InFocusKansas Loc: Chanute, KS

I am a sports photographer looking for input/opinions. When shooting action shots do you pan with the action or do you focus on the intended location and let the action develop there?

Quixdraw Loc: x

If you post here you'll probably get the best info. https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/s-103-1.html

Brokenland

As an ex-SCCA member, I would set up on differant parts of the track and take pictures from differant view/vantage points some where spot on while other where tracking. it's very difficult to convey what the car is doing while driving around the track. I suppose the same holds true if you're taking pictures of a game. When tracking the subject is added, you will gets some blurring bokeh in the back ground instead of a static blur typical of a bokeh type lens. You're main concern is to make sure you're lens has the correct setting and lighting need as not to wash out the subject. otherwise those viewing your image would see it as merely a sports portrait.

Jules Karney Loc: Las Vegas, Nevada

Pan with the action using af-c continuous focusing. Set up your camera with back button focusing. There are many tutorials on youtube to show you how to do this.
Next time please post in sports photography. Good luck and be safe.

InFocusKansas Loc: Chanute, KS

Thanks Jules. I have been shooting for about two years and use both techniques. Some are more successful. I will take any suggestions submitted. There are no irrelevant answers in my book. Thanks again for the response.

Jules Karney Loc: Las Vegas, Nevada

Glad to help anytime. I have been shooting for 50 years so don't be afraid to ask.
Above all else is to practice a lot.

InFocusKansas Loc: Chanute, KS

Thanks for the location.

InFocusKansas Loc: Chanute, KS

Thanks. I will use you as a sounding board.

Thomas902 Loc: Washington DC

"...When shooting action shots do you pan with the action..." InFocusKansas always... I hand hold (or monopod) all action imagery... This has worked well for my visual statement... Others my have a different take on this. Depends on if I'm showcasing the client then I will choose a high SS to assure a high degree of acuity... However if I'm simply shooting editorial then I use a relatively low SS (1/15 to 1/60).

Again it totally depends on the visual statement you're after...

Hope this helps InFocusKansas
Please stay safe.

Editorial Statement... Low SS...

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Client Portraiture... High SS

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billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

You say your a sports photographer yet your asking about a basic question that all sports photographers already know.
Any way, I will bite,
1. Use continuous auto focus
2. If you shoot Nikon, use GROUP AUTO FOCUS, if Sony, use middle ZONE, if you shoot Canon, I can't help you.
3. Shoot at least at 1/1000 sec. 1/2000 sec. is much better
4. You could use aperture priority like I use
5. Shoot manual
6. Lock on to your subject and follow it, as you shoot while following the subject, DO NOT STOP MOVING THE CAMERA AS YOU SHOOT. Two many folks stop moving the camera when they press the shutter, keep the camera moving.
7. Almost every digital camera made today can track and keep the subject in focus as you follow it.
8. If your shooting bikes coming over a hill and you want to get them up in the air, pre focus on the top of the hill they will be coming over so your ahead of the game, then as the bikes come over the hill toward you, you will be close to the correct focus distance and your camera can make the quick adjustment to lock on to the subject.
9. Always keep your camera on the subject, never take it off after you have locked on.
10. And finally, since you are a sports photographer, you already know this.
Good luck and keep on shooting until the end.

joecichjr Loc: Chicago S. Suburbs, Illinois, USA

Awesome captures 💞💢❤️💢💞

Jules Karney Loc: Las Vegas, Nevada

Very nice shooting Thomas. Your the man..

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

"Sports photography" is a very general term and there are techniques that are universal and some more specific to certain sports.

I find the most useful and important aspect of sports shooting is being able to anticipate the action and strategize accordingly. Understanding the sport is not completely mandatory but extremely advisable for best results. Even if you know nothing about a sport you can shoot instinctively when you see interesting plays and excaitng action. If you, however, know the game, the rules, the players and the various strategies, you are ahead of the game.

For a few years, I worked on staff for a daily newspaper and oftentimes I was assigned to sports I was not familiar with. If I knew assignments like that were in the offing, I would go out with a more experienced staffer or, at least try to attend a game or a race to get the feel of the action.

Growing up in the U.S. I was familiar with baseball, football basketball, track and field, and boxing. I have been shooting that stuff since high school. When I came to work in Canada there were lots of soccer, rugby, hockey, curling, and Highland Game events.

As for FOCUS- the technique again is dependent on the sport and image you want to capture. With today's auto-focus menu choice can select the best mode for the type of action, Years ago before auto-focus I would sometimes pre-focus at a certain point on a race track and wait for the runner, car or horse to enter that zone. Lately, I do lots of boxing and martial arts shooting. At ringside, I can use a wide-angle lens- I might use one of my older lenses with a focusing scale and just preset for the hyperfocal distance and let DOP take care of the rest. I know that old-fashion sports finders are a thing of the past but I made one for my Canan DSLR gear so I can pre-focus and shoot by using an improvised wire-sports finder. I can see action before it enters the fame and shoot faster and more precisely as to peak action.

So, everyone is offering good suggestions about auto-focus modes, and shutter speeds but there are a few BASICS that kinda slipped through. The direction of the action as to angle affects shutter speed choice as well as focal length, and distance. You might find the attached chart and explanation handy. It's old school but important.

I still like to try to anticipate the peak of action and shoot precisely rate than spray and pray. On someof my older DSLRs there is a 1/7 sec human/mechanical refleex lag- that means there is a slight delay in when you see the peak of action, you squeeze the shutter release and there may be a tiny delay until the image lands on the film or sensor. After some practice, you get to automatically compensate the that.

As for panning with the action, I find it effective to "follow-through, that is, continue panning a bit after the exposure just t ensure a consistent pan.

A few years ago, a friend of mine was shooting pro-basketball with high-powered electronic flas. The borough in 3 2400 watt-second Speedotrons- hung the lamphead in the rafter and shot. Great shots- no grain or noise, lower ISO, smaller apertures, crazy DOP and you cou see the pores in the player's skin. !/1000 sec fals duration surely stops most of the action. I don't know what rules, as to flash, are in force nowadays.

rondmallett Loc: Colorado, near Wyoming

We weren't allowed to use flash in pro basketball games at the Denver Post.
So I learned to push Tri-X to extremes by bathing in hot wash. Got some
great shots and had the honor to teach the darkroom technique to the late/great
Lowell Georgia of National Geographic. (This was in the one shot 4x5
Graflex days of sports photography.)

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Depends on the action. When I used to do horse shows (Hunter/Jumper) I would put myself in the best position for a good shot, prefocus on the center of the jump bar, and just listen. The change in cadence would signal the start of the jump and I would snap shortly thereafter. After a while I didn't even look through the viewfinder. Shooting football, soccer, basketball LaCrosse - I'd follow the action because it was very unpredictable.

For horse shots, I disable focus with shutter press and use back button focus. For the action stuff, release priority continuous servo focus either on shutter press or back button.

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following action

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following action

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waiting for it

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waiting for it

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