Do you have quick reflexes, a sharp eye, and great technical camera skills? Sports photography might be right for you. Sports photographers take photographs of all different types and kinds of sports. From the Olympics to the local football games, wherever there is quick action on the sports field, both offer great opportunities to try your hand at sports photography.
Sports, for the sake of photography, can be divided up into sports that take place inside and those that take place outside. Indoor sports can be a bit more challenging due to low light conditions and fast action. As every photographer knows, this is one of the tougher situations to photograph in. It requires either expensive lenses with wide aperture openings to let in the most amount of light possible, and also a camera with a good highly sensitive, low digital noise sensor. To make matters worse for indoor sports photography, usually you’ll find yourself needing to shoot lenses with longer focal lengths, which are quite expensive. To make matters just a bit worse, most good amateur or professional photographers will use image stabilized or vibration reduction lenses, what are some of the most expensive lenses manufactured. Outdoor photography doesn’t have to be quite as expensive. The main component you will need is a camera lens with a long focal length.
Taking great sports photographs can also be a tricky endeavor. For sports like football and basketball, you’re trying to focus, compose and track players and subjects while they try to move as fast as humanly possible. There’s defiantly a skill set required to be great. This means quick reaction times, and a good feel for the sport. This will help you be more prepared for the action as it unfold in front of you. There can also be a more narrative element to sports photography. There are many great stories to be told off the field by photographers, before and after the game. Don’t forget these critical elements that could work together to help create a great photo story.
Sports photography can, and should be studied in depth by any beginning sports photographers. Check out the big magazines like Sports Illustrated. Become acquainted to the photographers, and their styles. Look at what types of photos make it into the magazine. Then try to emulate a style you enjoy. Work with it, know it, adjust it, and try to form your own style of sports photography.