Nikon 3200- how to take action photos?

If your budget would only allow one lens, and a cheap lens at that, then you'd do much better by buying less expensive camera body plus a really decent lens, or set of lenses. I'd say it again using an extreme example. A D40 with the lenses one would like, is more useful than a D300 with a serious compromise on lenses. Since your heart is set in a non-entry level body I'd say go for a D90, which would double your lens budget compared to a D300. (A D40 would allow even more for lenses, but since you want something fancy, a D90 should keep you happy). Then for the lenses. A Nikkor 18-200 VR should cover most situations. It does moderate macro, wide angle and medium telephoto. That means it's good for birds, portraits, landscapes and flowers. It is not pro glass, but for normal prints and computer screen backgrounds you'd really have to split hairs to notice that. Some people consider the 18-200 VR a tad expensive what you actually get. Then the 18-105 VR might a good option, combined with a Sigma 70-300 APO Macro. This combo has got the same (arguably a little bit better but this is micro hair splitting here) optical quality as the 18-200, but with the inconvenience of having to switch lenses. It does however give longer range (300 instead of 200), and besides the 18-105 will cover 80% of the situations that the 18-200 VR covers for general walkaround lens. You'll have the 70-300 mostly for wildlife and macro. Perhaps then you'd like some real pro glass, just to see what it's like. The Nikkor 50mm 1.8 fixed focal is an extremely cheap and lightweight lens, that is insanely sharp. The 3 lenses mentioned in this paragraph will work out less than the 18-200 VR, so personally I'd go for that. The 18-105 is discounted when you buy a D90, because it's the camera's "kit lens". If you have funds left buy an external flash, SB-600 or something like that. Even for casual photography, it makes worlds of difference when photographing people indoors. Again, just to press the point, a D40 with an external flash will give better results than a D300 without. The only thing still lacking is an ultra wide angle lens (which I must say is a very cool accessory to have, once you've covered the above bases for general photography). Here I think the Sigma 10-20 gives good value for money. Of course you don't have to buy all in one go. In fact it's much more fun not to do that. Again, a D40 with an Ultra wide angle lens can take (you've guessed it) ultra wide angle pictures, which a D300 without one cannot. So spend your funds wisely. Do not stretch it to buy the most expensive camera body out there, if you could have used that money to buy that one extra lens (or flash). Did a mention that your camera body will be dated in 6 months with some newer, cooler singing and dancing, must-have one? Yip,that goes for any camera body you buy, so better not waste your savings there. Lenses last much longer. What was an excellent good quality lens 20 years ago is still an excellent good quality lens today. Anyway. Good luck.

Set camera to ISO 1600, aperture priority mode, lowest f/number and auto white balance.

If speeds are over 1/2000s (under sunny days), you can bring down ISO a bit to make colors more vibrant and lessen grain. Just make sure shutter speed does not fall to lower than 1/500s.

Follow your subject before, during and after clicking the shutter release button. Shooting sports involves a lot of anticipation to get sharp pictures.

The 18-55mm kit lens isn't good enough for soccer unless you limit yourself to taking pictures of players near the sideline. You really must use at least a 200mm lens. 300mm would be more realistic. The 70-300mm is popular for this type of shooting. If you can afford a longer lens, better. If you can afford the VR version, betterer. If you can afford the lowest f/numbered version, betterest!

:)

Every now and again a photographer comes along that has the natural ability to make really great interesting shots.

For the rest of us, it's something we have to be prepared to work at, photography techniques have to be learned and practiced, and even although you might have a qualification or certificate that confirms that you understand the theory you still have to work hard to get good images, experience has a lot to do with how you will approach a shot, the more you practice and actually shoot the more likely your shots will improve, there really isn't a secret formula, and unfortunately for some people photography might just not be one of their talents.

I recently purchased a Nikon 3200 and a lens 70m-300m. I bought it to take photos of my soccer players in action. I want to blow up an action picture of the player to a poster and give it to them on senior night.

How should I set up my camera? I've taken hundreds of photos and only a few were good. 90% of them were blurry. I got it set on sports mode...taking fast pictures at 1/4000.

If Sports mode is giving you 1/4000 and your are still getting blurry pix, then you are holding the camera wrong. Either learn to hold it correctly or use a tripod. Also learn to squeeze the shutter button. Getting excited and pressing it so hard that it jerks the camera will cause blurring.

If you want to freeze the action

Set shutter priority, 1/500th sec and adjust ISO until aperture is in range

If you want dramatic motion blurr

Set shutter priority, 1/5 to 1/50th sec depending on speed of motion and degree of blurr you want, adjust ISO to bring aperture into range.