Last week I was fortunate to have the opportunity to watch my nephew represent his home state of Western Australia in the national Under 16s Softball Championships down in Melbourne.
Of course, I took my camera along. It wasn't my usual landscape photography, but versatility is a good trait to nurture. As a matter of fact, even though I may not be able to do it as often as I like, I enjoy sports photography, and music gig photography even more so.
Why? Because there is huge energy at these events, on both a macro and micro scale. There is also a lot going on, even when everyone appears to be standing still. The long lens is a passport to this deep action.
When I have my eye pressed against the viewfinder, and am zoomed in on my subject, be it a batsman or a bassist, a pitcher or a pianist, the wider world is blocked out, and I am left with simply the subject in my view.
In many ways, it becomes an intimate relationship, and as with most relationships, up close and personal you begin to notice and recognise things...the nuanced signals of what might come next. If you can see and identify them, you can begin to anticipate the next photo.
Using the weekend's softball as an example: the tensing of the back foot before stealing a base, or the loosening of the grip before a bunt, or the change of pace and posture that signals the sprint becoming the slide to base.
It also pays to learn the flow of the game you are photographing, so you know what might come next. Try to have a grasp of the rules so that you understand why, where, and when things may occur. It's frustrating when you are focused on first base and they're stealing third. Knowing what is going on means your camera can be pointed at the action before it arrives.
Above all, be patient. I miss more shots that I get. Significantly more. Some shots I never get, and that's okay. There is so much happening, particularly when the action erupts, that it is impossible to be watching everything everywhere all at once (although that seems a good name for a movie...) Stand your ground, and wait for that shot. More often than you would think, it'll come.
Personally, I prefer to shoot a little wide as insurance, and crop later. This helps ensure that I don't miss any of the action. For the same reason, I shoot fast, as fast as I can without introducing grain or risking underexposure.
Hopefully all of these tips will help you be prepared to freeze that magic moment you are after.
Bonus tip: position yourself behind the coach if possible. Players invariably look to the coach for guidance and instruction. When I am shooting over the coaches shoulder (even if 10 metres behind them) the player effectively stares down my the barrel of my lens. It so much looks like that they are a making eye contact with me that I find myself smiling at them. I even have had to resist waving at them on occasion!
Any aspiring sports photographer would love to capture photos of Aaron Judge slugging, but let's be realistic, professional sports access is difficult, if not impossible. Amateur sports events allow you to get close to the action and hone your photographic skills, usually for nix. And you may be surprised as to how exciting your images are.
And what about the weekend's softball? Photography aside, what's not to love about watching a group of wonderful young people work in unison to achieve a common goal? Did they win? Not the championship unfortunately, but by every other measure - the passion, the effort, the energy, the elation, and managing the challenges and disappointments - they were champions.
If you are interested in seeing these young stars in action, click here
(FYI my superstar nephew is number 7!)
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