With the rise of sport as a means of entertainment, sports photography plays a fundamental role in the exposure of athletes, matches and games that allow appreciation and visually portray it.
In this article we will investigate in detail about its definition, characteristics, importance and practical advice that you find useful for your immersion in this type of photography.
What is sports photography?
Sports photography has to do with any photo taken at events or competitions of any sport , up to there everything very Simple, but when dealing with all sports in general, the photographer must adapt to the conditions and environment in which he is found, which are very diverse.
This type of photography demands a lot of rigor, experience and certain skills to capture the exact moment obtaining the result expected. All this accompanied by certain specific materials, fast-firing cameras and long focal lengths.
How important is sports photography today?
The importance it has and has had over time is to capture the moment that defines an athlete or sport. In this way, to make the public know a little more about the sport, an important event of the athlete, leave an iconic moment of the athletes to be shared with the public, etc.
All this clear respecting the three basic elements that are to know and respect the personality of the athlete or club, to know which public they want to address and the clear message they want to send.
Tips to get started in sports photography
Have the maximum knowledge of the sport to be photographed
It is very important to be closely related to the rules or actions that occur. All this so that at the time of photographing they anticipate the events that may occur or imagine what may happen and in this way you are pending to start shooting to get a good photograph.
Use a telephoto lens
An accessory that, if or if you will have to integrate into your work team, of at least 200mm. And that it is very obvious that you will not be able to be at the closest distance that you would like, so you will have to use a telephoto lens, so that in this way you can capture the actions that you have far away and obtain a great result.
Work With FastShutter
This happens when shooting high speed sports, as you can’t wait for them to stop before you can take the picture. That is why you should use fast shutter speeds and thus freeze motion. In this way, shaky images will be avoided, capturing the exact moment.
Use fast autofocus and burst mode
Obviously, since everything is very fast, you will not have the opportunity to focus manually, so it is essential to have the focus in automatic mode, as well as the burst mode or also known as burst, in this way to put it to the maximum number of photographs per second. Getting several focused bursts in which the frozen action of the precise moment will come out.
Use a monopod for more mobility
This advice is more for those people who are not very comfortable or prepared to take all the photographs with the camera in hand, since with a monopod you can move from one place to another. another in a very fast way without losing stability, chasing the action at all times.
Avoid checking photographs at all times
It is a custom that most photographers if not all have since you want to check the photography, but it is something you need to avoid if you want to do sports photography. Since, as has been said, these sports occur at high speed and if you are not attentive at any time any important action may escape you, so it is better to be attentive and not miss a second of the actions.
Tell a story
Constantly looking for looks, celebrations, fights, rivalries which at best are not always in full action, but can also be off the court and can tell a story which may be better than more of the same actions in the encounter.
Do not stop shooting at any time
Always be shooting to capture any action so the event is over, since the celebrations at the end are also very important, it is highly recommended to always wait a little longer after the end in this way a sequence of the before, during and after is generated.