SPORTS ACTION

DIGITAL SNAPSHOTS

By PETER WEINBERGER

Whether a professional sports event or your kids' Little League, there will always be someone photographing the action on the sidelines. Here are some shooting techniques that will help at any experience level.

Overall approach

Anticipating where the action will be is crucial in shooting sports. Two ways to improve your chances are by positioning yourself in front of the play, or by staying focused on a certain individual. In any case, you should be prepared to shoot before the action begins.

Football, soccer and baseball

A telephoto lens is necessary when shooting outdoor sports. You will get best results by setting the lens at the longest telephoto setting. Avoid shooting into the sun, and do not hesitate to stand near an end zone or goal when the action gets close. With baseball, the key spots are behind first and third base. The camera's shutter speed should be a minimum of 1/250th or faster. If it's midday light, the camera will shoot this fast on auto. Don't forget about the sidelines. Some of the best images are of the people watching the game.

Basketball, volleyball and swimming

The advantage with these sports is it's easy to get close to the game. This allows more choices on what focal length to use. Setting the lens to medium telephoto (around 100 mm) works best. With less light to work indoors, you will need to increase the ISO to 400 to freeze the action. Avoid using flash from in close since it annoys the players. As with the other sports, anticipating the peak action is key.

That annoying shutter delay

The delay in the shutter makes it almost impossible to shoot sports action. To avoid this, pre-focus in a key area by keeping the shutter button down halfway. Your camera will fire instantaneously.