Burst mode. There is a setting on most cameras...

that I think is really cool. It is called Burst or Continuous shooting mode.

When you press the shutter release button on your camera there are two stages. Stage one sets the camera in motion. Press the shutter release half way. That is stage one.

It tells the camera to prepare for the shot. The camera will set up the exposure and the focus provided you have it adjusted to automatically do these things.

Once you hear the beep, press the shutter release button the rest of the way down. This snaps the picture. This may seem elementary but I am merely setting the stage for Burst mode.

When in single mode, as you hit stage two, the camera will snap one picture. When you set your camera to burst mode it will keep taking pictures until you take your finger off the shutter release button or until the buffer is full and the camera has to stop. Also, some cameras have a maximum total per burst.

Don’t worry about the buffer. You don’t need to know the details. Just know that at a certain point the camera will slow down or stop shooting even though your finger is still hotly pressed to the little button.

This is something you will get used to if you use continuous mode enough. It is important because there will be instances that you have to time your shots in order to get in an entire sequence. You will have to shoot a little, rest a second, and then continue shooting.

In burst mode, you'll have to use continuous focus. If you use single focus, the first picture will be a little blurry. The rest will be a lot blurry.

Also in burst it is important to utilize stage one before engaging stage two. If you don’t take enough time to focus before you hit stage two expect all the pictures from the series to be out of focus.

The smaller cameras may not be fast enough to focus as your subject moves.

Remember the old cartoon flip books? I think we all made our own when we were in school. I know I did. If your camera has the ability to shoot 8 frames per second it is a lot like watching a little cartoon flip book.

You can actually see some good action. This is an example of a series I shot in burst. This is not the entire series. I chose only a few throughout.

While you cannot tell at this size, each of these looks great when they are enlarged. They are crisp and colorful. My camera shoots at 5 frames per second.

Not once, but several times I have gotten this type of series with these majestic birds.

Once again a picture is worth a thousand words! Wow, I love photography! After the above pictures there is not much more I can say about the value of permanently capturing the actions of my beautiful baby girl at 5 frames a second. Would you agree!?

I prefer still photography to a video.

There are several reasons for it.

*I love capturing one instant.

*I can print and hang that instant on my wall. When you catch that perfect look of adoration on your daughter’s face it only lasts for an instant. In video it is here and gone. In still photography it is here to stay!

*A video will be seldom seen, even by the one who took it. With the advent of electronic photo frames I have my pictures always on display. I can sit and watch it for hours at a time.

*Using continuous mode I can capture at 5 frames a second which gives me a variety from which to choose. There is always one perfect shot from a series like this. Often there is more than just one. I find myself having a hard time choosing which one I should print and enjoy.

The only time I don’t use burst...

is when I am shooting immobile subjects like landscapes. My little body and brain go into a slow mode for this type of shot. If your camera shoots 3 or fewer fps, it may not get in the way of shooting immobile subjects.

Five frames a second sneak up on you pretty quickly. If I use it while my brain is in slow motion, I push the shutter release button slowly and end up with several identical shots. Then I have to erase the extras.

Don’t laugh it just happens that way. I’m on autopilot.

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