3 Tips for Successful Sports Photography (and get my book free)

Tuesday 28 June 2022, 09:54 by Nico Delmeire | 4,231 views | 7 comments

This article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.

I’m over the moon! My book about sports photography is at the printer! Within a month, it could be landing on your doormat too. In this article, here are three tips from my new book to help you get started with sports photography.

This month, so just three days left, there’s a great offer at Photofacts Academy. You’ll now receive my book The Sports Photo Bible, with 101 tips for Successful Sports Photography, completely free with a membership to their online courses.

They’re also giving you 50 euros off the regular membership price. A great deal, then, and you can immediately watch my video course about Sports Photography too.

» Photofacts Academy + The Sports Photo Bible (75 euro saving)

1. Shoot in JPEG

Sports photography moves fast and your camera needs to keep up. The quality of JPEGs from your camera is more than good enough for a good result. There’s no need to shoot in RAW.

f/3.5, 1/640s, 400 ISO @ 400mm (and in JPEG, of course)
Saving a RAW image takes longer than saving a JPEG. You also always need to edit RAW images afterwards, even if it’s only to convert them. Selecting the best images therefore always takes longer in RAW than in JPEG.

There’s nothing to change in the action, so Photoshop isn’t needed for it. Speed is the most important thing, which is why you should always shoot in JPEG.

Say your camera is still processing your last burst of photos when someone scores. You need to have that goal. You never know exactly when the next interesting moment will happen. Your camera needs to be ready.

2. Always start with the shutter speed

Your shutter speed is the basis of sports photography. You should always set it manually. For example, by using shutter priority or working fully manually. Your aperture is of secondary importance.

f/4.0, 1/500s, 800 ISO @ 200mm
The shutter speed must always be fast enough to freeze your image. Everything happens quickly, so a fast shutter speed is essential.

The fastest possible shutter speed varies from one sport to another. In Formula 1, it’s obviously faster than in cyclocross, for example. You need to try out what’s possible at that moment and under those conditions.

3. Multiple frames per second

Always set your camera to take multiple frames per second. An action or emotion often lasts longer than that split second. By setting your camera to take multiple frames per second, you capture everything, or at least more of it.

f/3.5, 1/800s, 2,500 ISO @ 400mm
A single action can produce several great images, and you never know in advance what will happen during an action. A foul in which someone flies through the air is also great to see. The cause and the effect.

An emotion can go from a shout to a clenched fist. And you want both. Everything happens in a fraction of a second.

The Sports Photo Bible free this month with a Photofacts Academy membership

Do you want to be the first to have The Sports Photo Bible at home? You’ll receive it completely free, it will cost 25 euros in shops, with a membership to Photofacts Academy, our online courses for photographers.

We’re also giving you a great discount on the courses themselves. Instead of 159 euros, you’ll pay just 109 euros this week. That’s a total saving of no less than 75 euros!

Photofacts Academy + The Sports Photo Bible

Alongside the book, which will probably drop through your letterbox at the end of July, you’ll get a year’s access to more than 100 different courses on photography, creativity and editing your photos.

My Sports Photography course is included too, of course.

Are you already a member of Photofacts Academy? Then you’ll also receive the book completely free when you renew your membership. This is also possible if your membership hasn’t expired yet, we’ll simply add 12 months to your end date.

» Photofacts Academy + The Sports Photo Bible (75 euro saving)

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7 comments

Wim Hendriks wrote on Tuesday 28 June 2022 at 10:40 | reply
Uitgaande van je mooie beelden zullen er maar een paar amateurs op een ek,wk en OS kunnen komen en dan ook nog op een tribune. zag liever amateur beelden en toegepaste foto's bij zo'n evenement.Voor de prof geen enkele waarden.
This comment was written in another language and has not been translated yet.

Elja Trum wrote on Tuesday 28 June 2022 at 10:46 | reply
@Wim; Ik snap je insteek, maar op zich maakt het natuurlijk niet uit of je deze tips toepast bij amateurwedstrijden of bij grote evenementen. De tips die Nico hier noemt zijn inderdaad wel gericht op de beginnende sportfotograaf.
This comment was written in another language and has not been translated yet.

Jax wrote on Tuesday 28 June 2022 at 10:51 | reply
Interessant, de keuze voor sluitertijd. Ik maak foto's bij voetbalwedstrijden en kies altijd voor een vaste diafragma instelling (lens op F2.8 want dan heb je een mooie wazige achtergrond).
This comment was written in another language and has not been translated yet.

Evert wrote on Tuesday 28 June 2022 at 12:31 | reply
Prachtige foto's en ik zou het graag vaker willen proberen. Bij wielrennen heb ik het vaak genoeg gedaan maar voetbal is naar mijn mening moelijker gezien de snelheid wanneer er een actie ontstaat. Voor een amateur zoals ik heb ik aan uw basisregels eerst voldoende en zal hier zeker een keer gebruik van maken bij amateurclubs waar je vast wel een keer mag fotograferen als je het netjes vraagt en zegt dat je het aan het leren bent zoals ik. Bedankt
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Maarten wrote on Tuesday 28 June 2022 at 12:54 | reply
Je kunt natuurlijk ook je sluitertijd én je diafragma handmatig instellen en dan de ISO op automatisch, als je camera die mogelijkheid biedt. Wel uitproberen natuurlijk want bij veel licht houd je kans op overbelichting
This comment was written in another language and has not been translated yet.

Ineke wrote on Tuesday 28 June 2022 at 16:44 | reply
Ik fotografeer sportfoto's op DF voorkeuze 2.8 en in RAW. Goeie tip om sport in JPEG te fotograferen en op sluitertijd keuze. Ga ik zeker eens testen.
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guest wrote on Wednesday 29 June 2022 at 08:11 | reply
Zelf stel ik mijn camera altijd volledig handmatig in. De sluitertijd is het uitgangspunt (hoe korter hoe beter) en altijd binnen de mogelijkheden. Iso stel ik ook handmatig in. Hiermee heb ik altijd zelf de volledige controle over het beeld.
@wim; ik snap ook uw insteek. De tips zijn van toepassing op alle varianten zowel op amateur als op professioneel niveau. Voor de beste resultaten denk ik als een prof, dit is hier mijn insteek geweest. Simpelweg omdat je dan als amateurfotograaf de leukste, mooiste en beste resultaten kunt behalen.
This comment was written in another language and has not been translated yet.

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Would you like to take better photos and keep up with what is happening in photography? Photofacts publishes articles that teach you something about photography — from a product announcement to a practical shooting tip or a look at a website. Photofacts covers photography every day and is a hobby project of Elja Trum's that got out of hand. The articles are written by a team of volunteer authors. If you would enjoy writing one or more articles for Photofacts, do get in touch.More about Photofacts

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