Tips for student photographers

So, let’s get into it.

Equipment

The simple fact of the matter is, you don’t the need the most expensive, most recent, best camera body and lens. Sure, it’s easy to have what I call “camera envy,” which I had when I started my career with the Daily Journal used this rinky-dink digital camera. I felt like a schmuck standing shoulder to shoulder with photographers with pro equipment.

Eventually, the newspaper updated my gear to pro grade and I’ve been using the same setup for ... I can’t even remember now.

All that being said, any camera will do. I’ve even used the camera on my cellphone in an emergency and managed to get something usable for the newspaper. The camera is simply a tool and the operator will have a bigger impact on any photo you take. I once saw a kid that the had the latest and greatest rig — 3D this, locking focus that. Must have been about a 10 grand setup (considering a pro-level lens sets you back more than $2,000, it doesn’t take long to spend a ton of money). I guarantee I took better pictures than he did because I know what I’m doing.

There is one caveat: if you plan to photograph night games outside, like for football, you will need a camera and lens combination that will allow you shoot in low light situations. If not, your options are limited.

Positioning

This is probably the most important aspect of sports photography. First of all, stop taking photos of the line of scrimmage when football teams line up for the snap, unless you’ve been specifically instructed to do so. It’s a nothing shot. Boring.

Student photographers have the bonus of just focusing on their school’s team so position yourself so you can get pictures with the play and players coming at you. The goal is getting a shot of the athlete’s face.

No photos of backs or butts. There are cases when you can use them if the action is spectacular, but just remember this saying, “get good face.”

Also, especially at football games, do not sit down or lay down anywhere near the team. You will get trampled. On a football sideline, players have to stay between the 25-yard lines. If you do want to sit, do it outside that area.

But also keep in mind if you’re sitting, it’s going to be tough to get out of the way if there is a tackle out of bounds. I’ve never been rolled up yet, knock on wood.

Know the game/know your team

This might be the most important tip. A lot of sports photography is anticipation and knowing the game makes it easier to anticipate. In baseball, for example, if there is a runner on first with less than two outs, I’ll train my lens on second base for two reasons: one, there is a chance for a steal. The other is a chance to get a picture of the defense turning a double play.

As for knowing your team, is your school’s football team a running or passing one? Knowing this can get you in position to get a shot of the running back breaking off a big run or the quarterback throwing a bomb downfield. Does the basketball team like to run or set up in a half court offense? If you don’t know these things, learn them.

Get your stock shot out of the way first. While everyone wants the incredible shot, you’re better off making sure you have something usable before going on to set up the perfect picture. For football, get a solo shot of the quarterback, offensive/defensive linemen blocking, the running back. In tennis and volleyball, getting a shot of the serve is an easy one. Baseball and softball? The pitcher in their windup. For basketball, you can get a picture of a free throw or a pass.

Get something “in the can” and then you can experiment and take chances.

Edit on the fly

If you’re doing thing right, you should be taking a lot of photos. Depending on the game, I’ll take 100 to 200 pictures. The key, however, is getting rid of the ones you know are no good. I was previously told by a photographer that this was called “chipping.” So whenever you have some down time, go through and delete the pictures you know you will never use — the ones with cluttered action, blurry ones, ones where you got a picture of someone’s foot instead of their face.

Now, when you download your pictures, you have a few dozen good ones and, of that batch, you’ll have a handful of great ones. You don’t want to sift through hundreds of photos you don’t have to.

Dealing with obstructions

Unlike professional sports where there are specific areas for photographers to ply their trade, at the high school level, you’re usually shooting on the outskirts of the venue. Baseball and softball are the most difficult because most of the time, you’re shooting from behind a chainlink fence. The best thing to do is simply stick your camera lens right up against the fence and aim through an opening.

For tennis and volleyball, the nets can be problematic. I have found that if you raise the camera up a little bit, get an automatic focus on the player, you can better capture the action. I’ll be honest, those are the two hardest sports to shoot, for me anyway.

So there you have it. Some of the lessons I’ve learned over the last couple decades of sports photography. I find it to actually be one of the more enjoyable aspects of my job and when you get a great shot, there is a lot of satisfaction.

Happy shooting!

Nathan Mollat can be reached by email: nathan@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: 344-5200 ext. 117. To report scores or tips, email sports@smdailyjournal.com.