How to Become a Sports Photographer
Buy a digital camera., Invest in a mirrorless camera if you want professional-level shots., Purchase a lens with a wide aperture., Invest in a good telephoto lens., Buy several memory cards., Get a monopod to hold the camera., Learn the rules of the...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Buy a digital camera.
Your smartphone probably isn’t going to cut it for capturing professional sports shots.
A DSLR digital camera is a good choice for beginners because it takes good quality shots, you can swap out lenses quickly, and it’s affordable.You don’t need to worry about how many frames per second it can shoot, or how many megapixels it has.
What’s more important is the quality of the lenses you use.DSLR cameras can cost anywhere from $400 for an entry-level model to $3000 for a model with a full-frame sensor.Review ConsumerReports or other online sources with camera reviews to see which brands and models people are having success with. -
Step 2: Invest in a mirrorless camera if you want professional-level shots.
If you have some experience and are looking to upgrade, a mirrorless digital camera provides the best clarity and focus speeds.
Shutter lag is virtually eliminated in these models, they have built-in viewfinders, and they’re smaller and more compact than DSLRs.Prices for mirrorless cameras range from $500 to $5000., The lens kits that come with most cameras will not have a wide enough aperture to take sports shots at night.
You’ll need a lens that takes in as much light as possible, so look for a low “f” number associated with the aperture.
For example, an f/2.8 is faster than an f/5.6.
And be sure that the aperture stays low when the lens zooms., You’ll need a long telephoto lens to shoot games like football, where the action is far away from where you’ll be.
Look for a lens that’s 200 or 300mm.
If you need more depth later on you can add a teleconverter., It's always a good idea to have a main memory card and a backup card in each camera bag you own, just in case you forget one or run out of storage during a game.
Look for cards with a minimum of 32GB of storage and a speed that's labelled either Class 10 or UHS-1., Most of the lenses you’ll be using are too heavy to hold in your hand and take stable shots at the same time.
A tripod is too bulky to have with you on the field, so opt for a monopod with a good ball head to get a good combination of stability and flexibility., You need to understand the sport you’re photographing to know when you’ll get the best shots.
Become familiar with the rules, the timing, and the players themselves.
This will help you develop judgment about which shots are worth keeping., Don’t take a few shots and then look down at the LCD to review them – you might miss another opportunity for a good shot.
You also risk getting injured if you’re close to the action.
Review your shots later during timeouts or halftime., You don’t want your photos to look like everyone else’s.
To make yours stand out, try getting down on the ground and shooting the players from there, or going to a different side of the field from everyone else.
They might have the best vantage point from where they are, but you could catch a great moment from an angle that no one else will have., Take a few test shots at a shutter speed of 1/500 of a second.
If the photos still look blurry, increase the speed.
You can go as high as 1/1000 of a second to properly capture sports like motor racing.You may need to open your aperture as wide as it will go or increase your camera’s ISO (its sensitivity to light) to reach these high shutter speeds. , Things can happen so quickly during a sporting event that it’s easy to miss the perfect shot.
Using your camera’s burst mode, or continuous mode, will let you take 4 or 5 photos at once.
Just be sure your memory card has tons of capacity, since this mode will fill it up faster., If you’re shooting a basketball or volleyball game, you’ll likely be under fluorescent lighting, which can give your shots a yellow or green tint.
Change your light balance to Fluorescent or Tungsten/Incandescent to improve the color., Taking photography or photojournalism classes will help you learn the best techniques and latest trends in the business.
It will also be an opportunity to network and make contacts in the industry.
Look into classes offered at local community centers, colleges, and art centers., If you have no experience, volunteer your time to take photos at local youth soccer or baseball games.
You’ll need to coordinate this with the coaches and parents since they likely won’t want the children photographed by a stranger.
But offering them free team photos may sway them toward agreeing to be your test subjects. , Assisting a professional photographer is a great way to get your foot in the door and gain experience.
Find local sports photographers whose work you admire and give them a call.
They may already have an assistant, in which case you should offer to help out around their studio in any small way you can.
That way you're around when they do need extra help on a shoot., Gather the best shots you’ve taken and compile them to create a portfolio that will serve as your resume.
While you want to showcase several shots that feature athletes and action, you can also include a few shots that show another side of you.Many articles about athletes include photos of them at home or doing normal things, so show potential employers that you can take interesting portraits as well. , The easiest way to showcase your work is to start a photography blog on a site like WordPress, Tumblr, or FotoJournal.
Here you can post your latest and best photos to show off to prospective employers or clients.
Also, blogs tend to have better SEO success than portfolio websites since you’re frequently updating the content., Browse the websites of your favorite newspapers and magazines to see if they’re calling for any photo submissions.
Even if you don’t find anything, that doesn’t mean you can’t reach out to people.
Look up the email addresses of the photography directors at publications like Sports Illustrated, Golf Digest, or Runner’s World, and email them your work.Include one or two of your best photos and a brief explanation of what you’re sending them.
And don’t be afraid to pitch a story if you think the photo displays something original that’s worth writing about. , All modern photographers need to know how to edit their images after taking them.
The most common software you'll need to know how to use on the job is Photoshop and Lightroom.
You can find classes that teach these programs at local community centers or colleges.You can also use online tutorials and Youtube videos to learn about many of the features of these programs. -
Step 3: Purchase a lens with a wide aperture.
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Step 4: Invest in a good telephoto lens.
-
Step 5: Buy several memory cards.
-
Step 6: Get a monopod to hold the camera.
-
Step 7: Learn the rules of the game.
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Step 8: Keep your eyes on the action.
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Step 9: Try different angles.
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Step 10: Increase your shutter speed.
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Step 11: Use burst mode.
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Step 12: Adjust your white balance for indoor sports.
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Step 13: Take photography classes.
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Step 14: Start with volunteer opportunities.
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Step 15: Become a photographer's assistant.
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Step 16: Create a portfolio.
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Step 17: Start a blog.
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Step 18: Apply to newspapers and magazines.
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Step 19: Learn post-production techniques and software.
Detailed Guide
Your smartphone probably isn’t going to cut it for capturing professional sports shots.
A DSLR digital camera is a good choice for beginners because it takes good quality shots, you can swap out lenses quickly, and it’s affordable.You don’t need to worry about how many frames per second it can shoot, or how many megapixels it has.
What’s more important is the quality of the lenses you use.DSLR cameras can cost anywhere from $400 for an entry-level model to $3000 for a model with a full-frame sensor.Review ConsumerReports or other online sources with camera reviews to see which brands and models people are having success with.
If you have some experience and are looking to upgrade, a mirrorless digital camera provides the best clarity and focus speeds.
Shutter lag is virtually eliminated in these models, they have built-in viewfinders, and they’re smaller and more compact than DSLRs.Prices for mirrorless cameras range from $500 to $5000., The lens kits that come with most cameras will not have a wide enough aperture to take sports shots at night.
You’ll need a lens that takes in as much light as possible, so look for a low “f” number associated with the aperture.
For example, an f/2.8 is faster than an f/5.6.
And be sure that the aperture stays low when the lens zooms., You’ll need a long telephoto lens to shoot games like football, where the action is far away from where you’ll be.
Look for a lens that’s 200 or 300mm.
If you need more depth later on you can add a teleconverter., It's always a good idea to have a main memory card and a backup card in each camera bag you own, just in case you forget one or run out of storage during a game.
Look for cards with a minimum of 32GB of storage and a speed that's labelled either Class 10 or UHS-1., Most of the lenses you’ll be using are too heavy to hold in your hand and take stable shots at the same time.
A tripod is too bulky to have with you on the field, so opt for a monopod with a good ball head to get a good combination of stability and flexibility., You need to understand the sport you’re photographing to know when you’ll get the best shots.
Become familiar with the rules, the timing, and the players themselves.
This will help you develop judgment about which shots are worth keeping., Don’t take a few shots and then look down at the LCD to review them – you might miss another opportunity for a good shot.
You also risk getting injured if you’re close to the action.
Review your shots later during timeouts or halftime., You don’t want your photos to look like everyone else’s.
To make yours stand out, try getting down on the ground and shooting the players from there, or going to a different side of the field from everyone else.
They might have the best vantage point from where they are, but you could catch a great moment from an angle that no one else will have., Take a few test shots at a shutter speed of 1/500 of a second.
If the photos still look blurry, increase the speed.
You can go as high as 1/1000 of a second to properly capture sports like motor racing.You may need to open your aperture as wide as it will go or increase your camera’s ISO (its sensitivity to light) to reach these high shutter speeds. , Things can happen so quickly during a sporting event that it’s easy to miss the perfect shot.
Using your camera’s burst mode, or continuous mode, will let you take 4 or 5 photos at once.
Just be sure your memory card has tons of capacity, since this mode will fill it up faster., If you’re shooting a basketball or volleyball game, you’ll likely be under fluorescent lighting, which can give your shots a yellow or green tint.
Change your light balance to Fluorescent or Tungsten/Incandescent to improve the color., Taking photography or photojournalism classes will help you learn the best techniques and latest trends in the business.
It will also be an opportunity to network and make contacts in the industry.
Look into classes offered at local community centers, colleges, and art centers., If you have no experience, volunteer your time to take photos at local youth soccer or baseball games.
You’ll need to coordinate this with the coaches and parents since they likely won’t want the children photographed by a stranger.
But offering them free team photos may sway them toward agreeing to be your test subjects. , Assisting a professional photographer is a great way to get your foot in the door and gain experience.
Find local sports photographers whose work you admire and give them a call.
They may already have an assistant, in which case you should offer to help out around their studio in any small way you can.
That way you're around when they do need extra help on a shoot., Gather the best shots you’ve taken and compile them to create a portfolio that will serve as your resume.
While you want to showcase several shots that feature athletes and action, you can also include a few shots that show another side of you.Many articles about athletes include photos of them at home or doing normal things, so show potential employers that you can take interesting portraits as well. , The easiest way to showcase your work is to start a photography blog on a site like WordPress, Tumblr, or FotoJournal.
Here you can post your latest and best photos to show off to prospective employers or clients.
Also, blogs tend to have better SEO success than portfolio websites since you’re frequently updating the content., Browse the websites of your favorite newspapers and magazines to see if they’re calling for any photo submissions.
Even if you don’t find anything, that doesn’t mean you can’t reach out to people.
Look up the email addresses of the photography directors at publications like Sports Illustrated, Golf Digest, or Runner’s World, and email them your work.Include one or two of your best photos and a brief explanation of what you’re sending them.
And don’t be afraid to pitch a story if you think the photo displays something original that’s worth writing about. , All modern photographers need to know how to edit their images after taking them.
The most common software you'll need to know how to use on the job is Photoshop and Lightroom.
You can find classes that teach these programs at local community centers or colleges.You can also use online tutorials and Youtube videos to learn about many of the features of these programs.
About the Author
Linda Barnes
Creates helpful guides on pet care to inspire and educate readers.
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