Sports
Photography
Left Image: 35mm SLR, Tokina 80-200mm f-2.8 ATX, Fuji Velvia 50, Bogen monopod. Multi-segment metering, 1/30 sec and f-11. Aperture priority and manual focus.
Sport photography offers many picture-taking opportunities both in pro and amateur indoor and outdoor competitions. Competitions are about winning, defeat, excitement, anger. Looking for these emotions and trying to capture it on film at the right moment is the key to a good photograph. Capture the winning moments if you can as well as important moments that can decide the outcome of an event. In horse-racing for example, it can be the last part of the race with the horses running neck-and-neck, or in a soccer match, a player running towards the goal attempting to score. Light and weather are crucial in sports photography, where a fast shutter speed is needed. This is not to say that all moments should be frozen and sharp. You can use panning which will give a sense of motion in a picture with a moving subject. You simply follow your main subject during exposure which will result in a relatively sharp subject against a blurred background. A slow speed such as 1/30 or 1/15 second is essential for panning. For the picture below I used 1/15 sec shutter speed and followed the jockey and the horse as they passed in front of me.
For indoor
sports a flash is the best way to freeze action but you must be within your flash range
for proper exposure. Long telephotos and faster films allow tight framing and higher
shutter speeds. 300mm and 400mm lenses are great for most sporting events but 500mm and
600mm lenses might be required if you can't get any closer to the action. A tripod or a
monopod must be used for supporting longer lenses. For indoor sports if you can get close
to the court such as in basketball games shorter telephotos or even wide angle lenses can
be used.
Digital Sports Photography :
Take Winning Shots Every Time
You can freeze that one moment in time
Sports photography gets you up close and personal with the action you crave, the
athletes you idolize, or the activities that make memories for your children. It
also provides plenty of frustration for amateurs and professionals alike. How do
you shoot on a rainy day? What about the crowd at the finish line? Can you
capture the tension as the ball trembles on the rim? You can, with the
professional advice these experts provide. No matter what your sport or level of
expertise, this book can make you a better digital sports photographer.
* Benefit from the advice of more than 20 top sports photographers, including
Terrell Lloyd, official photographer for the San Francisco 49ers
* Learn to handle bad lighting, weather, fast-moving athletes, flash
limitations, and other challenges
* Identify key things to consider when switching from film to digital
* Get specific advice on how to shoot a wide range of sports: extreme, outdoor,
indoor, competitive, recreational, and more
* Discover ways to sell your photos and manage legal issues
* See dozens of full-color examples illustrating professional tips and
techniques
* Take great photos with any kind of digital camera, from a point-and-shoot to
an SLR
* Find out how to get photos onto the Web easily and quickly
Bogen 3231 Professional Monopod with
Detachable Legs
Features:
- Extends to 67.8 Inches
- Closed Length is 29.2
- Includes 3 foldaway legs
- Carrying weight is only 4 pounds
- Maximum Load Capacity is 26.5 pounds
Bogen - Manfrotto Shoulder Brace for Monopods, for Extra
Stability
Designed to fit to the top end of any make of Monopod to give additional
stability. Adjustable length with pivoting shoulder support.