10 Successful Photographers Whose Sports Photography Will Inspire You

[Md. Anikuzzaman]

A few weeks ago we asked our Facebook followers to point us to their favorite sports photographers' web sites. We found plenty of sports photography drama and inspiration here, as well as some implied lessons for those just getting started. The most important: Work hard, and work a lot. Look at these photos and you'll see: To succeed in sports photography—just as in the sports themselves—the secret formula is practice, practice, practice!

1. Vladimir Rys

Czechoslovakia-based Vladimir Rys travels the world photographing Formula One auto races as well as other sports including Soccer (Football to the rest of the world), swimming, winter sports, track and field and boxing—although his Special Olympics photos stand out for their emotional impact.

2. Mark J. Rebilas

Mark J. Rebilas is a Phoenix, AZ-based sports shooter with navy photography training specializes in  NHRA motor racing action shots, as well as NACAR, NFL (Football), NBA (Basketball)  and UFC (Boxing) photography. Some of his extreme action photography makes the viewer wonder: How did he manage to put a camera there?

3. Jorge Jimenez

Jorge went to college for an advertising degree, but was bitten by the photo bug by taking two photography courses. He parlayed his newfound hobby into a career by combining it with his interest in car racing, and has built up an impressive portfolio that includes surf and biking photography. Randomly, he also has a personal project showing people eating.

4. Graham Watson

British-born Graham Watson is a well-known figure in the Tour De France and other Bicycle races, with clients around the world. He has authored 20 books on the subject, and exhibits everywhere. His web site and blog are a good sample of how finding a sub-specialty and really working at it can bring you great success.

5. Ed Mulholland

Whether it's the just-completed Stanley Cup or the Super Bowl, Ed Mulholland is there, one of that rare breed of photographers that gets to go for (and photograph) the world champions and how they got there. He's won awards from a variety of sports industry groups since 2004, and has been published in Sports Illustrated, ESPN magazine, the New York tabloids and more. Want to reach for the top? Study his work.

6. Chris Edwards

Chris Edwards is a hard-working pro shooting local school sports. While it's great to see what guys like Ed Mulholland, folks at the top of the game, are doing, Chris is doing the everyday kind of sports photography puts bread on the table and gives you the kind of experience you need to move forward.

7. Bernard Brault

Canadian photographer of the year in 1996 and 2007, Bernard Brault's olympics photography is full of high impact. From airborne skiiers to boxers hitting the mat, he gets to the guts of the game. Watch his careful framing—nothing extraneous, ever!

8. David Newman

David Newman's "That 1 Great Shot" web site shows a hard-working local photographer's efforts. There are a lot of photos here, mostly of high school sports near his Hartford, CT community. Lesson to learn here? You need to take a lot of pictures, and do a lot of work, to move ahead.

9. Dave Black

One of the top photographers in the sports world, Dave Black's photos have appeared in Sports Illustrated, Time, Newsweek, and ESPN. He has covered the Kentucky Derby to the Olympics, and has a distinctive lighting style which he teaches at his own workshops and through Kelby Training.  Check out his site for samples of his work, as well as links to his tutorials.

10. Darren Heath

London-based Darren Heath specializes in motor sports and Formula One racing, and according to Wikipedia is credited with revealing a secret independent braking system used by the McLaren racing team (the device was subsequently banned). That's what happens when you specialize and really get to know your subject!

Source: https://www.adorama.com/alc/0013750/blogarticle/10-Successful-Photographers-Whose-Sports-Photography-Will-Inspire-You