Your smartphone can be the best tool you've got when it comes to shooting last-minute sports photography.

Yes, really. It might seem counter-intuitive for those of us who've sat with a bag of lenses next to a field or court. But it is possible to take some great pictures using a smartphone, particularly a newer model.

It comes down to technique and, yes, the tools. This post will guide you to better sports images in no time.

Manual Settings

Camera settings matter, whether you're shooting with a smartphone or a DSLR. If you're using a camera phone to shoot sports photography, it's better to control the settings manually. However, depending on your smartphone brand, the manufacturer might recommend using a third-party camera app.

There are countless options for third-party camera apps. The best free one, in our opinion, remains Lightroom Mobile CC from Adobe. If you're an Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom subscriber already, great. Otherwise, a free version of the app offers the manual control you'll need with basic photo editing capabilities and RAW file capture (DNG in Adobe).

Familiarize yourself with the following three settings before you shoot an actual game or match. Learn how to activate or set them before you need to use them to capture sports photos. Once you're comfortable with the settings, it just takes some practice. Soon, you'll be shooting high-quality sports images.

Shutter Speed

Shutter speed is the most critical setting for any fast-moving sports photography. Faster shutter speeds produce the sharpest images because they freeze the motion. You'll need to be able to adjust it, or you'll end up with a blurry photo, just as you might with a DSLR camera.

Light

The bane of any photographer's existence is lighting, of course! While it's tempting to list this as the first point in this post, we're putting it after shutter speed for a good reason. You need to be sure you have enough light if you're shooting with a faster shutter speed. That's easy enough to do with outdoor sports, but it gets more challenging if you're shooting indoors. We suggest you first consider shutter speed, then play around with ISO to figure out the lighting. This can take some time and experimenting to get the right balance, but that's not so different than shooting with another camera.

Burst Mode

Taking a series of images in rapid succession is the best feature of a smartphone camera for shooting sports photography. You're more likely to grab just the right image by shooting this way. With most camera phones today, simply holding your finger on the shutter button gives you rapid-fire shooting. With some cameras, however, you might need to activate burst mode in its settings.

Smartphone Gear

The gear you'll need will depend significantly on the individual sport and movement you're shooting. For example, golf is a slow-moving sport compared to tennis. You're likely to use or need different gear between them, even if there might be some slight overlap. Let's take a look at some equipment you might use:

Tripod: If you're shooting a slow-moving sport like golf, a tripod can come in very handy. You can anticipate the movement and set your tripod accordingly, then adjust your settings to any motion.
Gimbal: In addition to a tripod, a gimbal can be helpful. A two-axis gimbal is less expensive and lighter, but a three-axis gives you more stability. Before selecting one, ensure there are no connectivity issues and your smartphone camera. Some gimbals are specific to certain brands or phone types.
Camera remote: A camera remote can come in handy if you're working with a tripod. This can be especially useful with camera phones because even the lightest touch of the shutter can cause a camera to shake and blur an image unnecessarily.

Tips for Sports Photography

We've introduced you to the basics of smartphone cameras and sports photography. Here are a few final tips on shooting sports using a camera phone:

Whenever possible, avoid zooming on your camera phone or app. It only reduces the quality of your image. Either move in closer to the subject or use a telephoto lens that works with your phone.
As with any sports photography, shoot many images. And we really mean many. Burst mode will give you a lot of pictures, allowing you to select the best ones later. You're more likely to capture that perfect image if you've taken tons of pictures.
Don't forget the lighting! Shooting into the light without a flash or adjusting your ISO to shutter speed will likely leave your subject in the dark. Unless that's the effect you want, try to position yourself between the lighting source and the subject.
Carry an extra battery source or pack for your phone, just like you would any camera. Don't get caught off-guard finding that your battery has run out.
Try to anticipate the composition of the shot. It can be hard to focus while shooting sports photography, so the more you anticipate, the better. And don't forget to frame your shot correctly!

Lastly, post-production editing can help you correct minor flaws or add some final enhancements. Editing can make the difference between an ordinary image and a great one. Still, it can compensate for terrible settings, composition, and lighting. So try to get it right - as much as possible - when you're out shooting sports.