Tech Olive

So you consider yourself to be an amateur photographer and a die-hard sports fan. You’re thinking to yourself, “Why don’t I merge my two loves?”. As a professional sports photographer, my reply to this would be, “DO IT!”. Sports is an absolute blast to shoot, but there’s a few things to keep in mind (especially if you’re shooting with media credentials around your neck).

1. Be Respectful
I mentioned this when I wrote the guide to concert photography, but it still applies. You’re there to do work and the people that are sitting behind you paid to be in that seat.
Make sure you’re not obstructing someones view. Believe me, the last thing you want to do is stand in front of a drunken, disgruntled sports fanatic.

2. Shoot burst
If you’ve got a camera that will support it (likely a DSLR), put that thing on burst mode. Hold the shutter and just follow the action. You have the best chance at capturing the peak action if you do this because, 9 times out of 10, your reaction time is just too slow.

3. Know the Sport
If you know the sport you’re covering inside and out, you’ll have a substantially easier time shooting it. When I first started doing sports professionally, I had a minimal knowledge of the rules/strategies/gameplay of men’s volleyball. After learning the sport and everything it entails, shooting volleyball became much more natural.

4. Come Prepared
Don’t bring your ultra-wide lenses or super slow lenses unless you’re absolutely sure it’s what you need. If you’ve got a spot right under the basketball goal and shoot a wide angle to get those dunks, then you came prepared. If you’re shooting from the stands with that same lens, you may as well just head home now. Most professional sporting events do not permit the use of flash, so if you have it at your disposal, utilize strobe/monolights with wireless triggers for indoor events. The difference will be very noticeable.

5. Keep An Eye Off the Action
There’s potential for outstanding sports photos at any moment and it’s crucial to realize that doesn’t always mean it’s the person with the ball. Keep an eye out on the sidelines, athlete reactions, fan reactions and mascots.

6. Keep A VERY Close Eye on the Action
This is a two fold tip. Obviously, some of the best sports shots come from the action of the event, but if you’re looking through the lens and not at the action, you could very well end up getting demolished by a player. It’s happened to me several times and I’ve had many more close calls. Especially on the college/amateur sporting levels, athletes tend to do whatever it takes to save the play, and if that means taking out the photographer, that’s what will happen. And no, they won’t buy you a new camera if they break it.

This is not a comprehensive list of things you need to know about sports photography, but certainly includes some very key points. As always, I urge you to check out my blog/website (www.lucascarterphotography.com) for sports and journalistic photography. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment or shoot me an e-mail.