Sports Photography

What is SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY
This  is one of the few remaining pure forms of documentary photography. The moment happens and it is gone. You either capture it in an image or you don't. Unlike sports writers and television, still photographers don't have the luxury of instant replay.

 If you love sports and photography, it can be a great job. You get into the games for free. You get the best seats in the house, and you get paid to do it!


However, it is very difficult to make a living as a sports photographer. In fact, it is becoming increasingly difficult to make a living as any kind of photographer. You have to be very good excellent at the craft of photography and you have to be a good great business person. You also have to be very lucky because the odds are really against you. There are very few full-time sports photography jobs available.


On the other hand, if you just love sports and photography, and don't need to make a living at it, it can be extremely rewarding and a lot of fun!




CLICK TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ACTION SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY





AT START


Go to little league games and practice with what equipment you have. Go to high school games and shoot. At some high schools you can find football, soccer, field hockey, baseball and softball all going on at the same time in the afternoon in the fall. Look for action and feature shots. See how good your knowledge of the game is, and how good your anticipation and reflexes are. Build up a portfolio that shows what you can do.
If you are  good, you can contact the local weekly newspaper, show your work and see if they need anyone to shoot the local high school games. Move up a level and continue to practice your craft. These athletes really give total effort and you can capture this in your images.


 
Elements Necessary for Success


Talent -

Skill -

Knowledge - You need knowledge both of your craft and of the game you are photographing.

Practice - Photography is a physical as well as a mental skill. Practice will make you better at both. Skills improve dramatically with practice and atrophy with disuse.

Desire - Your philosophy and attitude will affect your work.

Work - Make a commitment to excellence.

Opportunity -  You have to seize them when them.

 Luck - Some say you can't control it, but it
favors the prepared.

Things to REMEMBER

WHAT TO SHOOT:

QUESTION TO ASK.

1) What is happening here?
2) Does it fit into my assignment?
3) What is the big picture? (the broad impression)
4) What is the small picture? (pencils, hand motions, cigarette smoke details and nuances)
5) What is interesting?
6) What shows what the subject is experiencing?
7) What is subject seeing?
8) What is another angle or perspective?

Important Rule

RULE OF THIRDS

The rule of thirds is a compositional rule of thumb in visual arts such as painting, photography and design.It states that an image should be imagined as divided into nine equal parts by two equally-spaced horizontal lines and two equally-spaced vertical lines, and that important compositional elements should be placed along these lines or their intersections. Aligning a subject with these points creates more tension, energy and interest in the composition than simply centering the subject would.

The rule of thirds is applied by aligning a subject with the guide lines and their intersection points, placing the horizon on the top or bottom line, or allowing linear features in the image to flow from section to section. The main reason for observing the rule of thirds is to discourage placement of the subject at the center, or prevent a horizon from appearing to divide the picture in half.[3]

When photographing or filming people, it is common to line the body up with a vertical line, and having the person's eyes in line with a horizontal one. If filming a moving subject, the same pattern is often followed, with the majority of the extra room being in front of the person (the way they are moving).

BUYING A CAMERA
Research Is The Key
The more that you know about the product, the more confident you feel that you purchased the right item for the right price.

For example, You want a camera to replace your old point-and-shoot film camera. You want to be able to print some of the photos that you are going to take, but will never be printing on a large scale.

You've done your homework and know that this means you need a 2.0 to 4.0 Megapixel camera. A salesperson can try to sell you the latest and greatest 8.0 Megapixel model (that costs hundreds more) but it's not worth the extra cost to you. You get the camera you need for a lower price.

Some Other Important Things to keep in mind

*Learn digital camera terms and jargon
*Find the right digital camera for you
*Get the right accessories for your new digital camera
*Store, sort and organize your photographs so you can find them again
*Share your digital photos with friends and family
*Get high-quality, low-cost prints of your photos
*Use your camera effectively to take better pictures