Three Simple Tips for Better Sports Photography
One of things people ask me all the time is, "How do I get one of those great photos of my kid [enter in any given sporting activity here]."
My answer is, and always will be, use your camera.
Of course, this confuses people because one, they don't expect me to be a wise ass, but secondly, they don't realize that you can get great sport pictures with just about any camera.
Yes, any camera — even those low-end point and shoot ones.
To get that framer, as I call it, here are some basic tips:
1. Position is the key to success: The great sports shot is all about position. Know where the field of play's boundaries are. Ask the ref where you can and can't stand during game play.This is crucial to grabbing that great shot. If you're shooting football, you want to be on the opposite side of the ball to which your son is playing.
So for example, if he is a linebacker, then you want to position yourself on the offensive side of the sidelines so you can get him attacking the running back or making tackles. You don't want to shoot from behind because all you'll get is the back of his jersey.
For baseball, you want to be on the sidelines opposite the way your son or daughter bats. The same goes for when they are in the field. Position is the key to having the opportunity to get the good shot.
2. Don't sweat the lighting: Lighting will always be tough for sports shooting, especially if you don't have a lens that is suitable for low light situations.
In this case, you want to try and not use a flash and shoot at the highest ISO (film speed) as possible in addition to shooting at the highest shutter speed possible (without being so slow things get blurred).
3. Don't think about action: Sometimes the best shots aren't the action shots. Look at the sidelines. Look at the expressions on the players faces. Look at their hands while they are gripping the bat, ball or helmet. What are the bench players doing during the game (if you're watching little league baseball, this can be quite entertaining).
What I'm driving at here is that games provide a slew of photo opportunities around the field, not just on it. Focus on the people and "things" of the game.
What tips would you add?
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