There are iconic sporting moments that are burned into the collective memory of sports fans all around the globe such as the Hand of God, Michael Jordan’s game winning shot in the 1998 NBA Finals and the Miracle on Ice.

Then there are the famous photos that capture those moments of pure sporting angst, triumph and drama like the snap of Muhammad Ali standing over the knocked out Sonny Liston or Dennis Rodman’s epic dive to trap a loose ball.

Capturing those sporting moments on camera is more than just being in the right place at the right time. There’s an art to sports photography and the best in the business are those who have honed their craft over years, even decades.

In this article we cover some of the fundamentals that go into becoming a great sports photographer, read on to find out what they are…

Understanding Their Sport

The best sports photographers on the planet are experts in their chosen sports because they have to be. If they don’t understand the minutiae of the sport they are covering, how can they be in the right place at the right time?

Ahead of games they will study the recent form, re-watch recent games to notice patterns and trends. A good photographer will make informed decisions on which players are likely to shine and at what moments. For example, if the NFL odds are suggesting a certain player is expected to make a large number of rushing yards, they’ll be primed to make the shot before the ball reaches the player.

Without this level of research and insight, we’d still end up with great sporting photographs, but they would be of the dull and insignificant moments.

Pre-focusing

To expand on the previous point, great sports photographers who have a real understanding of their sport know in advance where the most important actions of the game are likely to take place.

They train their cameras on the areas of the field or court where the best shots are going to come from so that they don’t miss a moment when the action unfolds.

Mastering Shutter Speed

Barring sports like golf and darts, the majority of professionally played sports on the planet are fast-paced, which makes it difficult for photographers to capture the shots they want without blur or any other distortions.

The best of the best are masters at freezing that fast-paced action and capturing an image that looks like someone has momentarily pressed pause on the game. They manage to do this by being masters of shutter speed which, whilst difficult to do, is a skill that can be mastered.

Using cameras with a shutter speed of 1/500 or faster and taking advantage of burst mode to capture a number of shots in quick succession all contribute to helping a sports photographer get an iconic shot.

Capturing Emotion

It isn’t always about getting the perfect shot of the ball going through the hoop or capturing the moment of the Super Bowl winning catch. Sport is as much about emotion, passion and narrative as it is about the actual action on the field of play.

The best sports photographers know that which is why they always try and capture those intense moments of emotion. Whether it be the look of anguish on a distraught player who has just dropped the ball and cost his team or the outpouring of relief on the faces of success starved fans when their team finally wins a showpiece final.

Understanding the human condition is just as important to a sports photographer as understanding the sport they are covering.

Editing Expressively

The best sports photographers know that the shots they take shouldn’t just capture a moment in time but that they should be a narrative tool.

Sport is drama, it’s the biggest drama on the planet and the photos taken need to reflect that. So after a game, a sports photographer will try to work out what the narrative surrounding a particular game is and then go about finding a photo that best represents that.

Think of a photo of a beleaguered looking coach staring at his shoes in the wake of yet another damaging result or an injured superstar looking on from the stands with a look of disdain on their face.

These aren’t the most impressive or difficult to take shots, but they are the ones that tell a story.

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