“Without the ball, it usually doesn't work,” he says. “You need more.” But there are exceptions, for example, when a player is perspiring profusely, his body is seriously contorted or he's in mid air and about to crash land. “In that case, go for it—even though the ball won't be in the frame,” Vournas adds. TIP 4: Look For Offbeat Moments Don't stop shooting right after the ball is hit. Watch for expressions after the swing, such as when a player hits a bad shot and is wincing afterward or when a player displays anger or disgust while he or she is preparing for another serve. Vournas says you’ll have better luck capturing these offbeat moments if you make a point of following the players a little longer than you would ordinarily do when shooting action. In fact, he keeps his camera pointed at the players during breaks, just in case they do something in disgust or jubilation. Equipment Suggestions Vournas recommends a fast digital or film SLR; one that can shoot at least five frames per second. That's important for capturing action. Regarding lens choices, he suggests a telephoto zoom with a focal length of at least 200mm on the long end. He notes that high-speed lenses (with a maximum aperture of f/2.8 or wider) are particularly useful. For those shooting tennis events with point-and-shoot digital or film cameras, Vournas recommends using fast film or the maximum ISO setting equivalent. By doing this, he points out, you can catch the action with fast shutter speeds without underexposing the image. Wendell Benedetti is a long-time contributor to Photographic magazine, and specializes in both digital and film-based imaging techniques.