Sports Photography: An Introduction

[Reyed Mia (Apprentice, DIU)]

Sports Photography: An Introduction

Sports shooting can be one of the most daunting types of photography, even to the advanced shooter. The slightest mistake can ruin a shot. Having said that, it's also important to remember that with sports, you get a lot of chances to get a shot with great impact. There's a built-in drama unlike any other subject I've come across.

Sports Photography Gear, lighting and settings

One of the biggest barriers to entry is equipment. I'll be very direct here: it is extremely difficult to take good sports photos without an SLR and long lenses. It also helps if those long lenses are fast. Before long, you're looking at a pretty large investment.

Focus, focus, focus

Auto-focus is a gift from the heavens. There are a few basic AF settings that can yield dramatic improvements. This is where being familiar with your camera and manual come in handy. Most cameras have three AF modes: AF-A, AF-S (not to be confused with Nikon AF-S lenses) and AF-C. The one I use for sports is AF-C (for continuous). That means that the lens will always be adjusting focus, keeping moving objects sharp.

The other focus setting to deal with is the focus area selection. My D200 has an absurd number of focus points-okay, so it's only 11, which isn't much compared to the new D3's 51, but they're both more than I'll ever need-I usually use the "dynamic group" setting, put it in the middle, and lock the thumb pad so my nose doesn't select a new area for me. If you're using a camera with a more reasonable number of AF points, then just pick the middle one and leave it alone; I've missed more shots messing with it than I've gotten.

Don't just shoot the action!

Sometimes the most dramatic photo is found after the big play. Simply shooting the play doesn't necessarily give you an idea of how epic that 97-yard punt return really was. Watch out for players' (and coaches') reactions immediately after something big. The soccer picture here is a result of sticking with it past the end of a big play. I shot about 30 frames from a scoring corner kick; the guy jumping up in the air headed it in. I have pictures of him doing it, but they aren't nearly as exciting. Athletes are people too, they show emotion, capture it!

Access is important

One of the other things to consider is how close you'll be to the action. Because I'm a journalist, I usually get better access than the general public, which means that I can (generally) get better shots. That doesn't mean, however, that sitting in the stands will ruin any chances you have of getting that magic frame. If you can get down on the floor, then go for it, but don't sweat it if you can't. I recently shot an American Le Mans Series motor race as a "civilian" and still got some great pictures ("Thunder Valley" here).

Sitting in the stands sometimes means that you aren't sitting in the stands at all. Motor races generally permit spectators to move pretty freely around the venue, so walk around, get up against the fence, down in the pit, wherever. Look and see where the guys in photo vests are shooting and get as close to them as you can. Sometimes you'll be surprised at what you get (see the photo of McNish and Franchitti).

https://digital-photography-school.com/introduction-to-sports-photography/