the down position. The number of pictures you can record in one burst is determined by the capacity of your camera’s RAM buffer.
Most people use this continuous shooting feature for recording sports events, and it is a great choice for capturing a base ball player’s swing or a quarterback’s touchdown pass. But burst mode can also help you compensate for shutter lag—that diabolical delay from the moment you press the shutter to when the picture is actually recorded. Some digital cameras have shutter lags as long as one second, which is a lifetime in action photography.
The key to overcoming shutter lag by using burst mode is to start the sequence just before the action begins, then shoot continuously until the buffer fills up. By doing so, you greatly increase your chances of capturing the decisive moment.
PRACTICAL EXAMPLE - Capturing the Decisive Moment
To catch a precise moment of an activity or event, set your camera to continuous or burst mode. First, make sure the activity is taking place in a well-lit room or, even better, outdoors (and turn off your flash—flashes can’t fire fast enough to keep pace with burst mode photography). Focus on the subject and hold the shutter down halfway to lock it in. Still holding the shutter in the halfway position, recompose. Start the series as the subject approaches the decisive moment (nearing the finish line, blowing out birthday candles, etc.), and shoot continuously until the RAM buffer fills up and the camera stops taking pictures.
You’ll have to wait a moment for the camera to process all the information you’ve just recorded. Then go back through the sequence you shot and choose the picture that best depicts the decisive moment.
For instance, in figure below, I’ve chosen the moment when the cyclists have just rounded the corner and are in an interesting formation. You can either erase the others to save memory card space, or keep them to show the entire sequence.
The decisive moment as the riders make the turn
