sports photography
- Anyone can fall down, it’s how you pick yourself up again that counts.
Most of us have at some time been captivated by sports photos, and many of us wish we could have taken those images. It may have been Muhammad Ali towering over Sonny Liston or an image of Michael Jordan slam dunking a basketball with his tongue out. Closer to home it could have been DJ Carey on an epic goal bound solo run, Brian Ó Driscoll jinking away from a tackle as he heads for the try line or Darren Clarke lifting the Claret Jug. We have all been captivated by the moment of human drama. We all like a good sport photo, that to which any number of superlatives in the printed word can not fully tell the tale.
High Flyer
Unfortunately not everyone can be allocated that press pass on All Ireland day or get to sit on the sidelines of the Aviva Stadium with a telephoto lens. But that does not however prevent you from taking breathtaking sport photographs.
Mud mud glorious mud
Fortunately quality sports photography is simpler than you think, and often it is easier than you might imagine to get close to the action, even that which involves international stars and household names. Here are a few pointers if you want to try and capture that iconic sports photograph that you thought was only possible for the professionals.
Float like a butterfly sting like a bee.
- Choose a sport that you know and are familiar with, that way it is easier to anticipate the action. Some sports are unpredictable like Hurling and Soccer but even then there are sideline cuts, throw ins, corners, puck outs frees and penalties all of which make life easier for the part time snapper. Then there are sports like bike racing and track and field where participants follow a set path, all you have to do is pick your spot and wait for the action to come to you.
- Get close to the action, the further away you are from the event, the harder it becomes to capture. The big names of GAA play with there local clubs most weekends, don’t be scared to ask for permission to shoot at these games, a good in roads is by first offering to shoot junior games for a club and then working your way up. If you go to events like the Dublin Marathon or the An Post Ras you are virtually unlimited in your movements and can even get in tight with a wide angle lens. At the Irish Open Golf you can bring your camera and take up the same position as the pros, be prepared to take abuse from Colin Montgomery though.
- Don’t be a sheep and do what other photographers are doing. Find your own position, trust your own judgement.
- Experiment, if you are not working professionally try something different. You are not under pressure to get one in the bag so play around with different angles, shutter speeds and lenses, if it doesn’t work you know for the next time.
- Shoot like crazy, sports move fast and you don’t want to miss the action, set your camera to continuous high and delete the crap when you get home.
- Plan ahead and get there early for the best positions, you will never become a great sports photographer shooting over someone’s shoulder.
- Don’t be scared to get down and dirty and when the heavens open don’t pack your bags and leave.
- Don’t give up the day job!!!
