Sports photojournalism. Sports photography

Sports photography is a hobby or profession for the most hardcore fans. Capture movement, dynamics and highlights highlights A sporting event, be it a football or hockey match, rugby, running or tennis, is not as easy as it may seem at first. If you've ever noticed photographers at a football stadium, their equipment can inspire both envy and amazement - huge lenses that require their own tripod, lots of accessories and continuous tracking of every movement.

But before you advance to the Premier League of photographers, you need to learn and best way- These are small matches and events where you can practice shooting.

What will you need?

In order to film sporting events, of course you will need a camera. A DSLR is, of course, good, but modern mirrorless cameras are sometimes faster in burst shooting. This, of course, comes from not having to constantly raise the mirror. Therefore, the fps value of mirrorless cameras is always higher. The main need, however, is the ability to manually set the shutter speed. Because you will need to shoot quickly and get clear, sharp photos.

Upon arrival at the competition site, do not forget to ask whether it is possible to film. It’s best to always stock up on resolution, and then move on to filming.

The lens must have a focal length of at least 200mm

The focal length of your lens is of fundamental importance. Since you can't shoot from right in the middle of the action, right on the field, you'll need a telephoto lens. Yes, that’s why professional photographers around stadiums have such huge lenses. In this case, the more the better. But the optimal length is exactly 200mm. You will be able to enlarge the image sufficiently, isolate the subject from the surroundings and, of course, if necessary, shoot anything - from a portrait to a group composition.

The best options for Nikon cameras are Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED AF-S VR II DX or Nikon 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR AF-S Nikkor.

It is not customary for more or less professional photographers to be reminded of this, but it is always worth noting that in photography it is extremely rare that the automatic mode comes to the rescue, and it is not without reason that we are offered a lot of manual settings. To understand how and what works, the first thing you need to do is read the instructions for the camera. Then you will be able to understand each indicator separately, and will not be at all intimidated by the concepts of ISO, aperture (or aperture), white balance, etc. So forget about automatic modes, even if they are called Sports or Action. We will need manual mode.

Use a fast shutter speed

This is a mandatory rule that should not be forgotten at all. You'll be shooting fast, fast action, so it makes sense that we'd need a fast shutter speed to get clarity and avoid shadows and blurry frames. Minimum 1/500 sec. will be enough to capture a moving object; if you set the shutter speed longer, all the associated risks will appear.

Use Aperture Priority Mode

First, let's look at the classic shooting modes that the average DSLR or mirrorless camera offers us. In addition to automatic and manual, there are also modes such as Shutter Priority and Aperture Priority.

Aperture is a value denoted as A or AV, measured in f/, or steps, and means how much light is allowed through the aperture directly onto the sensor. If you set the settings to aperture priority, the camera will automatically set the shutter speed. This is an ideal mode for shooting on a sunny day, and it is used by many professionals in sports photography. But what exactly needs to be done in order to set the aperture correctly? We need to set a high value, that is, the number should be the opposite, lower. For example, f/2.8 or f/4. This way, maximum light will hit the matrix, and for the correct exposure, the camera will independently set a short shutter speed.

Don't forget about ISO

It is clear that shutter speed and aperture are important, but the third important exposure value is ISO or light sensitivity. When we shoot in semi-automatic modes, be it aperture priority or shutter priority, we have to set the ISO manually. To do this, we take into account the location and weather conditions, and even time. For example, in sunny daytime ISO 400 is sufficient, but if the sky is overcast, ISO should be set in the range of 800-1200. You can learn more about this meaning, of course, from the instructions.

If aperture priority mode is not available, choose shutter priority mode

Why is a comfortable low angle important? It gives the frame more drama, creates an additional mood, in addition, you can not only shoot a player against the grass, you can shoot the stands, the sky or spotlights, which also allows you to get interesting angles. This technique is often used by professionals, and this is exactly what you need to learn from them right away.

You will need a tripod to stabilize and balance your camera when you are shooting from different angles and angles, especially from low heights. Therefore, make sure that the minimum tripod height is comfortable.

The Cullmann Concept One 628M OT38 tripod is convenient because its minimum working height is only 27 cm, while the maximum is 189 cm. The combination of price and quality will leave no doubt that it is ideal for shooting sports events.

The Fujifilm X-T20 is a great camera for sports photography, with all the available settings and an impressive 14fps, it makes a great companion for sporting events. In addition, the camera is equipped with long-time focusing, shoots in RAW format and has 4K video capabilities.

Duration of training - 9 months. Payment 14,000 rub. per month.

Evening groups -Classes are required to attend 2 times a week on weekdays from 19.00 to 22.00
Day groups -Classes are required to attend 2 times a week on weekdays from 14.00 to 17.00
Weekend group -Compulsory classes are held on Saturdays from 12:00 to 18:00. Diploma of professional retraining

Unique moments

Rare, and in most cases unique moments, “captured” by the lens and recorded for an infinitely long time in the form of a photograph - this is the final result of the process called photography. However, the amateur level and the result of a professional’s work are two huge differences, especially when we're talking about about sports photography!

For a sports photographer, it is important not just to capture footage of football or hockey matches, figure skating pirouettes or throws of wrestlers and knockouts of boxers, but to do it professionally - that is, with high quality. A high-quality sports photograph is not only about “having time” to capture an interesting moment, it is about the ability to clearly, brightly and competently convey in one photograph all the dynamics and emotionality of the moment! Otherwise, without professional knowledge and experience, photography in best case scenario becomes a dull faded picture.

Axioms of meaningful learning

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of good, competent photographers! But finding among them a competent specialist in the field of sports topics is a difficult task, and sometimes impossible. This complexity is partly explained by the small number educational institutions capable of implementing comprehensive specialized training programs. But by and large, a photographer who wants to specialize in sports photography is faced with a more global problem: the extreme rarity of theoretical and practical teachers who are able to convey knowledge and experience, taking into account both the traditional canons of the craft of sports photography and current changes. New shooting techniques and technologies, competent work with new equipment and, again, new requirements for the quality of images - this is what becomes available to students in our unique photography school, which has integrated the most advanced changes in the world of sports photography into the best pedagogical traditions!

Only we provide students with all the resources necessary for their comprehensive education:

• an excellent academic staff of leading teachers in the field of study “sports photography”, as well as related industries;
• knowledge-intensive educational materials;
• comfortable photo studios equipped with the latest technology.

All facets of professionalism available to our graduates

The curriculum, meticulously designed for our students, is designed for intensive but interesting learning, which results in work on a diploma with a qualification. A total of 352 academic hours, from the first lesson to the eight-hour diploma defense, include:

• four lecture topics (“Photographic equipment and photographic equipment. Optics”, “Lighting technology and accessories”, “Fundamentals of photo composition” and “Color science”);
• practical exercises ten key courses;
• specialization in six professional areas.

Unlike some training courses, our photography school does not have a formal approach to educational process aimed at obtaining an education document. We issue a diploma, upon receipt of which the graduate acquires a strong theoretical basis and confident practical skills that allow you to immediately begin professional responsibilities! For example, our students gain an excellent understanding of special camera settings for sports filming, taking sports photography workshops and participating in such critical activities as working with long lenses and tripods, as well as other paraphernalia professional activities sports photographer.

The skill of freshly trained photographers is brought to perfection by the practice of quickly transferring images to the customer, which is not taught almost anywhere!

Syllabus

Discipline	Watch	Teacher
Lectures
Photographic equipment and photographic equipment. Optics. Review of the modern camera market. Practical comparison of cameras of different types. The operating principle and basic settings of a modern camera. Selection and purchase of a new and used camera. Camera control using the example of a Canon camera. Controlling a student's camera (practice).	16	Mikhail Master Petrov Nikolay
Lighting equipment and accessories. Lighting fixtures. Tripods, filters, cases.	8	Mikhail Master
Basics of photo composition. Composition tools. Form, shaping elements. Equilibrium. The law of unity and subordination. Rhythm. Meter. Contrast. Nuance. Identity. Symmetry. Asymmetry. Statics. Dynamics. Texture. Texture. Scale. Proportionality. " Golden ratio" Module.	16	Yurkov Yu.V.
Flower science. Physics of color. Physiology of color. Color wheel. Additional colors. Complementary triads. Related colors. Contrasting and nuanced relationships. Simultaneous effects. Illusions of color. Color harmonies.	12	Yurkov Yu.V.
Practical exercises
Adobe Photoshop 2000-18. Program interface. Tone and color correction. Levels. Curves. Selecting objects. Making masks. Layers, layer masks, connecting layers. Tools. Brushes. Blending modes. Photo retouching. Collage. Fonts. Effects (filters). Plugins. Cataloging and sorting. Automation of processing. Montage images. Creation of photo books and publication layouts.	40	Petrov Nikolay Panov R.
Photo processes and photographic materials	8	Mikhail Master
Product and advertising photography. Natural perspective, gray and white boxes, catalogs and websites.	16	Kaplan Oleg
Portrait photography. Classic portrait. Psychological portrait. Studio portrait.	16

Dmitry Kurkin

IN THE RUBRIC "BUSINESS" we introduce readers to women of different professions and hobbies that we like or are simply interesting. This time Daria Konurbaeva, sports photographer and the journalist, author of the London Eye blog on sports.ru, talks about how to capture the emotions of winners and losers, football trips and how Russia is ready for the World Cup.

How to get from the fan stand to the photographers' area

In my life I never planned to be a sports journalist, much less a photographer. But it so happened that I became a football fan with all that it entails: I went to matches, went on road trips, sang songs in the stands.

I am the kind of person who always needs more and more at some point. If you like a performer, you can’t just listen to him in the player - you need to go to the concert, even if it’s in another city or country. You need to watch your favorite actor not only in the cinema, but also in the theater, and then shake his hand and say how cool he is. Read all the books and interviews with your favorite author, sign a new book at the presentation. This is not a story about closeness to idols, but about maximum emotional immersion. If something makes you so excited, then you can’t worry about it at home, you need to throw out all your internal energy on some stupid and at the same time cool actions.

Then such adrenaline struck that mom, don’t worry. Absolutely the thrill of the hunt: catch the moment

The same thing happened with football. Up until a certain stage, cheering in the stands was great, but I wanted more. At that time, Lokomotiv had a fairly popular fan site, to which I slowly began to write some texts and travel reports. I brought photos from other cities, but I realized that there weren’t enough frames of the game. And, it seems, at the match in Novosibirsk for the first time I accidentally ended up on the edge of the field with a camera. The camera then was stupid, almost a point-and-shoot camera, I almost didn’t understand how everything worked, where to stand, what frames to take. But then such adrenaline struck that mom, don’t worry. Absolutely the thrill of the hunt: to catch the moment. And that’s it, you get hooked on it like a drug.

That's how it all started to spin. I got a new camera and started shooting a lot. I trained “on the cats” - the youth team. I came to matches, some training sessions and filmed them. More for myself and to the table, but then the guys figured it out - and after each match I had a dozen personal messages: “Dash, can you send me some photos?”

About the specifics of the work of a sports photographer

I almost never made money from photography. This is a completely ridiculous story: my own versatility is ruining me. I work as both a correspondent and a photographer, so I illustrate most of the texts with my own photographs, for which no one ever pays separately. They paid five times for individual shots: they asked for shots for newspapers like “Soviet Sport”, where the fee is 2-3 thousand rubles per shot for the cover. But that was four years ago.

I mainly shoot football, because there is more of it and it is more accessible in many respects, but whenever possible I capture everything I can. Last year I photographed water scenes when the European Championships were in London. In the fall I tried tennis at the Final Tournament - it was absolutely amazing, I really want to work with him more. But in general, new species are a complex process. Starting from the specifics of the sport itself and ending with the shooting points that are given to you. Every place has its own characteristics, and I know very few photographers who are generalists and can photograph football, rowing and biathlon, for example, with equal quality. If we are talking about high-quality and artistic filming, and not just about “a man running with a ball.”

You can earn a living. Not millions - but in journalism, in principle, only a few earn millions, especially in sports. Dream job - Getty Images, of course. Nobody shoots sports better than them. It's a very good balance between pure sports photojournalism and artistry.

About professional growth

You pay more attention and time to the texts, and most of the footage goes to the table. There is some problem in this that has not yet been solved. I equally love writing texts and taking photographs, it’s a different professional thrill. Plus, this greatly simplifies the life of the editors, although they do not always realize their happiness: where in ordinary life it is necessary to send a team of a correspondent-photographer, I cope alone and provide full-fledged materials with text and pictures.

But because of this split professional personality It is impossible to grow dramatically within one genre. To start shooting better at quality, you need to work as a photographer 24/7, shoot a lot of different things, try yourself in different formats, get better at it. It’s the same story with lyrics: the more you write them, the better they turn out.

The ten thousand hour rule always works, but while I'm trying to sit on two chairs, the maximum is five thousand each. Therefore, I am not the best photographer in the world, country or even city, and not the best journalist. But the sum of these skills turns out well. At least, I don’t know another person in sports journalism in Russia who would film and write reports at a similar level to me. So that's who I am Thomas Müller (Forward of Bayern Munich and the German national team. - Ed.) from your profession. No mega strengths, all sort of clumsy, no punch, no speed - but the sum of his qualities makes him a world champion.

About moving to London and traveling

I ended up in London almost by accident. I had never been to Britain in my life, but almost suddenly I decided to go there to study, within a few months I collected all the documents and entered. I arrived in cold winter London on the third of January, and on the fifth, school had already begun. As a result, I completed eight months of pre-masters there (preparatory courses preceding the master's degree. - Ed.) and a year and a half of master's degree. At the same time, she worked as a journalist for local and Russian publications and led excursions around London.

And in two and a half years the main thing happened. First of all, I fell head over heels in love with London. Although this is not even love: you just understand that you belong to this place as much as possible. You feel good and happy in it, regardless of the weather, life's difficulties and world news, you are in it - like a piece of a puzzle that has found its place.

And secondly, I saw how beautiful sport can be. A complete aesthetic delight: the British are obsessed with sports, and any event, even boring cricket or rowing, is attended by hundreds and thousands of fans with painted faces, paraphernalia and sincere emotions on their faces. This is actually my favorite genre. I dream of someday making a big photo project about the fans of the most different types sport from the most different countries. They are all equally beautiful and similar in their experiences.

Living in England teaches you how to plan. And accreditation for matches - and I, as a rule, tie most trips to them - needs to be taken care of a couple of weeks in advance, and in principle, life is so busy that all personal schedules for the month in advance are agreed upon. I travel a lot. England is small, from London to Manchester it takes two hours by train, to Liverpool - three. It’s very convenient with football: you leave the capital early in the morning, arrive around ten or eleven, walk around the city for a couple of hours, arrive at the stadium at three - and in the evening before the train there is still enough time for a local pub and a pint of cider.

About the value of a moment caught in the lens

The championship parade in Leicester was cool, this happens once in a lifetime, but there the whole day was more valuable, there were no real mega shots. Maybe because I don’t work specifically as a photographer, I have the opportunity to choose which events to go to. Still, if you are attached to an editorial office or a photo agency, then at a certain moment you will be sent to a boring press conference, where there is not much history.

All my filming is also a story about personal experiences. So yes, everything connected with Leicester is seasoned with my emotionality. I filmed all their matches in the Champions League last year: the story is unique in itself, so each frame is a kind of record of history.

I love almost all the footage from the home match [Leicester] with Sevilla. This is, in general, the most vivid and powerful football experience in life, probably. There the chances of winning were slim, there were a lot of scandals around the team (the day before, Leicester fired coach Claudio Ranieri, who the season before had made the club the champion of England for the first time in its history. - Ed.)- and they came out and won. Favorite shot is with Marc Albrighton at the very end. He rushed towards the goal, and at the moment of the final whistle, when the game ended, Leicester won - he is still running forward, he is not slowing down, but there is already this knock-down happiness on his face. Or there - Jamie Vardy, who, after a missed moment, began to punch himself in the face. Such emotions are the very juice of any game.

In general, I don’t really like “technical” personnel, as I call them. A football player in a fight, a tennis player with a racket, a swimmer in the water - this can be photographed beautifully, but it’s all a little protocol. Why do we love sports? For emotions.

Last year I filmed the Final Tennis Tournament, and in the final it was decided who would become the first racket of the world at the end of the season: Novak Djokovic or Andy Murray. The most valuable images from that match are not the beautiful swinging of the racket, but the very moment when Andy wins match point, drops the racket - and the whole range of emotions from this is on his face. Or five minutes later, when he is already sitting on his bench, waiting for the award ceremony - and there are tears in his eyes from fatigue and emotional overstrain.

I photograph a lot of different things: travel, concerts, and do regular event reporting. But just from sports, incredible excitement turns on inside and there are even needles on the tips of your fingers. Because the Eiffel Tower has stood and will continue to stand; the concert will be given again; Speakers at an event can be asked to smile again if the shot is unsuccessful. And if you missed a goal, a shot, a jump, that’s it. There is really one chance to record history; there will be no repetitions.

On gender bias in sports journalism

Most often, the answer to the question “why was that guy entrusted with the report and not me?” lies on the plane not “because he is a man and you are not,” but “because he is the best journalist.” I don’t focus on considerations like “everyone sees me only beautiful girl and they don’t value my brain.” Plus, you can’t really emphasize with photographers: it will be physically uncomfortable for you to work in heels and with a cleavage, so you come to matches in winter in three sweaters and a hat - and who will make claims against you?

Maybe it’s because I’m so lucky with my colleagues and editors, but I’ve never heard anyone say “go cook some borscht.” On the other hand, you don’t often hear the phrases “oh, you have heavy equipment, and you’re a girl, let me help you,” but that’s not scary. We are for equality, so if I am applying for a position in the profession, then I can carry my 10–15 kg of cameras myself. Male athletes, other things being equal, will answer questions from a female journalist much more politely. When I worked at a football club, among other things, I was responsible for bringing the players out to the press after the match. Even after lost matches, there were almost never any refusals: psychologically it would have been much easier for them to send a guy from the press service, but you wouldn’t be particularly rude to a girl.

With recognition, by the way, everything is easier. There are hundreds and thousands of guys who write about football. There are dozens of girls. Both readers and colleagues remember you much faster and better - precisely because “what a miracle!” And then it’s up to you whether you back up this recognition with the quality of your work or not.

About the Confederations Cup and preparations for the World Cup in Russia

Honestly, I didn’t intend to work on it at all and planned to ignore this tournament and the World Cup with all my might. next year. Such an old story, dating back to the times of Sochi: they say, a big tournament is great, but “this is Russia, everything is not ready, we will be embarrassed, I don’t want to be part of this shame.”

And then I unexpectedly found myself in Moscow on the dates of the tournament, quite by accident I acquired accreditation two weeks before the tournament, although the official acceptance of applications ended in the winter. Quite unexpectedly I was called to a special reporting project. And it turned out that the Confederations Cup is excellent and wonderful. Everyone was worried that no one needed football in Russia, that the stadiums were half empty. But it seems that the average attendance of 39 thousand spectators is a success.

I was lucky because the first city was Kazan, where it’s delicious, beautiful, authentic - and they know how to hold sports tournaments. I told all my colleagues who happened to be based in Tatarstan: “You are incredibly lucky.” Since the Universiade and the World Aquatics Championships, Kazan has taught volunteers to work quickly and positively, and police officers to speak a little English and smile. They say that in St. Petersburg and Sochi it was a little worse, so before the World Cup I would advise all host cities to go to Kazan and urgently learn from them.

Foreign fans spoke best about the organization: they were surprised at the friendliness and good level of security, and complained about the language barrier and difficulties with transport logistics. The main impression: how many people came and arrived. Fifteen thousand Chilean fans, several thousand Mexicans - and hundreds, hundreds of thousands of locals who came to football for the first time in their lives.

My most vivid impression of Euro 2016 in France was the fan zone in Paris. I arrived there on the opening day, when all the fans were just gathering in the capital and leaving from there. And here on the huge field in front of the Eiffel Tower are fans from all 24 countries. Drunk, already sunburnt, singing songs, fraternizing. My favorite moment of any tournament: when everything is about to begin, everyone is in anticipation, but there are still no scandals, no problems, no losers and winners.

Today we will talk about one of the most interesting types of reporting - sports photography. We will look at what features of sports reporting need to be taken into account and what you should remember when photographing sporting events, and also discuss the technical side of sports photography.

Text: Innokenty Nesterenko

Key Features of Sports Photography

Almost all the rules that work for reporting will also be relevant for filming sporting events. Sports in general are extremely rewarding material for reporting. Here you will find entertainment, an abundance of events, and vivid emotions (both among the athletes themselves and among the spectators, coaches and other participants). Most likely, you won’t have to painfully look for an object to shoot - you’ll just have to carefully look around.

If the result of the shooting is not one, but a series of frames, this will make it possible to more fully reveal the story, unfold it in time (for example, like this: preparation for the race, start, excitement in the stands, tension and development, turning point, finale and denouement, someone some are rejoicing, others are indignant). In addition, sporting events are a fertile field for taking portraits.

What is the difficulty of sports photography?

LACK OF CONTROL
First of all, in sports photography, as in almost any reporting, you cannot influence the event. The photographer has only the right of the viewer.

TIME LIMIT
Secondly, the photographer is limited in time. You can neither stop the action nor repeat it. If you missed a moment, then you missed it completely and irrevocably.

SPEED!
Third point: speed. As a rule, any reportage shooting, and especially sports shooting, is associated with quite active actions, and an interesting moment for shooting is really a “moment”, and not a multi-hour action (compare with landscape shooting, where the change of the object occurs, as a rule, at speed movement of the sun across the sky).

SHOOTING POINT
In addition, in sports photography, it is especially important to think about the shooting point in advance, because at the decisive moment it will be too late to change the shooting position and precious time will be lost.

LIGHTING
Depending on the nature of the event, when shooting indoors, the problem of insufficient lighting or “bad” artificial light will need to be addressed. When shooting in open spaces, the lighting may also not be entirely suitable, both in intensity and direction. But it is either impossible to illuminate distant objects with a flash, or this will require synchronization systems that are beyond the scope of our discussion in complexity.

TECHNICAL ISSUE: USING A TRIPOD AND/OR MONOPODE, HEAVY EQUIPMENT
Despite short shutter speeds, for high-quality photographs at a long focus, it is necessary to use a tripod or monopod - this helps both to eliminate movement and to save the photographer’s effort, because it is very difficult to hold a heavy lens suspended for hours.

Personal view of the event

In reportage photography, the influence of the photographer’s author’s view is difficult to overestimate. It is the photographer’s choice of “what and how to shoot” that will create a joyful or tragic atmosphere, allow you to laugh at the participants or sympathize with them, or even allow you to see funny details outside the “main action”.

See how two photographers see the same sport differently.

Sergey Ilnitsky

Like any viewer, the photographer will have his own impression of what is happening - perhaps different from others. Here, however, you need to again remember the purpose of the shooting: if this is a personal creative shooting, then the author’s view and originality of self-expression will be strong point. If this is a commercial shoot, where the goal is to show the event as accurately and clearly as possible, then it is important not to overdo it with the author’s view and artistic approach.

Sometimes you have to choose between accurately conveying what is happening and the author's view of the world. However, here there is always room for a successful combination of the first and second. It is rare, original author's photos that will be the best among all reportage ones.

In the examples below: the author of the photo did not just press the camera button while sitting in the front rows of the stands. Obviously, he thought through the entire shooting in advance, starting from the shooting point and ending with the selection of special equipment. You can see the result for yourself.

Shooting point, general and private plan. Additional Lenses

An interesting shot is one that will show either different plans or the most advantageous angle for a given event. Since it is not always possible to photograph an event from different plans, the photographer must think well in advance about what to shoot, where and how. Consider your technical and physical capabilities, weather, and situation. Remember also that when choosing a shooting point, you choose not only the angle, but also the background.

Adam Pretty

A close-up is always interesting to the viewer, because... is beyond perception: even those who were personally present at the same championship rarely view what is happening through optics as powerful as the one on your camera.

A wide shot is the best way to convey the overall atmosphere.

Individual portraits and details will always decorate a photo report and make it more interesting for the viewer.

Additional cameras and lenses will give you more shooting options (including changing wide or narrow shots on the spot). Cons: if you are not a professional photographer, you will have to learn to juggle equipment in conditions where time is short and you need to quickly choose what and how to shoot. A separate skill that can be developed through practice is the ability to think through the scene, light and plot in a timely manner, and to put the right lens on the camera in advance if you shoot with one camera and constantly change different lenses.

You may ask, why such complexity? If working with multiple lenses is so difficult, why do I need it? So I bought a good zoom, it does a great job!

You will be partly right, but only partly. As usual, there is no universal answer. On the one hand, a universal zoom is easier to use. However, several primes or specialized zooms will give you a much greater range of shooting capabilities. A good short-focus prime lens (perhaps even a fish-eye lens) will allow you to shoot very wide plans, and also, due to its good aperture, will allow you not to raise the ISO even when shooting indoors. A long lens will allow you to catch good close-ups - and when reporting sports events, this can be critical, because When photographing sports, it is usually problematic to physically get close to the subject.

Seize the moment

Sport is almost always some kind of action (we are not talking about filming chess championships), movement. However, we are not shooting videos. Our task is to catch and stop the key moment, as well as to see important details in everything that is happening.

Above, we have already mentioned speed as one of the features of reportage photography. When talking about filming a sports report, you need to take into account that all the most interesting things usually happen at the same time. You could be as bored as you wanted during a not-so-spectacular match. Five minutes before the end of the game - and suddenly a tense moment! Right now, when the decisive goal is scored, you want to simultaneously film how the goalkeeper beautifully flies into the mud without having time to grab the ball, and how the coach of one team rejoices simultaneously with one half of the stadium, and how the coach of the other team goes crazy and tears out his hair , and so on - all at the same time, and with every second everything changes.

And the photographer needs not only to see everything, but also to some extent predict it. The ability to predict events is generally one of the features of reportage photography. And the more experience you have, the better you see the process and the more successfully you can build your shots.

To avoid missing an interesting shot, try keeping your eyes open—literally, both eyes. Usually, when looking into the lens, we close our other eye, this makes it easier to “aim.” An open second eye will allow you to notice with peripheral vision in time if something special starts to happen somewhere off to the side.

Obviously, you can “seize the moment” without the help of sophisticated technology. It is important to understand what is happening, to think possible options developments and be ready to react quickly at the right moment. Photographer Dmitry Donskoy, in one of his interviews about a very successful, but almost accidentally taken frame, answers the question of how he managed to do it: “And there is only one plane. This means that it was necessary to focus on the middle of the goal, a little closer to the post farthest from me. And I took care of this in advance.”

Strictly speaking, “too smart” technology often even interferes: it relaxes us, makes us believe in the illusion that we don’t have to strain, that a magic button will do everything for us. However, it would be foolish not to take advantage of the convenient opportunities now available. For example, the burst function is incredibly useful when shooting sports. Our advice: more practice in different modes and with different settings in order to “test” both the capabilities of the technology and your own capabilities.

Speaking of burst shooting settings, practice with your camera beforehand and explore its capabilities. Please note that there are two types of burst shooting, “burst” and “continuous”. In Russian, both (burst/continuous) are called serial shooting, but they have a big difference. In continuous mode (literally - continuous), shooting takes place continuously at 3-5 frames per second, at full resolution, usually without limiting the length of the series. And in burst mode, the camera takes about 30 pictures per second at a lower resolution, then stops to save the photos.

What makes a good sports photo?

CLARITY

Sports photography, like photography in general, is first and foremost a story. Before, during and after shooting, when selecting, go through the following points:

• Like any story, your photo story should show very clearly to the viewer: what happened, how, when, with whom. Can you answer the question “what’s going on here” yourself based only on the photo?
• If there are winners in a given sport, show who won and how. Are the winners visible in your photos?
• If the emotions and experiences of the participants are important, show them;
• Think in advance what will be critical when filming this particular sport - obviously, filming at a hippodrome will be significantly different from filming synchronized swimming;
• What is more effective in this case: to create a photo story from a series of photographs, or is one frame enough? Justify.

Vladimir Vyatkin

One photo:

EXPRESSIVENESS

The result of good photography will be more than just a bunch of frames recording events. You are an artist, not a pathologist. Good photography conveys emotions, atmosphere, and allows the viewer to join the participants in this event. And achieving this is not as easy as it might seem at first glance.

Take another look at the examples above. Agree, we, the audience, don’t have to guess what’s happening in the frame. We instantly see deep emotions, all the subtleties of human experiences. And if we ourselves have such experience - passion, hope, despair, anger or fatigue from hard physical work aimed at results and victory - we will join the heroes of the photo. We can sympathize with them if the emotions are difficult, or rejoice with them if it is the joy of victory. Moreover, looking at an expressive photograph, we not only emotionally join the characters, we cannot avoid it.

Please note: expressiveness is a characteristic of both each individual photograph and the series as a whole. The mere fact of shooting in a “series” will not add expressiveness. Always ask yourself the question, why is this or that detail needed in the frame, what does it convey? Why is this or that photograph needed in the series, does it help or hinder? And notice: in the example series above, each individual image in the series is expressive and powerful on its own, even taken out of context. It will not tell us the whole story, but it will convey both emotion and mood.

COMPLETENESS

Below is an example of a series of frames - another work by Vladimir Vyatkin under the general title “Fall”. At first glance, it seems that some frames are unnecessarily repeating each other. However, as soon as you try to cut it down and throw out the “seemingly superfluous”, you realize that there is no superfluous here. Each frame works for the overall result, adding its part to the overall story.

Vladimir Vyatkin

This example is about a series of frames dedicated to one episode at a horse race. However, the series can reflect the entire event as a whole. In this case, to complete the series, you will need to think through as much as possible in advance - which characters are important, which points of action will be key, and what cannot be missed. By supplementing the shooting with optional characteristic details, you will receive a versatile and truly complete, in-depth photo report.

To get the most out of this type of shooting, use a wide range of tools and capabilities. Shoot from different distances and angles, take different plans, dilute the wide shot with personal portraits. The wider your range, the more interesting and better the shooting will be. And most importantly: this is the only way to truly deeply and completely cover the material. For an example, look at this photo report about stuntmen.

QUALITY PICTURE

Even the most technically perfect shot does not automatically become a good photograph. Modern technology simplifies the task of shooting sports significantly: autofocus will capture the desired depth of field. A zoom lens allows you to spend less time jumping around the stands in search of the best shooting point. The rate of fire of the camera and lens allows you to make a large number of takes at great speed, simplifying the task of “capturing the moment.” In Photoshop, you can retouch some errors after shooting. Look at the photos in stock databases. A huge number of technically good, monotonous and faceless photographs. It seems that the “correct” moments were captured, and everything was perfectly focused - but the photographs for the most part do not catch the viewer in any way.

Here are a few examples of sports photos taken before the era of mass digital photography.

Martin Munkacsi

Alexander Abaza

Other successful examples: modern shooting.

Adam Pretty

Wei Seng Chen (Sumatra)

Obviously, in terms of color, clarity and technical quality modern photographs differ strikingly. At the same time, professionals of all times are well aware of the laws of composition and framing. The image is balanced, the picture is beautiful - nothing superfluous. There are no empty, “failed” zones.

Technical Parameters

SHUTTER SPEED-APERTURE-ISO

On digital cameras With preset shooting modes, as a rule, there is also a “sport” mode. Usually this is an extremely high ISO and the lowest possible shutter speed, that is, settings corresponding to shooting the most popular sports - running, jumping. However, our goal is not just to use the robot’s capabilities, but to independently control the situation.

Firstly, the sport itself can be very different (compare: hockey, billiards, triathlon, rally, skydiving). Secondly, the conditions for filming the same event may differ. Let's take, say, running: the settings will depend on whether the event is taking place outdoors or indoors, artificial or natural light, what possibilities there are for the location of the shooting point relative to the runners, what your goal is (an artistic photo, an emotional portrait, a spectacular long shot for photo report about the event).

In short, we think about the goal and select the appropriate parameters. Most likely, you will need the following settings: maximum ISO level (not the maximum available for the camera, but the maximum based on shooting conditions), minimum shutter speed, and “shutter priority” shooting mode.

Artem Goloshchapov

Vladimir Vyatkin

EQUIPMENT: LENSES, TRIPODS, MONOPODS

We can talk a lot about the value of the author's view, but the harsh reality is this: in sports photography, it is the technical quality of the image that is most often important. The viewer will always be less interested in the bokeh and more interested in the number of the winning horse at the race.

So here it is especially important to choose the fastest possible lens (or several lenses). The “sports” category includes fast, long-focus lenses. An additional wide-angle lens will help capture more details and show the general plan (many people even like fish-eye).

When shooting at a long focus, you need to be especially careful to avoid vibration (the longer the focus, the greater the impact of any vibrations on image quality). To avoid blur due to shaky hands, try to choose a shutter speed faster than 1/focal length. That is, at a focal length of 200mm you need to shoot with a shutter speed of 1/300 or shorter.

Some tips on this topic:

• Pay attention to lenses with built-in stabilizers; they allow you to significantly increase the permissible shutter speeds (3-5 stops);
• If you have the opportunity to purchase a faster lens (allowing you to shoot at slower shutter speeds), don’t skimp, the result will justify the cost;
• Please note that a long lens always means significant additional weight. Take a tripod, monopod, or think of some kind of stand for the camera already in place. It might be worth taking a closer look at lenses with monopod mounts;
• Using a monopod not only frees up your hands, but also speeds up the camera's autofocus.

One of the ways to reduce vibration when shooting.

There are also external rings with a socket for attaching to a monopod.

FOCUS MODES

We usually shoot static scenes in the “One Shot AF” focusing mode. We chose a composition, pressed the shutter button halfway, autofocus focused the lens, and locked the focus at the desired distance. Then we can adjust the composition if desired by moving the lens and pressing the shutter button all the way. This mode also has a useful bonus - it does not allow you to take a picture if you fail to focus at all (as a rule, a special indicator blinks).

Focus mode selection menu

To shoot more dynamic objects, you need to master AI SERVO AF. In fact, this is the same One Shot AF, only without focus locking. The lens automatically refocuses whenever the distance between the camera and the subject changes.

However, be careful: in this mode, you can take a photo even when the lens has not yet focused. In addition, if any moving object appears between the camera and the subject, the lens can focus on the object located closer to the camera. Be also prepared for the fact that in AI Servo AF mode the camera will not provide any light or sound signals indicating successful focusing.

There is a slight delay between the lens focusing and the shutter releasing. Although it is measured in fractions of a second, it should be taken into account when photographing fast moving objects - for example, a racing car at a speed of 160 km/h travels approximately 4.5 m in 1/10 s. This means that while the car might be in focus when the shutter button is pressed, it may not be in focus when the shutter itself opens.

Many cameras solve this problem with predictive focusing technology. The camera measures the distance to the subject each time the lens refocuses. By analyzing this data, the camera can calculate the speed and direction of the object's movement. It then extrapolates the information received to determine where the subject will be when the shutter is released. The camera then refocuses the lens at the calculated distance so that the subject is in focus at the time of exposure.

A FEW FINAL TIPS

• Shoot sports in jpeg, not raw. Firstly, it will save space on the card when shooting in bursts (and it’s very disappointing to run out of free space five minutes before the end!) Secondly, recording raw can significantly slow down the camera when shooting in bursts;
• Let's repeat: don't count on flash. Almost everything interesting will happen beyond its capabilities. In addition, its use may be officially prohibited by competition rules;
• Size matters! Choose a lens with a long focal length. You will definitely need it. If you can afford it, take 300-400mm (residents of large cities can use photo rentals). If not, let it be a good fast zoom of the order of 80-200mm;

• Be aware of your surroundings. Shoot general plans and side details outside the game;

To get truly high-quality footage from a sporting event that will reflect best moments, you should use the services of a sports photographer:

• This will allow you to conduct a sports photo shoot comfortably and in a relaxed atmosphere;
• The resulting photographs will reflect important points and will preserve the memory of them for many years;
• The photographer will choose a good angle for shooting in order to get successful pictures;
• You won't have to worry about missing out on the best moments.

Professional and amateur sports give us some of the best emotions. You can save them by taking photographs, inviting one of best photographers Moscow.

How to choose a photographer for a sporting event?

Use the search in our catalog. Here you can set the necessary parameters to quickly find the specialist you are interested in. After studying the portfolio and reviews on our website, you can make optimal choice photographer for your sporting event. The contact information posted on the catalog pages will help you contact the photographer you like. A sports photo shoot will be successful, and the pictures will delight you if you entrust this work to a professional in the field of sports.