Sports photography is a lot of fun! Sports photography requires a degree of mental sharpness, so that you can quickly and successfully analyze the scene, as well as technical proficiency.

Sports photography is a lot of fun! Sports photography requires a degree of mental sharpness, so that you can quickly and successfully analyze the scene, as well as technical proficiency. One of the best sports photography tips is: you no longer need the professional's specialized equipment unless, well, you are going to be a professional at it. Action sports photography can now be engaged in by the "common man" with the advent of the digital camera.

Shutter speed.

Shutter speed is how long your shutter remains open, allowing light and detail to be recorded. Often times you’ll want to freeze the action so that your subject is dead sharp in the image, while other times you may want to create a blurred image, which communicates motion. To freeze the action, you’ll want to use as fast a shutter speed as possible, preferably over 1/500 sec, while a slower shutter speed, usually under 1/30 sec and slower will give you a blurred subject. Which technique to use will depend on what kind of image you want to create.

Panning.

When photographing a subject that is moving past you, use the panning technique. Panning works with automatic focus, but it only works when the action is moving in a fairly straight line. Here’s how to pan:

Set the camera to Autofocus. With feet planted firmly on the ground, move the upper half of your body while following the subject with your camera. Just before the anticipated action that you want to capture occurs, start pressing the shutter release button and continue following the subject until you’ve pressed the button all the way down and the camera gets the shot. Autofocus too slow on your camera? Focus on an area of contrast, such as the number on a uniform.

Tell a Story.

Look for shots that tell a story of the event. When you can take shots that involve wider angles of the playing field or close ups of an athlete's face in the heat of action, you are telling stories.

I hope these tips help you get started on your sports photography. Keep practicing, and soon you will get much better!