Focus - Sports & Action Photography Approach

Here's hopefully what I call the "meat" of the blog - the real deal where we get some expert opinion of shooting some scenes we are enthusiastic about. Its a summary of what I read from 50 magazines, books about digital photography, packed into some layman terms for easy digestion!

Enjoy!


Intent/Purpose

• Fun and self-fulfillment
  
• Sale of image to newspaper, sporting press, magazines for some cash

Approach

• Fully understand the sports or activity you are covering
• Ability to anticipate a high point in the action and to immediately respond to some vital moment
• Aim is to capture participants’ skill, anguish and tension, plus the dramatic excitement and atmosphere, preferably all summed up in one shot
• Go for the expressions and body language which visually communicate how it feels to be taking part
  

Equipment and Techniques

• Ensure big memory card storage available
  
• Will shoot mostly in burst mode (i.e. 4.5 FPS)
  
• Wide-angle lenses are useful for crowd shots, general scenes and dramatic, steep perspective close-ups
• Wide-aperture high focal distant lens (e.g. 300mm) for certain games like cricket is mandatory
• Work at shutter speeds of 1/500 and upwards
• Tripod or monopod almost standard requirement
• Flash may be prohibited so only high ISO can help you in low light conditions
• Prefocus on some key spot on the ground and shoot when the action reaches this point