Sure, if you can get the eyes, that’s great. Now, the kids will be wearing helmets, so don’t worry if you can’t focus on the players’ eyes.
So set your camera to its continuous autofocus setting ( AF-C on some cameras, AI-Servo on others). You’re photographing an action sport and you want action photos. So focus on where you are and what is going on around you. He was ultimately wheeled off the field with cuts to his face and a leg that had been broken in two places. I watched as his camera, lens, and monopod all went flying in three different directions (he flew in a fourth). I once saw a photographer stand his ground on the sidelines, despite the fact that a player was being pushed out of bounds right at him. So please, please, please pay attention to the game, anticipate change, and get out of the way if players are barrelling toward you. In football photography, you need to master two types of focusing:įirst, mental focus: These kids are big and fast and strong, and are trained to run through anything in their way. The more you understand the subtleties of the game, the better prepared you will be. Will it be a running play or a passing play? What are the odds that they’re going to fake the punt on 4th down? Do you need to be on the sideline or the end-zone for the action? The home side of the field or the visitors’? Plus, knowledge of the game will allow you to anticipate moments before they happen. If you know how the game goes, then you’ll be ready when the game hits its highs (and you’ll know when you can relax and take your finger off the shutter). Know how it is played.Īfter all, every game has an ebb and flow of its own.
The key to getting quality photos in football? Get there early and take advantage of the sun while you can. The Think Tank Hydrophobia should do the trick. Note that rain will fall on occasion, so be prepared for it.
Also, make sure you also have a plan for when it starts raining. In good light, you can handhold, but as the day turns into night, you’ll want some form of support – and tripods tend to be annoyingly unwieldy.Īs with any type of shoot, make sure you have all of the necessary backups: batteries, memory cards, etc. You’ll need that ultra-wide aperture to keep a sufficiently fast shutter speed (otherwise, your photos will all turn out blurry!).īy the way, I’d also recommend investing in a nice monopod to keep your camera steady. Make sure it’s plenty fast in other words, it should ideally feature a maximum aperture of f/2.8. Fast lenses are going to be hugely important once the sun goes down because most high school sports have a prohibition against using flash. If you can only afford one lens right now, definitely opt for a longer zoom.ĭon’t just buy any long zoom, however. I was able to shoot and edit creatively enough to get a variety of images. When I first started shooting sports, I used just one lens, a 70-200mm f/2.8. Happily, it is possible to get really great shots with a few basic options. A fast continuous shooting speed and a capable autofocus system is helpful, but if you can’t afford these features, then don’t worry too much.įor a football photographer, your big concern is lenses. As long as you’re photographing with a reliable DSLR or mirrorless camera, you’re going to be fine. Some of the photos in this article were taken years ago using a Nikon D70, and they look great. I’m not going to spend a lot of time here discussing camera bodies. So if you’re ready to elevate your football photography, then let’s dive right in, starting with equipment: 1. And in this article, I aim to share it all with you, from essential equipment to camera settings to creative tricks and more. I’ve been doing high school football photography for years, so I’ve picked up plenty of key tips, techniques, and secrets to capture amazing shots.
Are you looking to capture top-notch, action-packed, jaw-dropping photos of high school football?