Photography plays a vital role in our world. It is one of the best ways to transfer news about an event or showcase your artistic skills. Either way, there is a lot behind photography than it meets the eye.

For starters, there are thousands of photography niches to go for. Some people want to take pictures of animals, others want nature or travel and landscape photography, and some want to get up close to the action and become sports photographers.

If you are one of those people who want to take pictures of sports events and transfer the news, atmosphere, and excitement of the actual event, you should check out some of the most successful sports photographers for inspiration.

Capturing the athlete doing their sport is one of the best ways to illustrate the elegance of the movement and the emotion behind the sport.

If your passion takes you on the road to becoming the next great sports photographer, you should check out this list of sports photographers for more inspiration.

1. Dave Lehl

Dave Lehl is one of the most popular sports photographers that is known for his signature light-painting photographs. Just like every good magician who won’t reveal his tricks, Dave still hasn’t told anyone about his technique for the gorgeous results. 

He somehow manages to make endurance and sweating alluring, which is very difficult. Most of his images have a sultry appearance, and they are the perfect results to take inspiration from.

2. Chris Burkard

Chris Burkard is a versatile photographer that doesn’t take pictures only from sporting events and athletes. He is primarily focused on the action lifestyle niche and has photographed everything from arctic surfing to kayaking. Basically, he is an outdoor photographer capturing adventurous moments.

He is mostly recognized for his distinctive compositions, and there is a lot to take in from all of his photographs.

3. Al Bello

Al Bello is one of the best NBA photographers today. He is responsible for catching on camera the best players in the NBA trade rumors. 

He has won many awards, like the World Press Photo Award for Sports Action and Word Press photo award for Sports. He says that being a sports photographer takes more than just a quick shutter. You should also make the right preparations and have a creative mind if you want to stand out.

4. Adam Kokot

Adam Kokot is a Polish photographer who experienced a career boost after his work was published in Mountain Climbing Magazine. Since then, he has won many awards from Red Bull and National Geographic, and he is an expert in producing photographs that will take your breath away.

5. Alyssa Trofort

Alyssa Trofort is an LA-based sports photographer who specializes in shooting athletes for fitness modeling agencies and sports equipment retailers. There is something about her images that makes all products look great.

Even though she isn’t an actual sports photographer taking pictures of live sporting events, her work will definitely inspire you if you want to sharpen your studio photography skills which can be very useful in landing clients.

6. Michael Willson

Michael Willson is the chief photographer for the Australian Football League, and his work has been found in many popular magazines, websites, and newspapers all around the world. He’s also received many awards for his work.

His journey started when he bought a camera and used it to shoot local football matches. While doing that, he met other photographers who helped him with useful feedback.

Before he knew it, his work has become very popular and noticed by some of the biggest publishing agencies around the world. 

He says that sporting photography is all about capturing the motion of the sports, and he is not wrong.

How Much Sports Photographers Earn?

Since there are many sports photographers nowadays, it is hard to make a name for yourself. However, if you choose a less populated niche like horse racing or hand gliding, you can make a career out of it.

On average, sports photographers earn from $40K to $50K per year, but if you become one of the best, you can earn north of $100K per year.

Final Words

These are some of the best sports photographers in the world. It is an entirely new business that involves a lot of traveling and expensive lenses. 

However, if you love sports and love taking pictures, you should definitely combine your two passions and make it into a business. Just make sure to check out other people’s work for more inspiration and helpful tips that can boost your career.