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I’m a full-time wildlife photographer, not a sports shooter. But I am
also a full-time father, which by default makes me a part-time sports photographer.
You know what I’m talking about; every weekend you’re out shooting
soccer, baseball, basketball, or one of the many other sports your kids participate
in. Being good parents often requires us to be good sports photographers to
record our kid’s youth and provide the grandparents with lasting memories.
In other words, to capture the emotions of the moment.
If you’re serious about sports photography, you probably haunt the pages
of Sports Illustrated or the website of Dave Black (www.daveblackphotography.com).
You might be so hooked on sports photography that you’re all over SportsShooter.com.
Whatever your interest in sports photography, you’ll find that the one
common thread in all great sport images is the emotions behind the victories
and defeats. I’ve found that if I concentrate on the emotion beyond the
action, I tend to come back with images everyone enjoys.
TIP 1: Wide Angle Instead Of Telephoto
When photographers think sports, they typically think long, fast glass. These
lenses are not only expensive, but also large and heavy. In short, long telephotos
are simply hard to handle. They do a great job of narrowing the action down
to just a heartbeat, but there is another option: go wide. There are lots of
advantages to wide angles lenses, such as price, ease of hand holding and panning,
and the totally different look they deliver.
I use the Nikkor 12-24mm DX and often shoot at the widest setting. Shooting
at 12mm requires close proximity to the action and a great background. Wide
angle lenses are smaller and lighter, which makes them easy to hand hold for
an entire game. Their wide angle-of-view makes it easy to follow the subject
in the viewfinder and pan with the subject. Wide angle lenses focus fast too:
a big advantage to the sports photographer.
TIP 2: Using Slower Shutter Speeds
When photographers think sports, they typically think long, fast glass. These
lenses are not only expensive, but also large and heavy. In short, long telephotos
are simply hard to handle. They do a great job of narrowing the action down
to just a heartbeat, but there is another option: go wide. There are lots of
advantages to wide angles lenses, such as price, ease of hand holding and panning,
and the totally different look they deliver.
I use the Nikkor 12-24mm DX and often shoot at the widest setting. Shooting
at 12mm requires close proximity to the action and a great background. Wide
angle lenses are smaller and lighter, which makes them easy to hand hold for
an entire game. Their wide angle-of-view makes it easy to follow the subject
in the viewfinder and pan with the subject. Wide angle lenses focus fast too:
a big advantage to the sports photographer.
TIP 3: Know The Sport
Knowing the sport is essential because it gives you the advantage of “predicting”
the future. This permits you to have the right lens and camera settings in place
before you need them. This knowledge of the sport puts you in the right place
at the right time. And if you’re photographing a loved one, this adds
to your knowledge and ability to capture the peak action.
TIP 4: Go Beyond The Action
While the action might be on the field, many great shots occur on the sidelines.
Photographing the action isn’t simple, but it is sometimes the easy way
out in capturing great sport images. Getting up close and personal before the
play often yields amazing images. Here, a telephoto works best, enabling you
to get a tight shot without calling attention to yourself. A tele-converter
can be of great assistance here. One good trick is to focus on the hands; nearly
every sport depends on the hands, so capturing them in action tells a big story
with great emotion in a simple frame.
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