Shutter Speed and Action Photography

I photographed an helicopter the other day and I was reminded that I need to slow my shutter from 1/1000th to 1/500th.  With 1/1000th it stops the propeller or rotor.  It looks like it is ready to fall out of the sky.

Propeller Movement

I did not know if I could handhold it steady enough to get a sharp image.  This one lacks some sharpness but is still sharp enough to show and you can see the propeller movement blur.

Canada Geese

  The next question was, "Can I make sharp images at 1/500th."  I had the rig mounted on a monopod for this one and it turned out sharply.  

This is almost mid-day light and it is not what I would choose given the option.  The good thing about this light is that there is plenty of it and I can trade light for DOF.  I was able to shoot at f/11 making it easier to have more than one of them in focus.

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