The Blog
Title: “Capturing the Action: A Guide to Launching Your Journey in Sports Photography”
Introduction: In the dynamic world of photography, few genres match the adrenaline and excitement of sports photography. Whether you're an aspiring photographer or a seasoned pro looking to venture into a new field, capturing the essence of sports through your lens...
Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 A Great Sports Lens
Hey there photography enthusiasts! Today, we're talking about one of the hottest lenses on the market right now - the Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8 Di III VXD. And trust me, this lens is anything but boring! Let's start with the star of the show - the f/2.8 maximum aperture....
Capturing the Action: Why the Sony 85mm 1.8 Lens is Ideal for Sports Photography
Hey there, photography enthusiasts! I wanted to talk to you about the Sony 85mm 1.8 lens, which is a total game changer for any kind of photography you want to do. This little piece of glass has got so much going for it that it'll knock your socks off! First off,...
You Don’t Have To Push The Shutter Button
That's right. Contrary to most of the photographers out there, you can choose not to push your shutter button. Too often, when I am shooting games, I will hear other photographers snapping photos like crazy. Then, there is me....
How to Use the ExpoDisc
Setting your white balance is a debatable subject. Some photographers think setting a custom white balance is the best approach and others feel a grey card is the preferred method and others believe using the camera Auto White Balance is the way to go. Then there is...
Preventing Heat Waves From Ruining Your Photos
Have you ever shot football, soccer, rugby, etc. outside? It's not too tough to do and I am sure you remembered to get as low as possible in order to make the athletes look larger than life. Then, you get back and import your photos for post processing and noticed...
Can the Sony a6000 Handle Sports Photography?
The Sony α6000, at the time of this writing is about 4.5 years old. Why would I test a camera that is considered old by today's standards? There are aspiring sports photographers who have a basic camera/lens setup that is adequate for taking photos but are...
7 Tips for Photographing Indoor Swimming
Swim meets are something I wished I could shoot more. They are a beehive of activity, often times crowded and you have to pay attention. You could easily take a wrong step and end up in the pool with your equipment in tow. The last meet I shot not only had water...
Photographing Softball From Behind Home Plate
Here are a few thoughts I have about shooting from behind home plate. These work for both softball and baseball. When shooting from behind home plate, which has a fence that protects us common folk from injury, you place the end of your lens as close to the fence as...
Lens Hoods – Two Reasons You Need One
When you purchased a lens, it probably came with a lens hood. If it didn't, it is a good idea to get one that is made for your lens. They come in many shapes and sizes such as Petal, used for prime lenses, and Cylindrical, used mostly with telephoto lenses. Yes,...
Why Are My Photos Blurry?
You are at a sporting event and have taken several hundred photos. Now, you know not all of them are going to be keepers but, you expect to see some amazing shots. Because, after all, you are an amazing sports photographer. You import your photos into your favorite...
One-on-One Mentoring
Reading articles and watching hours of video is a great way to begin your journey into sports photography but sometimes you need a real person to help guide you. And, family and friends, though they mean well, are not the best resources when it comes to critiques of...
How I Captured This Great Capitol City Classic Photo
The Event This shot was taken at the Capitol City Classic high school basketball tournament held in Salem, OR. I have been shooting this event since it began a few years ago. I like to shoot this event because of the high caliber of athletes involved. Most of the...
10 Mistakes Some Sports Photographers Have Made You Can Learn From
When I am working a game, I always take time to talk to other photographers. I don't talk too much and never when there is action taking place. But, it's a good way to make friends and even pick up tricks you may not have thought about. Over the years I have...
Beginner Tips for Football Photography
When it comes to sports photography, football is one of my favorite sports to shoot. I get to be outside and I really enjoy the atmosphere. A quick warning, In this article I may be using football language. So, if you don't know football very well, just fake the...
Using Sports Photography Portfolios for Your Benefit
When you enter the exciting world of sports photography, you will be tempted to look at professional portfolios and you will give into that temptation. In fact you will probably be directed by well meaning individuals to check out certain professional sports...
Three Quick Tips for Tack Sharp Photos
So, you're shooting night time football, and when you import your images into your favorite post processing software, you find that many times your subject may be in focus but your photos are not sharp. You even installed a plugin that confirms that your focus point...
Don’t Remove Your Camera’s Memory Card
It should be a no brainer but sometimes we still need friendly reminders. Today's reminder is pretty simple and straight forward. Don’t remove your memory card from your camera when data is being written to the card. If you removed your card during the process of...
Sports Photography Mentoring With Tashi
I met Tashi at the Salem, Oregon State Capital for our intro to sports photography mentoring session. A state capital sounds like a strange place to provide sports photography mentoring but not when the surrounding streets are taken over by one of the largest 3-on-3...
Nikon 850 Announced – What Does It Mean to the Beginner?
"Nikon Inc. is pleased to announce the development of the next generation full-frame, high-resolution, high-speed digital SLR cameras with the upcoming release of the highly anticipated Nikon D850." Blah, Blah, Blah. I have put off adding my opinion to the already...
Photographing Summer Baseball
Summer leagues are a great way to stay in shooting shape when schools are out on break. Even small cities have some type of summer league but bigger cities afford even more opportunities. It's also a great way to step away from the computer and get outside and...
Best Settings for Sports Photography – Beginner Tips
Best Settings Ok, truth be told, there are no best or even perfect settings for sports photography. The reason for this is that as sports photographers, we shoot in many different lighting conditions. One day we are outside shooting soccer in bright sun and the next...
State Athletic Associations
Here is the contact info for many of the state athletic associations. (Updated July 2019) Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA, 1924) Alaska School Activities Association (ASAA, 1956) Arizona Interscholastic Association, Inc. (AIA, 1925) Arkansas Activities...
Constructing Exposure – What Is Exposure?
Exposure is the amount of light a digital camera's sensor captures when a photo is taken. If you capture too much light, the results are a washed out photo or what is commonly referred to as overexposed. If you capture too little light, the photo will be too dark or...
Constructing Exposure – ISO
ISO stands for International Standards Organization. It is a standardized scale for measuring film sensitivity to light. Today, film has been replaced by digital image sensors but the concept is still the same. To understand ISO let’s go back a few years. In the...
Constructing Exposure – Shutter Speed
Like aperture, shutter speed also affects how much light hits the camera’s sensor. It also does something else that as a sports photographer is pretty important. One of our goals as sports photographers is to freeze the action. Whether it’s a volleyball spike or a...
Constructing Exposure – Aperture
Basically, aperture is the opening within the lens that light travels through to reach the camera’s sensor. When I go to shoot, I usually start by adjusting my aperture first. I do this because aperture not only affects the amount of light hitting the camera’s...
Taking Sports Photos With the Nexus 5x Phone
Shooting sports with your cell phone, yeah right. Maybe, if you are shooting static shots, but not action shots. Cell phones just can’t adjust quick enough for the action that takes place in sports. I am not going to say much more. Instead, check out my attempt to...
Getting Started – My Story
Everyone loves a story. So, let me start by sharing my story about my journey into sports photography. I will try to keep it short and to the point but, no promises. It was the early 2000’s and I was approached by an Arizona radio station and asked if I would be...
What You Need To Get Started
First, a desire and passion. You can purchase gear at anytime and at many places. Desire and passion are things you can only find inside yourself. Without those, photography is just another day job. Next, equipment. Obviously it’s tough to be a photographer...
How to Use Your Sports Press Pass
Once you get a press pass what’s next? This is an easy and not so easy question to answer. Yes, it would make sense that you go to games and do your thing. However, not all press passes are made equal. First, congratulations for acquiring some sort of credential...
3 Tips to Get Sports Photography Credentials
“Do I need a press pass?” is one of the top questions I get asked followed by, “If I do, how do I get one?” Pro level access is out of reach of beginning photographers unless, you are associated with a major media player or know someone in high places. Even small...
3 Reasons It’s OK to Chimp in Sports Photography
If you have been a photographer for more than a few weeks, you have probably heard the term “chimping”. The label is used to describe a photographer who constantly checks their LCD screen after every shot. Click, chimp, click, chimp, click click click, chimp chimp...