Sports Photography: How To Shoot A Tennis Match - s2e101
If you are interested in shooting a tennis math, there are a few things you need to think about. This is true for any sports photography you might attempt.
First, you need to understand how the game is played. Tennis is played in matches, which are made up of sets, which are made up of games, which are won by the points scored. Games begin with a serve from one player, and play continues after that.
You composition challenges include the fact that courts usually have a chainlink fence around them, and rarely will you be able to get onto the court during a match. Keeping the location of the light (sun) in mind, you'll need to try and shoot through the links of the fence, or if you get lucky, through a gate.
The types of images you want to shoot will include the serves and the returns. It is relatively easy to shoot the serve because you know when and where it will happen. The service return is also easy to anticipate. Afterwards, play is intended to surprise the opponent and will therefore surprise the photographer, too!
You'll want your camera set up in a mode to shoot sports. That means getting a high shutter speed—1/1000 or better is safe. If you are shooting at night, going below 1/500 will result many of the images being blurry.
Setting your focus a little below the middle will help you capture action that occurs above the player's head. As you get more and more comfortable with the sport, you'll find you can move it around to optimize the shot you are tying to get.
Noise at a tennis match is very undesirable, so be careful as you move around. Be sure that you move only in the time between points.
The video below reiterates and illustrates these and other ideas! Check it out, then go have fun shooting tennis pictures!
First, you need to understand how the game is played. Tennis is played in matches, which are made up of sets, which are made up of games, which are won by the points scored. Games begin with a serve from one player, and play continues after that.
You composition challenges include the fact that courts usually have a chainlink fence around them, and rarely will you be able to get onto the court during a match. Keeping the location of the light (sun) in mind, you'll need to try and shoot through the links of the fence, or if you get lucky, through a gate.
The types of images you want to shoot will include the serves and the returns. It is relatively easy to shoot the serve because you know when and where it will happen. The service return is also easy to anticipate. Afterwards, play is intended to surprise the opponent and will therefore surprise the photographer, too!
You'll want your camera set up in a mode to shoot sports. That means getting a high shutter speed—1/1000 or better is safe. If you are shooting at night, going below 1/500 will result many of the images being blurry.
Setting your focus a little below the middle will help you capture action that occurs above the player's head. As you get more and more comfortable with the sport, you'll find you can move it around to optimize the shot you are tying to get.
Noise at a tennis match is very undesirable, so be careful as you move around. Be sure that you move only in the time between points.
The video below reiterates and illustrates these and other ideas! Check it out, then go have fun shooting tennis pictures!
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