Action Photography
By: Low Jeremy
 Of
all the kinds and styles of photography being
practiced today, sports photography is probably the
most exciting—not to mention the most difficult—of
all. Since this kind of photography involves so much
speed and action, photographing the subjects or
players would require more than the usual knack for
good angles but also the strength to endure physical
limitations during the shoot.
Sports photography usually include shots that are
taken during the game or while the subjects are in
their respective field. Aiming to “freeze” moments
during the actual event, sports photographers should
be equipped with the right photography equipment,
trained with enduring tenacity, and fueled with an
overwhelming desire to capture each moment and
emotion at their best.
Photographing Different Kinds of
Sports
The best thing about sports photography is that the
photographer can freeze a single moment that
contains pure and raw emotion and share it with the
public in print. If you’re into photography and
quite interested in taking adrenaline-pumping shots,
you should familiarize yourself with different kinds
of sports first. Since each sport varies, the styles
and techniques used in capturing and freezing each
moment also vary.
If you are already in the field taking photos, it is
a must that you have a brief background about the
sport you are covering. Knowledge in the
fundamentals of coaching style, sport rules, and
players will help you identify their most
interesting angles. It is also a must to identify
your “safety” (a shot that is easy to shoot and can
be published if you don’t get good photos all
throughout).
Here are some basic sports photography guidelines
fit for common sports:
1. Baseball. Most seasoned sports
photographers would agree that baseball is one sport
that is hardest to shoot because of its
unpredictability. Make sure that you get your safety
first before getting experimental shots.
2. Basketball. Unlike baseball, this is the
easiest sport to shoot because you only have to
focus on two subjects: the player who handles the
ball and the net. But its simplicity limits you to
different angles, so make sure you get plenty of
shots to choose from.
3. Football. This is another easy sport to
shoot but it is considered as the most equipment
intense sports because it would require waiting for
the perfect shot. Although it’s easy to get
safeties, it’s still up to you to produce action
shots that would be a stand up.
4. Soccer and Hockey. Because of the speed
and sudden movements involved in these sports, auto
focus cameras are recommended.
5. Volleyball. Although it is one of the
rarely covered sports events, volleyball is also one
of favorites because dramatic shots can be derived
all throughout. Since moves in the sports are quite
tricky, make sure that you turn your camera’s auto
focus on.
6. Golf. It’s hard to shoot photos during the
game due to the nature of the game itself. What you
can do is to camp at one location and take shots as
players pass by or use a cart to follow the
individual players.
7. Track and Field. Though access can be
limited, this is one sport that is fun to shoot
because movements are predictable and easy to shoot.
All you need is good timing.
8. Gymnastics and Figure Skating. One basic
rule in these sports: NO FLASH. Since they involve
individuals performing, the use of flash is
restricted because it distracts the players. The
major problem you’ll encounter is lighting but this
can be solved once the venue is lit up.
9. Motorsports and Racing Events. These are
fairly easy to photograph because you can get away
with slower lenses. But since you’re far from the
track, you need longer lenses for the shoot.
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