Become a Sports Photography Ace

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Sporting events are full of memorable moments, but capturing the high-speed action in your photos can be challenging. For ways you can make every picture you take a home run, read these five easy tips:

Zoom in on Your Subject
Most sports activity is going take place at a considerable distance from your camera. You may get closer to your child's winning pitch in the local park than you will in a major league baseball park, but you'll still need an optical zoom lens (set at maximum zoom) to zero in on the subject. We suggest a minimum of a 3X "optical" zoom lens (100mm equivalent or more) for field sports and a 10x zoom (500mm equivalent or more) for professional sports. However, you should avoid using the digital zoom option on your digital camera, because it lowers resolution and will reduce print quality.

Prioritize Your Shutter Speed
When your goal is to capture fast-moving action, shutter speed is key. If your camera allows you to select different shutter speeds, choose 1/125 second or faster (preferably, 1/250 or 1/500, if available.) Very fast sports, like auto racing, will require at least 1/1000 second or faster. If your camera does not have a shutter speed setting, it may give you the option of choosing Shutter or Aperture Priority modes. By choosing the Shutter Priority mode, the camera will automatically choose the fastest available shutter speed for the lighting conditions. Check your camera's user manual to determine how to choose these settings.

Pan Across the Action
You can create more motion in your pictures by using a technique called panning (following your subject with the camera). This takes a little practice, and the results are not always predictable, but your pictures will be much more creative and interesting than a standard action shot. To pan your subject, make sure that he or she will be moving across the frame of view (left to right or right to left) so the focus will remain fairly constant. Set the camera for a slow shutter speed (1/30 second) and focus on the point where you expect the subject to enter the frame. As the subject appears, squeeze the shutter button all the way down, and follow the subject with the camera, being careful to keep it level and smooth. The result should be an in-focus subject (except the extremities, which are moving at a different rate) and a blurred background.

Take Team Pictures
Most organized sports leagues set up a team picture at the beginning of the season, but as the team grows closer and develops bonds of friendship, you'll find that impromptu team photos are better at capturing memories and emotions. The first rule of a "working" team picture is to keep it informal. Don't worry about dirty knees or smudged faces, just try to keep them in uniform. If the players are wearing baseball caps, have them tilt the hat rims up (or to the side) so they don't block their faces. Seek out diffused lighting, for example cloudy weather, heavy tree cover, or early twilight when the sun won't be casting dark shadows or causing the kids to squint. Keep the posing informal and fun, with arms linked over the shoulders, rabbit ears, whatever reflects the personalities of the players, and take several pictures to ensure the best results.

Adjust for Indoor Sports
Indoor activities like gymnastics or basketball present an entirely different set of challenges. Lighting may be limited, so you won't have as much leeway when choosing exposure settings. Always keep the player you want to photograph within the optimum focus area, usually the center of the lens, and anticipate an out-of-focus background and foreground. Flash photography will definitely help in low-light situations, but make sure you're close enough to the subject for the flash to be effective (check your user's manual for flash range). Also, before using the flash, make sure there are no restrictions on flash photography during the activity. You don't want to distract the athletes!