Sports Shooting Tip - DPChallenge Forums

Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO M.Zuiko

12/30/2004 01:48:05 PM · #1

//www.setzler.net/varsity/

I have been doing something that has paid off while shooting local high school sporting events. These photos are not your normal action shots, but they are EASY shots to make. I call them 'out' shots. They won't work for feature story shots where sports action is the requirement. However, if one of these players makes some sort of great achievement and the local newspaper wants a photo of the person, you may or may not have a usable one in your action photos.

I have been shooting a basketball tournament this week which ended last night. Netwon-Conover's Julius Powell made an announcement last night that he has accepted a full scholarship to play at Clemson University in South Carolina next year. My newspaper wanted a photo of him to run along with that short story, and I had one available because of my 'out' shooting.

Another possible advantage of doing this is that when/if one of these young athletes should become professional one day, my/your 'out' shots could have some value.

Are there any other sports shooters here who do this?

nova

Canon EOS-6D

Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L USM

12/30/2004 01:56:29 PM · #2

I haven't been a sport's shooter until now, at least. What a great tip Jim. There's a recent highschooler from this area, Kelley Washington, playing for the now playing for the Bengals, so you never know.

Brad

Olympus OM-D E-M1

12/30/2004 02:03:34 PM · #3

Hi John,
This marks my 3rd year of doing something similar:
Poway Wrestling and also do the website in addition.
These are available to the kids, their parents & relatives, and as of recently, am providing the paper with shots now in return for getting an Official Press Pass. Most of the shots are "action", but also do some posed stances similar to what you did. Not always the easiest sport to shoot with facial recognition either BTW.
The school also gets high-quality "Best of" shots from me for their Yearbook, Awards Ceremony Scrapbook and their annual fund-raiser Calendars.

timj351

Sony DSC-F707

12/30/2004 03:19:43 PM · #4

This is a very good point. I only occasionally shoot sports pics for fun (my F707 isn't exactly a sports camera as you know , John :) ) but I do try to do what you are saying when I can. To me, it falls under the category of 'telling the whole story' of an event. It is real easy to go to a sporting event and get mentally locked in to just the action part and shooting preconceived action shots but that is only a small part of what is really going on. All the other stuff like the crowd, a player standing alone, the players hi-fiving each other, the refs making a call, and all that kind of stuff can be equally important to shoot to fully convey the event. As has been said already if you pay attention to some of the bigger stars, capturing them in different states, then they might be of good use later on, at least, for your own interest.

T

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

12/30/2004 03:31:54 PM · #5

Exactly...

With my football shots, part of my assignment is several photos other than action, so I always come home with quite a few, but my basketball assignments are currently action only (which will change next week probably).

I am also offering photo donations to the yearbook staffs of schools where I shoot. I feel sorry for those kids who have been assigned to shoot these sporting events. The equipment they bring with them is not going to get them what they need.

I put together THIS collection to offer to yearbook staffs. Since I'm only contracted by the newspaper, I can do whatever I want with shots that they don't run. I have been attempting to contact each of these schools and offer these photos in excange for a credit in their yearbook somewhere.

alanfreed

Nikon Z9

12/30/2004 03:44:30 PM · #6

Yep, I do this all the time at the Steelers games. I get a lot of shots of guys as they're being introduced, or as they're waiting on the sidelines, etc., because you just never know when they might come in handy.

For example, the Steelers just voted James Farrior as their MVP... and I was able to dig up a bunch of "file" photos that the paper could use to accompany the story just last night.

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

12/30/2004 03:46:04 PM · #7

Any seasoned sports shooter probably knew to do this already :) I'm an extreme rookie and I still don't particularly care much for sports photography... but being there, I certainly enjoy. It may grow on me at some point, but it hasn't yet.

bledford

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

12/30/2004 03:58:34 PM · #8

My favorite kind of sports shot is the coach as he or she is ripping the players on the court/field a new one for something. It's probably the most emotion anyone in the building shows at any time in the game. Bill Cowher is, naturally, my favorite NFL coach for this reason. I also enjoy a good Rick Adelman (Kings) eyeroll from time to time, as I'm usually doing the same thing as him as I watch his team.