Sports Photography How To

Who: Robert Beck, staff photographer for Sports Illustrated.
What: Infrared (IR) photography.
When: “The editors give me some leeway,” Robert says, “but I’m not going to be using it for a decisive putt.”
Where: Golf courses all over the world.
Why: Although the job calls for capture of the peak moment, the turning point, the key play, the tense concentration, the moment when the athlete’s body language gives it all away, there’s always the professional and personal challenge to do something different.
How: With a Nikon D700 modified for infrared photography.

Whether you’re shooting your favorite pro sport team from the stands or photographing a little league game from field level, there are several techniques you can use to make the best images possible. In the video below you’ll learn five helpful tips for capturing the action.

Tips from a photography director.

Have you ever wanted to shoot sports, particularly surfing images? Photographing high action isn't as easy as it looks, according to Larry "Flame" Moore, director of photography at Surfing magazine, a publication that keeps its pulse on the latest events in the surfing world.

Shutter Speed is an important consideration with an interesting duality. Many photographers opt for high shutter speeds in an attempt to assure maximum sharpness—admittedly a key consideration when setting up a shot. But there are times when a slow shutter speed will deliver images with a heightened sense of artistry.

Attaining fast and precise focus is a prime goal for all types of photography, and there’s more to it than you may think. If your images aren’t consistently sharp, you’ve come to the right place today.

Of course sports photographer Eric Bakke can capture the peak action moments. He’s team photographer for the Denver Broncos, shoots X Games for ESPN, and contributes sports images to newspapers, magazines, and organizations. Here, though, we want to talk about his pursuit of a different kind of sports image, one that most often pictures a single athlete and aims for art over action.

Don’t even think about shooting a baseball game with a smartphone—unless maybe you’re Kris Bryant and you’re guarding the third base line. A superzoom camera enables you to get all of the action—if you use it in the right way. Here are our favorite tips for shooting Sporting Events with a superzoom camera.