Sports Photography Equipment
There are a number of key factors in capturing an unforgettable sports photograph. Having an eye for what makes a brilliant picture, being focused and being in the right position at the right time, are all important. However all the forward planning and talent in the world cannot complete a photograph if you don't have the right equipment.
Because there are many different sports played in different arenas and on different sized pitches, fields and courts, a range of different lenses, flashes, cameras and other electrical equipment is needed.
Shutter speeds and apertures are the dynamic duo of sports photography. A fast shutter speed lets in less light than a slow one so a fast shutter speed needs a bigger aperture to correctly light the image. The reverse is also true for slow shutter speeds, they will need a smaller aperture.
Shutter speeds are measured in fractions of a second in a 2:1 scale starting with 1 second. The scale runs 1 second, 1/2 second, down to the fastest speed of 1/8000 second.
Aperture settings are also measured on the same scale. There is no 'right' combination of shutter speed and aperture it depends on the situation and the desired effect of the photo.
If you were taking a photograph of an athlete in action, you would need to employ a fast shutter speed to freeze the action. This fast speed needs to be combined with the correct aperture to expose the image correctly.
All equipment has its pros and cons. Sports photography equipment is usually quite expensive and represents a significant investment in your career, there is truth in the saying though, that you get what you pay for.
For a professional sports photographer, the following equipment is commonly used;
- 2 or 3 top of the line digital cameras
- At least five extra batteries
- 1 extreme wide angle lens (14 mm)
- 1 wide angle zoom lens (17-35 mm)
- Monopod camera stand
- Tripod camera stand
- Telephoto zoom 70-200
- Fast telephoto 300 mm
- Fast long telephoto 400 mm
- Teleconverter
- 2 flashes
- Other lighting equipment
- Computer with appropriate photographic software
- Protective wet weather gear
- Storage cases.
This may seem like a lot of equipment and if you are wondering if you can do without some of it, consider what you see when you attend a major sporting event.
If you attend a football game you are likely to see photographers with very large lenses on the side lines. These may be 300 mm or longer and they need fast shutter speeds on long lenses to get freeze frame and clear shots.
For games played at night fast lenses with large apertures that let in a lot of light will create the best photos in these conditions.
In the case of basketball, photographs taken from above the rim as someone slam dunks, require a remote trigger. Gymnastics is usually considered to be a non flash event so you will need to consider what lens and shutter speed will be needed to adapt to the indoor lighting and dynamics.
To save injured backs and sore shoulders, monopods and tripods are a must, as large lenses, cameras and flashes can all be heavy. Monopods and Tripods are also the best way to ensure a steady camera and well focused shots. As many sports are played outside wet weather gear is one of the cheaper pieces of equipment that will prove absolutely priceless over time.
As most sports photography is digital these days, a modern computer with lots of memory space to accommodate high resolution pictures as well as photo editing programs such as Photoshop have become an integral part process.
Knowing what equipment is needed for what events is as important as having the right equipment. As is maintaining the equipment and updating it when necessary.
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Sports Photography Equipment
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