How to shoot action and sports photography

[Reyed Mia (Apprentice, DIU)]

How to shoot action and sports photography

Timing is crucial. It's the photographer's job to look and anticipate where and how the action is going to unfold, and then be ready to capture it.

In a sports photography context the area where the action will be is fairly predictable, bounded by sidelines, and governed by the norms and rules of the game.

In football, for instance, you know, or rather hope, that there will be some action around the goalmouth. The pitch and the game's structure itself, dictate this.

If timing is the key, then how does a new sports photographer develop great photographic timing? Simple – practice, practice, practice!

Pre-planning

If possible, it is worth checking out the location beforehand. Look to see where the best vantage points are, and assess how far you will be from the action.

A rough rule of thumb is that for each 10 metres you are from your subject you will need 100mm of lens length if your subject is to fill a standard vertical 35mm frame. In practice this means that if you are shooting a football match and you are 30-40 metres from the penalty area, a 300-400mm lens should give you full-frame shots.

In sports like cricket, photographers will often use lenses of 600mm with 'doublers' attached, giving an effective lens length of 1200mm. Being close enough is only part of the equation when choosing your shooting spot.

Watch out for distracting backgrounds. It's true that some of the distraction of the crowd in the background can be minimised by using a shallow depth of field, but it is best to have as clear a background as possible. This will help to make your subject stand out.

Expect the worst

From the weather, that is. This doesn't mean you need to be laden down with all manner of wet weather gear. A 'pac-a-mac' and a couple of plastic bags will see you and your valuable equipment through most wet-weather conditions.

Finding shots

Know your sport

Ensure you have a good working understanding of the activity you are shooting. Then you can pre-empt where some of the action will be, and make sure you are in the right place at the right time.

You will also be able to pick the peak shooting points of the action, a moment which typifies the activity. For instance, in golf, it's the end of the swing at the moment of contact with the ball.

Think about the nature of the action and try to capture the parts of the activity that are most visually descriptive

Split-second opportunities

When analysing the action, you are not just looking for the most aesthetically representative moment, but also the one that can most easily be captured by your camera.

Take a competitive diver as an example. There is a point in the execution of the dive when just after leaving the platform the upward motion ceases and for a fraction of a second the diver is suspended in mid air.

Don't watch – shoot!

There is an old sports photographer's adage that says: 'If you see the action through the viewfinder then you've lost it', and this is largely true.

At the moment of exposure for most digital users, the viewfinder goes blank to allow the mirror to retract and the shutter open. So if you see the action then you have missed the chance to record it.

It takes practice, but anticipating the action point is one of the most important skills needed to take good sports photography images.

Look beyond the obvious

Don't forget that there are stories to be had behind the scenes as well. It could be worthwhile following the progress of one individual through the warm ups, heats, the big event and the aftermath, be it jubilation or despondency.

Shoot high, shoot low, but make sure you change your angle of view. Make the most of the location by moving around to find new vantage points.

Also ensure you vary your shots. Use different focal lengths so that at the end of the event you have a combination of close-up, mid-range and long shots.

A couple of good-quality zoom lenses can help cover an astonishing range of focal lengths.


http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/technique/how-to-shoot-action-and-sports-photography-625