A Beginner’s Guide to Capture Perfect Clicks in Sports Events

There are chances of clicking terrific shots with clicking sports events. There are chances of many missed moments too if the photographer isn’t quick. It is rewarding and challenging. To click a well-timed shot, you require practice, good quality equipment and of course luck. There is no formal guide to help you master the art. Every photographer has a unique style. The secret is to understand the basics and improvise as you go along.

Experienced photographers’ site the below-mentioned factors as the formula for a great sports picture.

• Focus: The focus should be sharp else you get a blurry image.
• Face: The expressions of players
• Action: Something about the sports event
• Equipment: The player holding sports equipment

Learn the sport: Familiarize with the sport. You need to learn the rules of the game and who to follow so that you know when to anticipate the action and thereby capture best moments. Take some time and watch videos of the game to get a better sense of how the game unfolds. Your knowledge about the game will help you take better pictures.

Make it often about the face: Focusing on the face is important in sports photography. Capturing facial expression humanizes the image and instantly connects with the viewers. There are of course instances where pictures without faces have become sensational but capturing a face draws viewers more.

Don’t stop when you hear the whistle blow: You have to keep going even after the whistle to click moments of triumph, failure, reactions of players, their family members and audience. These moments may turn to be more meaningful than the ones taken during the game. You have to be always ready with your camera. Compelling shots can be taken even after the game is over.

Change your shooting position: Move around the venue and choose unique angles. Click from a spot where no other photographer is clicking so that your picture is from a different perspective.

Shoot tight: Keep the entire focus on the action. Eliminate other elements that are distracting while cropping.

Shutter speed: The right shutter speed is important to freezing action. Setting it too low would cause the picture to blur. It should be fast enough to capture athletes in motion. It can be between 1/400 and 1/1600.

Autofocus and tracking subjects: Autofocus is related to the sharpness of a picture and understanding tracking is about placing the focus on a particular subject. Set the autofocus as continuous to make sure the subject being tracked is always in focus.

Fast zoom lens: The distance between the photographer and the action keeps changing constantly. Additionally, the lighting could be poor too. Fast zoom lenses are versatile and shoot well even in low light.

Semi-manual mode: Beginners stick to automatic mode often or a pre-set mode labeled sports. Though this mode may work at times, you ought to step-up to semi-manual.

To become a pro in clicking sports pictures, just like the players you require a lot of practice. Click pictures often and learn from your past mistakes and other photographers.