Lens Extender

Sports Photography Tips from a Pro

2010-03-07T23:30:17-05:00

Here's a good interview of John Todd, a professional sports photographer. The "one handed grab" technique is especially intriguing to me

Capture a Few "Behind the Net" Shots

2010-03-07T21:25:29-05:00

This shot was taken from behind the net at a terribly lit indoor soccer facility. I was able to stand very close to the net (which is something normally not allowed). Standing close to the net allowed me to almost completely blur the net in this image. Capturing this direct perspective was very appealing to me as a soccer photographer. The lack of light in this facility, however, was very problematic. This shot was taken at ISO 6400 with a Nikon D700 and 70-200 f/2.8 lens. The shutter speed and aperture were manually set at 1/400s and f/2.8 respectively

Nikon D700 Changes Indoor Sports Photography

2010-02-21T19:39:26-05:00

I've heard for some time now that the ISO performance of Nikon's D700 (and D3) dlsr is just outstanding. Well.... I can honestly report that the hype about the camera is true. I used a D700 attached to a Nikon 300mm f/2.8 lens to capture these indoor soccer photos. With my D300, these photos with this level of low noise would have been all but impossible at this indoor facility. These photos were taken in aperture priority using the D700 at f/2.8. The shutter speed for the top photo was 1/1000s. The shutter speed for the bottom photo was 1/500s....

A Video Highlighting Professional Sports Photographers at Work

2010-02-16T13:37:49-05:00

This is a really cool video showing 2 professional football photographers capturing the action during the Super Bowl.

Facial Expressions are your Best Friend

2009-11-18T18:02:45-05:00

Parents may not like facial expressions like this, but as a sports photographer these types of facial expressions are golden. Remember, you'll only capture action like this if you continue to shoot after the action is complete.

Sports Photos Good Enough for Use by the Press

2009-11-15T18:55:27-05:00

Several years ago I was asked by a local newspaper to provide a few photos for a high school soccer game they didn't have the resources to cover with a photographer. I submitted about 20 photos from the game including the 3 above. These were my favorite shots from this game. Yet none of these were chosen to be included in the published piece. In fact the photo that was actually chosen was a photo of one of the more well known players participating in the game. Remember, if you're shooting photos for the press, don't forget to capture the...

The Magic of Sports Photography in the Rain

2009-11-12T23:40:44-05:00

If you've read this blog long enough, then you know I like the imagery of sports photography in the rain. For this photo, I used the Monochrome Mixer that's part of the Apple Aperture 2.1 to create the "almost" monochrome appearance. Apple Aperture 2.1.1

Don't Forget the Scenery Surrounding your Sports Photography

2009-11-11T20:13:45-05:00

A few years ago, I was photographing a girls soccer game just after a rainfall. While capturing some of the action like in the first top photo above, I also captured this interesting rainbow that formed during the game.

Capturing the Amusing Sports Photos

2009-11-09T22:03:00-05:00

It pays to shoot lots of photos when you're taking sports photos. After all, it's only digital. It really doesn't cost you anything to shoot as many photos as you can. The benefit for holding down that shutter release button is you'll capture some very interesting sports shots that you really can't plan for.

Camera Settings for Night Sports Photography

2009-11-08T22:17:25-05:00

One of the more challenging sports photography environments is capturing shots at night under stadium lights. Getting the camera settings correct can be difficult. You have to worry about getting fast shutter speeds, proper exposure, good colors and low noise levels. The most critical choice for attaining even decent night sports shots will be your lens choice. Unfortunately, fast lenses (f/2.8 or faster) are a requirement. These types of lenses are generally expensive - particularly those lenses that also provide generous reach. The photo above was captured using a 300mm f/2.8 lens. Yes, this is an expensive lens. You can...