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Photo Tips
After many years of sports and assignment photographic work, we've discovered some important "tricks of the trade" that made getting great photos not only possible but easier. We've listed some of these tricks, observations and ideas on this page as a courtesy for others who share as great a love for photography as we. Of course, these tips may not be applicable to all situations and for all photographers, but such is the nature of advice!
Disclaimer: Though we cite specific manufacturers and products in this section, we do not necessarily endorse any manufacturer or product over another. They are simply personal preferences :-)
Cameras, Lenses, Lighting, and Film
In 2002 we switched to digital photography. While this format has some limitations, it does have great advantage in that the cost of film and developing is eliminated, and one can instantly check the lighting and other settings by viewing the images on the camera's LCD screen. But the basics still apply, and we have addressed the most common questions asked of us when we're out on assignment deal with cameras, lenses, and lighting... the most basic components of photography. There are no universalities, but there are some general guidelines to follow for successful photography at sports/action events.
Digital SLR 35mm cameras have come down in price since their inception, and are the most widely used format for sports/action photography--that's what we use. We use Nikon exclusively, but products from Pentax, Cannon, Olympus, and the other name brands all have similar capabilities and high manufacturing standards. All of them will suffice for this type of work.
So called "point and shoot" 35mm cameras, with zoom or fixed-focus lenses, are insufficient for good sports/action work. They simply don't have the capabilities that true SLRs have and the results will prove their insufficiency.
For sports/action photography, you should have a camera with, at a minimum: continuous autofocus (to have the subject remain in focus automatically as you pan to follow the action); a fast frame advance (with at least a 3 fps drive speed: the higher drive speed the better); automatic film speed recognition; autoexposure settings; and the ability to accept autofocus lenses.
What about lenses? Generally, we carry loaded and ready to shoot at least two cameras, usually Nikon D70s with a Sigma 100-500 f5.6/6 zoom on one, and a Nikkor 70-200mm f2.8 on the other. The latter is good for candid shots along sidelines and for shots on the field within about 15 feet of the sidelines. The former is used for shots from sideline action out to about 80 feet (which for most outdoor sports is about a third or more of the width of the playing field). To catch good shots, the photographer must move along the sidelines, following the action.
Occasionally we will use a 35-105mm or 1000mm telephoto on a monopod to get clear, close up shots whether we're standing right next to the action, or far from it.
Speaking of sunny versus cloudy, the amount of light is important, but not under one's control: games don't follow the ideal shoot schedule for the photographer! The best shooting time is from one hour after sunrise to about 11:00 AM, then after 2:00 PM to sunset during most outdoor sports seasons. Having the sun directly overhead (hours from about 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM) causes harsh lighting and deeply shadowed eye sockets on the subjects. Furthermore, when the sun is lower in the sky outside of these hours, it is best to shoot no more than 90 degrees to either side of the point where the sun is directly behind you. In this manner you will avoid sun flares on the lens and prevent overexposures where the subject is heavily shadowed against a too-bright background.
Mostly cloudy days are best for outdoor shooting. The lighting is softer, more diffuse, and as a result you can shoot even at the midpoint of the day and still (mostly) avoid the problems aforementioned for shooting in full sunlight. Overcast days are not as good, but produce similar results.
On bright days, shooting in shade is good at any time of the day. Just be careful to shoot the subject against dark trees or grass, not with the bright sky as background, and spot meter off the face or skin for best average exposure setting. Shooting against a bright background will fool the autoexposure computer, producing a too-dark subject and too-bright background. Automatic fill-flash and changing the metering to "spot" (taking a reading off of the subject alone) is a good way to avoid such problems if you must shoot against a bright background.
A long zoom lens (such as 70-300mm, 100-400 mm, etc.) allows the photographer to take interesting candid shots on the field and along the sidelines without letting the subject know he's being photographed. This leads to more natural, spontaneous photos that more truly record the emotions and feelings of the subject. Of course, there are also times when a set-up shot is desired; the shorter, 35-105mm lens works well in these situations, allowing the photographer to talk with the subject and take the shot without having to move a great distance away to get the subject in frame.
Generally speaking, shoot with Aperture Priority. Always try to keep the aperture to the smallest f-stop setting so that the background will be blurred and not detract from the subject and the action in frame. Ideally, an f-stop of 2.8 to 3.5 is desired (such as on a 70-200mm zoom f2.8), but usually these lenses are beyond most amateur and semi-pro's budget (the 70-200mm runs over $1,000!). Thus, the next best thing is to use a zoom such as the 70-300 or 100-400 with f-stop of 4.5 or so, trying to keep the f-stop to no more than 5.6 with combinations of film speed and moving physically closer to the subject so the zoom remains in the lower half of its range.
Protect your lenses by purchasing and mounting a clear UV filter. These cost no more than $10-$20 each and will save you hundreds of dollars by preventing the lens itself from being scratched: the filter (which does not block anything but stray UV radiation) will be scratched first, and is more easily and cost-effectively replaced if it is scratched.
Other filters can be useful as well. Circular polarizing filters are useful for shooting outdoor swimming or diving events. [Be sure to buy one that is specifically made for digital cameras! It does make a difference.] While pointing the camera at the water in the middle of the pool or lake, rotate the outer ring of the polarizer until the view through the viewfinder has the least amount of glare and reflection. This setting will prevent lense flare and glare on the final print. The circular polarizer is also great if you're shooting the subject against a cloudy, blue sky... it'll really bring out the colors!
We like to shoot action between a minimum of 1/250 and a maximum of 1/1000 of a second. Some low-end amateur SLRs cannot shoot faster than 1/500, so ND filters may become necessary under conditions of very bright lighting. To produce some special effects, such as streamers from the subject as he runs, panning with a shutter speed of 1/30 or 1/60 is desirable, and may also require a ND filter to achieve the slow shutter speed without using a very high f-stop setting.
Indoors, we use Nikon SB-80 strobes with automatic settings for exposure but with red-eye adjustment off. The strobe reads the aperture settings directly from the camera's computer chip and adjusts output accordingly. Using an external, supplemental battery pouch helps keep flash regeneration time to a minimum. Red-eye settings must be off for action shots, since they don't allow the flash to strobe at the time the shutter release is pressed, but rather lag to first shoot a pre-flash light before strobing the main burst. By the time the main burst lights, the action has moved on.
It is important to check with the various team coaches and officials at any indoor sports event before shooting to make certain that your flash photography won't interfere. As a rule of thumb, flash photography is not permitted at indoor diving or gymnastic competitions. Under such conditions, you may have to set the camera at ISO 1000, 1250 or even 1600 to compensate, or ask that all of the regular lighting in the facility be turned on to improve conditions. Note that higher ISO settings, especially over 400, make the image grainy.
It's always a good thing to check with the team coaches and officials before a sporting event to determine what specific do's and don'ts they may have for photographers. We suggest this because there is no standard for any sports event.
Most high school, youth, and college sports events are open to the public and do not require a press pass or other form of official sanction for the photographer to gain access to the event and ply his trade. However, some events may charge an admission fee, which, unless you are working for an official news media organization and have a Press Pass or similar ID to get in for free, you must pay in order to enter the event.
Always try to be unobtrusive. Long zoom lenses (70-300mm, 100-400mm, etc.) are best for this, allowing the photographer to remain at a distance but still photograph the athletes up close. If you decide to walk the sidelines of a soccer, football, basketball, or other field event, keep at least four feet outside of the marked "out of bounds" line. Officials may ask you to move back even farther, or to refrain from walking in certain areas. Always comply immediately and faithfully with such requests.
Candid shots of the athletes who are not currently involved in play can be done up close with a 35-105mm or similar lens. Oftentimes the athletes will get into the spirit of your work and pose for you ad hoc or to your specifications as long as you don't require too much time for them to do so, thus distracting them from the game. (Remember, they could be called upon to go in as a substitute at any given time.)
Again, flash photography is permissible for certain events only after you check with the team coaches and officials to make certain it is acceptable with them. Try to avoid direct, "in the eyes" flash photography of athletes whenever possible as a courtesy.