Capturing Motion in Sports Photography

Acquiring motion shots of athletes running or jumping requires fast shutter speeds to capture them and stop time. As this varies depending on both sport and athlete speed, experimentation should be undertaken until you find an optimal setting.

Utilizing a high ISO setting will enable better light sensitivity. This is particularly helpful when photographing indoor sports where natural lighting may be limited. A telephoto lens may bring action closer to you, however this requires higher shutter speeds which could cause blurring effects.

Burst mode can help decrease the odds of an out-of-focus image, and most digital cameras feature this function to allow multiple photos without pausing the camera between shots. This feature is particularly beneficial when shooting sports photography as unexpected moments may arise and make predicting when decisive moments may happen more challenging.

While taking action shots is certainly important, your job should also include telling a narrative of the game through more than just its action shots. Show the emotion of players and coaches alike or fans watching in the stands – be sure to capture head on shots of athletes as well as side profile images so that viewers feel part of your story!