Sports photography for me seems to be leaning on extremes in both gear and expectations.
Gear wise, I am tending to use only my most extreme lenses for the sport in question, be that the longest I can get away with…..
A 600mm from the side lines can be too long for the near quarter of the ground, but the results can be revealing.
..or the widest…
Super close, intimate even may not work for most sports, but for some it can be very cool.
….or the longest I can work with in the space.
For netball and basketball, I pretty much only use the 75 f1.8 (150mm FF) or the 15 or 9mm under the net.
For expectations, I have found myself looking at new angles, even maybe pushing things a little too much.
The closer you get, the more unique the image becomes.
Each frame becomes part of a story that does not have to be dramatic by nature. The drama comes from the intimacy.
Sometimes you get both.
Recently at badminton, I set myself next to the net, shooting with a 25mm. I actually got clipped twice, but got some very intimate shots. My 17mm would have been better.
Basketball also gets some wide or very wide images close to the net, if I can.
The short end of one zoom or the long end of another (40mm). Actually got sprayed with sweat this game.
If you cannot get close, push the lens length again.
I have only been doing this for a year, but already the usual is getting boring. Some sports, like motor sport, horse racing etc, are not appealing, but the ones that are need some re-inventing.
This guy just made. Avery bad call, the type that will affect his immediate future and he will regret. I was only 20 odd feet away with a 600mm. My instincts would have been to go wider if possible, but then I would have missed out on the intimacy a long perspective offered.
I am not being arrogant here saying I have “knocked” these sports, but just doing the same does not seem to be the road ahead.
Like most things, the closer you get, the more compelling the result.
Oh, and winner of crop of the day……
Decent quality for the paper or a larger print……
…from this. Love the combo of the EM1x and 300 f4.