Sports Photos: The Inspiration
There’s no doubt that sporting events inspire millions of fans who follow the story of their teams. It’s the defeat, working through the struggles, and overcoming the challenges that brings inspiration to their lives! As we watch others pursuing their dreams, working through difficulties, and continuing toward their goals, we too are inspired to keep going!
Your photos can have a similar impact as you capture those brief frames where fight, victory, and even defeat are captured with precision. It will be your eye for emotion that embodies daily struggles and challenges that will set your photos apart from others. Take those momentous scenes that last a lifetime!
Sports Photos: The Preparation
How is it possible to prepare for that level of skill? You’ll soon find preparation to be your key to success. As you become more familiar with your camera, you’ll understand what its capabilities are – what is truly possible with what you have. Using game time to get familiar with your equipment will definitely not produce the results you are looking for! Therefore, give yourself plenty of time to master the settings and adjustments of your particular model so that you can successfully capture scenes at the game.
If you’re trying out a new camera model, than practice at some of the local events. Go to volleyball, swimming, basketball, and football events at the high school or college level where you can get adequate practice with your new equipment. If you have friends who play on teams, ask to take pictures for those events. Not only will it be excellent practice for you, but also it will allow friends to have the memory of the event captured for them.
Most importantly, however, will be the mental preparation for the game. Because you are not simply there to watch the game, but to catch a few inspirational photos, your mind will be in the game, but also apart from the game. As you constantly keep your camera in hand, ready with a clean lens or other suitable lenses nearby, you’ll be ready with a fully charged battery to capture the intensity of the moment.
Be that great photographer who is ready when the perfect shot presents itself during the game! Prepared with a lens cap that is always off, the right ISO settings, the vigilant refocus that gives you the opportunity that others will miss! You have trained yourself and are ready for the action and emotion of those victorious moments!
Timing Sports Photos for Excellence
Obviously, two key concepts for sports photography are being in the right position and being there at the right time! Don’t deprive yourself of opportunity by convincing yourself that this only due to luck. Instead, be the photographer who beats the odds by strategic positioning. Once the team begins driving down the field, be behind the goal to capture the winning score that makes news and maybe even history.
While photographing a basketball game, I focused on the best player on each team. Now, I knew that other players would make great shots, but I also knew that teammates would look to both of these players. When the ball came to them, I took pictures. When they passed the ball, I took pictures. I avoided getting too distracted by other action. Both of these players went on to be stars in college, one of them played in the NBA, and I got some great shots that night that were worth a lot later on.
From this one example, you have the chance to see how timing can be crucial both in respects to the present and the future. It is your ability to focus on the task at hand while keeping your long-term goals in mind that will eventually lead you to success. In the end, you’ll find that your drive is not that different from the athletes you capture, just that you have different end goals.
See how others are improving their shots while getting acquainted with their new cameras!