Having the right camera will increase your chances of capturing a great shot.
Photographing indoor athletic events can be challenging but extremely rewarding if the results are good. Whether you are taking pictures for a school newspaper or yourself, getting the right shot in a game can help you capture the spirit of the moment and create memories that will last a long time. There are a few things to remember when photographing indoor athletic events to help you get the best pictures you can: your location, the lighting of the gym, the settings of your camera, a little luck and your ability to wait for just the right moment to shoot.
Instructions
1. Get the right camera. Look for an SLR (single lens reflex) or DSLR (digital single lens reflex). These cameras have large bodies and interchangeable lenses and allow control of all features, such as focus, zoom, shutter speed and lighting. Having the ability to control these features will give you a huge advantage. Especially in sports photography, you will need a camera that can capture a very brief moment very quickly.
2. Get a tripod. Having a stand to set your camera on is important to get a good shot when it comes to indoor athletic events. The reason is because the players are constantly moving and the quality of the shot depends on how steady you can keep the camera while taking a shot. Camera shake is one of the main reasons potentially good pictures do not turn out well. With a tripod, you do not need to worry about holding the camera still yourself.
3. Capture faces. Having the expression on a player's face be visible in the middle of a close play or at a desperate moment will make your photo much more appealing than if the player's backs are turned to the camera. Getting the look on the faces of the athletes brings the moment to life and shows the emotion that is going on in the game. If you can take a picture with a great face shot that is a little blurry, it is more valuable than a crystal clear image without any facial expressions visible.
4. Make sure the background of the photograph is uncluttered. While sporting events are crowded, try to find a place to take pictures where there are not a lot of people or signs in the background so you can get the shot to focus on the athletes and not on the fans in the background. If you want to include the people in the background, make sure you adjust your camera settings to focus on the player and blur the crowd so the moment does not get lost.
5. Shoot with the fastest possible shutter speed. If you can, make it at least TV/200 (time value). A fast shutter speed allows rapid motions to be frozen, which comes in handy while photographing athletic events.
6. Use a lens a low aperture --- about f4.0 to f2.8 (focal ratio). A low aperture intensifies the light hitting the sensor, giving you more light in darker settings (such as a gym).
Tags: indoor athletic, indoor athletic events, shutter speed, your camera, athletic events, athletic events, lens reflex
