How did action photography come about?

Question:He was English, Eadward Muybridge and he was hired by railroad tycoon and horse breeder Leland Stanford to find if all four hooves of a trotting horse were in the air at the same time

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: He was English, Eadward Muybridge and he was hired by railroad tycoon and horse breeder Leland Stanford to find if all four hooves of a trotting horse were in the air at the same time

Shooting sports comes to mind as well as racing (auto, boat, aircraft and all the track and field events)

I have actually photographed sports using a 4x5 view camera, although it takes some major pre-planing.

I think some fellow in the 1800s was trying to prove that when a horse gallops all four legs leave the ground at the same time.