Sports photography is super in demand these days. You can find it all over the magazines and newspapers.
That might attract you to start a career in it. What can be better than shooting those thrilling shots and getting paid for it?
But before it comes to money, you have to learn the skill. You might not know how to take sports photography yet. And that’s ok.
Let’s go over everything you need to know to start on this type of photography. With the proper directions, you’ll be able to learn it in next to no time.
Table of Contents
- 1 What Is Sports Photography?
- 2 Types of Sports Photography
- 3 There are the following 3 main types of sports photography.
- 4 Camera Equipment
- 5 How to Take Sports Photography Shots with Your Camera
- 6 10 Sports Photography tips for beginners
- 7 Post-Processing Sports Photography
- 8 Sports Photography Business
- 9 Conclusion
What Is Sports Photography?
It is the most popular genre of photography nowadays. You see the proof everywhere. The newspapers, magazines, online, there are sports photos in all of it.
But it is the most difficult style of photography as well. Just a tiny mistake can ruin a whole picture. That’s why the photographer has to have a good skill.
That being said, the demand for sports photos is more than ever. It’s easy to make a living doing that if you develop the skills as needed.
So if the concept of shooting the most thrilling shots in the playing fields lit you up, this can be your dream career.
Types of Sports Photography
There are the following 3 main types of sports photography.
- Action Photos: These types of photos create anticipation. It’s taken before a player takes a shot where the tension has built up.
- Emotion Photos: The emotion photos show the joy, the sorrow, the team bonding in a picture. It’s an amazing source of inspiration for everybody.
- iii. Graphical Photos: This is a less known type. They are fairly important and have a unique purpose. Most of the time, graphical photos help to represent a country and its culture.
Camera Equipment
Sports photography needs some equipment to get the best shot possible.
First of all, you need a good camera. But just a camera is not enough. You have to get a good telephoto lens for it. Those are perfect lenses for sports photography.
Then get yourself a fast memory card with good space. You should get a strap as well.
Also, you’ll need batteries and a charger. A waterproof bag would be great to carry all these around. And make sure to get lens cleaning pads with you.
How to Take Sports Photography Shots with Your Camera
Taking good sports shots is not an easy thing. It takes so much practice to develop the skill. And being consistent at good shots takes more time.
You should start with the basic camera functions. That will help you to focus on fewer things. Using autofocus while learning is ok.. But as you progress, try to adapt to manual focus.
The following section will help you on how to get great sports photography shots.
7 Steps to Never Run into Blurry Pictures
Blurring out is the most annoying issue photographer’s face. That can ruin a photo or a whole moment. To avoid this, follow the 7 steps given.
Selecting the right autofocus point
This is crucial for eliminating the blur in pictures. Cameras have great AF these days. But they can’t handle the motion blur that well.
If you are using AF, make sure to have it perfect. Pay attention to the point and align it well.
This is the #1 mistake that starters make. You should be careful about that while taking wildlife photos.
Use the Manual Focus
If you are somewhat good at shooting pictures, you should use manual focus more often. It takes a bit more skill.
AF tends to be more prone to blurring out the photos. But with manual focus, you have more control. That lets you reduce the blur in pictures for good. So, start to use it if you are not using it yet.
Using Liveview on Your Camera
Using the LiveView feature allows you to reduce blurriness from your pictures. It makes the complete image transition easier for the camera. As a result, it increases the accuracy by a lot.
The LiveView feature allows you to zoom at your subject with good focus. That is crucial in taking good photos. It gives the sharpness and depth in the field that you crave.
Using a Tripod
Tripod will help you to get a stable focus. This simple accessory is a must-have for any photographer.
The “Shakes” can ruin a whole picture. But if you are using a tripod, you will not have to deal with that. You’ll get the most stable and even images. Also, you’ll get some benefits from the angle as well.
So, make sure to get yourself a tripod.
Use the Minimum Shutter Speed
The faster your shutter speed, the more you compromise the quality of the picture. A fast shutter can’t capture the details of a picture that well.
A slow shutter speed on the other hand gives more detail in your photos. That is because it gets all the time it needs to capture the image well. So, be sure to modify the setting the next time you choose to shoot.
Using Image Stabilization
Most cameras these days come with the image stabilization feature. You can use it to reduce the shakes. That will reduce the blurring out of images.
For cameras that don’t have IS, there are lenses you can get that come with it. They get the job done pretty well. You can try it out for yourself. The result might surprise you.
Taking Multiple Shots
Taking only one shot each time is not the best way to go. You are more likely to miss out on a good photo that way.
That’s why you need to start taking multiple photos at the same time. So if one gets blurred, the other ones are still good to go.
You should adopt this into your habits.
10 Sports Photography tips for beginners
Now you know the basics about taking good sports shots. But you have to learn a lot more to take it to the next level. Let’s go over the top 10 tips that will help you to do that.
- Use a zoom lens that has a minimum of 200mm focal length. That’s best for wildlife photo shooting.
- Don’t rely on AF mode too much. You are better off using manual focus. It will give you better images.
- Using a faster shutter speed can be amazing and give you so many great shots. But you should use it when you see it’s appropriate to use.
- Use the Aperture Priority Mode. This is the best setting you can have for shooting wildlife photos. It will help to give you more bright photos.
- You should adjust the ISO settings with care. For a bright and usual day, 500 is great. But if it’s darker outside, opt for the 800-1200 mark.
- You can use the shutter priority mode. That’s only if the aperture priority mode is not available.
- Using fast autofocus is slightly better than the regular one. Also, use the burst mode to enhance the quality of your photos.
- Be careful about the lighting. Position yourself in a place that gives you a great view of the subject.
- You should lean back while taking shots. Shooting from a lower angle also helps to create better dynamics.
- Take a lot of photos whenever you can. This is crucial for you to develop your skill at it.
Post-Processing Sports Photography
Post-processing is a crucial part of sports photography. No matter how good the picture is, that can make it even better. That’s why it’s something that you should consider.
There are a lot of tools for doing that. You’ll find a lot of free and paid editing software out in the market. Paid ones are better and have more features. That allows you to do more things with your shot pictures.
But keep in mind, less is more. You should never go overboard with any of it. That will help to keep your photos more natural.
Sports Photography Business
Now that you have everything down, you are ready to start a sports photography business.
First, you need to know who the target audience is. That will give you an idea of who you’ll be working for overtime.
Then plan out every move. Make sure to know your budget. That will help to set up everything with more ease.
Give a nice name to your business. That will help to attract more clients.
Don’t go for profits right away. Rather, build up your business. You’ll get the money very soon.
Conclusion
That was everything you need to know about starting sports photography. As you saw, it’s not an easy job. But with dedication and the right techniques, you can rise to the top.
When it comes to your passion, you should always follow your heart. That gives you the ultimate joy in life. Not many people can enjoy their work life. But if you are a sports photographer, your work will excite you.
So, be sure to keep on to your dreams. They might help you get everything you need in life. Also, give it time. And hopefully, the tips shown above will help you get to your goal a lot faster.
Also click to read other Photography Genres here.
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