Chapter 5: Sports Photography
During the 79th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, Daymon Woodruff rides through a Wall of Beer at Camp Zero, part of the Buffalo Chip campground. "The impact was harder than I thought. It bent the frame,” said Woodruff, the son of the campground’s founder, Rod. “It’s all about just smiling and having a good time.” This image is part of photographer Sol Neelman's Weird Sports longterm body of work. (Photo by Sol Neelman)
EXTENDED CONTENT
In the Bag
Steph Chambers
- Two mirrorless (Canon R3) camera bodies - all sports
- Two (1DX Mark III) DSLR camera bodies (mainly for remotes) - most sports that are accessible for remotes.
- Two 16-35 mm f/2.8 zoom lenses - all sports and for remotes attached to basketball backboards, track and field remotes.
- 24-70 mm f/2.8 zoom lens - all sports and on remotes for basketball "mouse hole," a little cutout at the bottom of the basket.
- 15mm fisheye and specially designed hockey net camera box for remote: here
- 70-200 f/2.8: all sports
- 70-200 f/4: overhead basketball remote (with a converter), overhead hockey remote, baseball home plate remote, track finish line remote
- 400mm f/2.8: football, baseball, track and field, soccer, golf
- 300mm f/2.8: basketball, track and field
- 200-400 f/2.8: hockey
- Uses remotes at almost every event
- Never uses strobes
Sol Neelman
- Think Tank Shapeshifter backpack
- Two (Canon R3) mirrorless bodies
- 24-70 mm zoom f2.8 lens
- 70-200 mm zoom f2.8 lens
- 35 mm f1.4 prime lens
- 300 mm f4 fixed lens occasionally (light enough to handhold)
- Never uses a flash and rarely uses a remotes
- At times, rents a 200-400 mm zoom f4 lens when photographing on assignment
Scott Strazzante
- 24-70 mm f/2.8 zoom lens - all sports
- 70-200 f/2.8 zoom lens - all sports
- 400 mm f/2.8 fixed lens - baseball, football, soccer, also for basketball and hockey elevated positions
- 600 mm f/4 fixed lens - a couple times a year to give images a different look
- iPhone with Hipstamatic app- Oakland Coliseum project and pregame all sports for social media
- Doesn’t use strobes or remotes
RESOURCES + ADDITIONAL READING
- How Getty Covers Championship Basketball with a Small Army of Cameras—and Robots, by Dan Bracaglia
- Wired Magazine, Epic Cardboard Tube Battles Delight Around the World (images by Sol Neelman).
- Complete List of Weird and Unusual Sports, by Top End Sports
- A Guide to Ski Photography, by Al Bello for Adorama.com.
- Think Tank Photo - camera bags designed for sports photographers.
- Panning Photography: A Comprehensive Guide (+ Tips and Ideas) by Kunal Malhotra, Digital Photography School.
- My Sports Photography Workflow - From Photo Mechanic to Photoshop, by J. C. .Ruiz
- Camera Bits/Photo Mechanic
- “Setting Up Photo Mechanic: Quickstart Guide to Preferences” by Mick Orlosky for Camera Bits.
- “How to Break Into Sports Photography as a Female Creator.” by Stephanie Vermillion on Adorama
ADDITIONAL LEARNING PROMPTS
Analyzing the Wires
Check out Getty Sports Photos of the Week and analyze the images you are drawn to. Think about where the photographer might have been located when making the image, what lens they might have used and any technical settings for their camera such as aperture and shutter speed. Think about the light and what time of day the image was made or whether or not it was made in natural light or artificial light. Think about whether or not the photographer lit the scene themself, as well, as covered in the chapter. Make notes in a journal, then try the "A Day in the Life" photo series prompt below!
"A Day in the Life" photo series:
Choose a local sports team or a single athlete (it could be a youth league, a high school team, or even a friend who is an athelete). Your goal is to photograph the "story" of a single game or practice. Your final story will be a series of 5-7 photographs that tell a complete narrative. The series must include the following:
- A "Scene Setter" Image: A wide shot that establishes the location and atmosphere of the event. Think of the overall environment—the field, the court, the crowd, or the empty gym before anyone arrives.
- A "Peak Action" Image: A perfectly timed photo that captures a crucial, dramatic moment. This shot should freeze motion and show the intensity of the sport. You will need to anticipate the action to get this shot.
- An "Emotional" Image: A photograph that focuses on a player's reaction. This could be a moment of triumph, frustration, or exhaustion. This shot highlights the human element of sports.
- A "Detail" Image: A close-up shot that tells a part of the story through a specific detail, such as a worn-out sneaker, a sweaty hand on a tennis racket, or the scoreboard. This shot should provide a more intimate look at the subject.
- A "Post-Game" or "Aftermath" Image: A photograph that shows what happens after the main event. This could be players shaking hands, a team huddle, or an athlete walking off the field alone.
Reflect on the process of creating this series. Think about the following questions:
- How did you prepare for this exercise? Did you research the sport, the team, or the athlete?
- What camera settings did you use to capture the different types of images? Explain why you chose those settings.
- Which of the required photos was the most difficult to make and why?
- How does your final series of images, when viewed together, tell a more complete story than any single photo could?
This exercise will challenge you to move beyond single, static images and think like a photojournalist, creating a cohesive visual story. It also requires you to apply technical skills in various situations and reflect on their choices.