[Leica] how to photograph a clay pigeon breaking in the air

[kcassidy at asc.upenn.edu (Kyle Cassidy)]

Philippe asked:

>Indeed. How did you do that? Just out of hand? That's would extremely 
>short reaction span. Some fierce calculations? Using your ears combined 
>with shutter lag etc?
>A spectacular shot!

>>  http://www.armedamerica.org/lj/2007/clay1.jpg

Here's how to do it right:

1) Hire a decent trap shooter* -- any trap shooter worth his salt can break 
22 out of 25 "birds" out of the trap house.

2) Take said trap shooter to your local sporting clays range (trap is to 
sporting clays as a driving range is to minature golf) and find an easy 
target, probably one that comes slow towards the shooter.

3) Ask your shooter to figure out where it's easiest to hit the clay. 

4) Pre-focus on that spot.

5) Use the highest shutter speed you can manage. 

6) Launch the clay and snap a photo as it goes through "the kill zone", 
don't wait for the shot because you'll be too slow to catch it. You have to 
press the camera shutter when you THINK the shot is about to happen.

7) A box of 25 shotgun shells costs $5.50

8) Take photos until your shooter gets bored, you get bored, the light goes 
bad, or you run out of ammo.

9) Snap a nice photo of your trap shooter on the course as a "thank you".

10) Post to the lug, make a print-out for your trap shooter so they can 
impress their friends. 





* You can use the language directly out of my contract: "Dude! Would you 
like an 8x10 of a clay pigeon you shot breaking in mid air?"