A sports photographer is someone who specializes in photographing athletes and sporting events. The majority work as photojournalists, taking pictures for publications, though some may also work as documentarians for specific teams. Some sports photographers work for themselves, while others work for publications or photography agencies. Because people must be able to attend sports events in a variety of locations, this job necessitates a lot of travel.
Photographing sporting events poses a number of difficulties. Photographers in the sports industry are unable to set up shots and wait for the perfect moment. Instead, they must be proactive in spotting good shots as they occur. This usually necessitates moving around the event and being cautious of one’s placement. This necessitates a thorough understanding of not only the sport, but also the individual athletes. For example, a sports photographer covering horse racing must be familiar with the habits of horses and jockeys in order to get in position to capture memorable moments.
On the fly, the sports photographer must also choose appropriate exposure times and shutter speeds. The photographer would use a fast shutter speed to freeze a moment, resulting in a shallow depth of field. A slower shutter speed could be used for images with more motion and a wider depth of field. In order to achieve different photographic effects, sports photographers may use a variety of camera bodies and lenses, as well as different types of film in some cases.
Some sports photographers attend art or photography school to learn the fundamentals of photography before looking for work, while others may start at the bottom of a publication’s photography department and learn as they go. Professional photographers frequently require assistants, which can be a great way for beginners to learn valuable skills that they can later apply to their own careers. Short courses in sports photography can give aspiring sports photographers a foundation in the fundamentals, as well as an opportunity to meet working photographers and begin building a network of contacts.
Obtaining permission to access restricted areas at events is part of the process of becoming a sports photographer. A parent organization may be able to help the photographer with this. Because the competition for good shots at high-profile sporting events is often fierce, the profession also requires getting to know other sports photographers and developing good working relationships. Crowds of jostling photographers who remember previous slights may bar a sports photographer known for being aggressive and rude from good field positions.