Digital Sports Photography: Take Winning Shots Every Time

Digital Sports Photography: Take Winning Shots Every Time

Released September 2005
Publisher(s): Wiley
ISBN: 9780764596070

Read it now on the O’Reilly learning platform with a 10-day free trial.

O’Reilly members get unlimited access to books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.

Start your free trial

Book description

You can freeze that one moment in time

Sports photography gets you up close and personal with the action you crave, the athletes you idolize, or the activities that make memories for your children. It also provides plenty of frustration for amateurs and professionals alike. How do you shoot on a rainy day? What about the crowd at the finish line? Can you capture the tension as the ball trembles on the rim? You can, with the professional advice these experts provide. No matter what your sport or level of expertise, this book can make you a better digital sports photographer.

  • Benefit from the advice of more than 20 top sports photographers, including Terrell Lloyd, official photographer for the San Francisco 49ers

  • Learn to handle bad lighting, weather, fast-moving athletes, flash limitations, and other challenges

  • Identify key things to consider when switching from film to digital

  • Get specific advice on how to shoot a wide range of sports: extreme, outdoor, indoor, competitive, recreational, and more

  • Discover ways to sell your photos and manage legal issues

  • See dozens of full-color examples illustrating professional tips and techniques

  • Take great photos with any kind of digital camera, from a point-and-shoot to an SLR

  • Find out how to get photos onto the Web easily and quickly

Table of contents

  1. Copyright
  2. About the Authors
  3. About the Cover Photos
  4. Credits
  5. Preface
  6. Acknowledgments
  7. Introduction
    1. The Breathtaking World of Digital Sports Photography
      1. Challenges for digital sports photographers
      2. Secrets of the pros
    2. Who Is This Book For?
    3. What Does This Book Cover?
    4. Contributions from Other Photographers
  8. I. Understanding Digital Sports Photography
    1. 1. The Wide World of Sports Photography
      1. 1.1. Capturing Sports
      2. 1.2. Athletes and Digital Photography
      3. 1.3. Trials and Tribulations of Shooting Sports
        1. 1.3.1. Anticipation
        2. 1.3.2. Adapting to the action
      4. 1.4. The Reality of Equipment
        1. 1.4.1. Great cameras aren't cheap
        2. 1.4.2. Optimizing the point-and-shoot camera
      5. 1.5. Sports from the Photographer's View
        1. 1.5.1. Adapting to your environment
        2. 1.5.2. Understanding your subjects
        3. 1.5.3. Planning a shoot
          1. 1.5.3.1. Outdoor field and court sports
          2. 1.5.3.2. Outdoor recreation and competition
          3. 1.5.3.3. Indoor competition
          4. 1.5.3.4. Extreme and adventure sports
          5. 1.5.3.5. Special cases in sports photography
      6. 1.6. Summary
    2. 2. From Shoot to Print: Workflow
      1. 2.1. What is the Digital Photography Workflow?
        1. 2.1.1. What to do with captured images
      2. 2.2. Creating a Digital Photography Studio
      3. 2.3. Choosing a Camera
        1. 2.3.1. SLR: The best option for sports photography
        2. 2.3.2. Available SLRs for the sports photography enthusiast
      4. 2.4. Preparing for a Digital Sports Photo Shoot
      5. 2.5. A Digital Sports Photo Shoot Checklist
        1. 2.5.1. Fast glass, big glass, big bucks
        2. 2.5.2. Packing up
        3. 2.5.3. Choosing a file format
      6. 2.6. At the Shoot
        1. 2.6.1. Setting up
        2. 2.6.2. Having your camera ready
      7. 2.7. Avoiding (or Dealing with) Disaster
        1. 2.7.1. Better safe than ...
        2. 2.7.2. Recovering from disaster
      8. 2.8. The Post-Pixel Stage: Working with the Digital Image
      9. 2.9. CCD versus CMOS: Which is Better?
      10. 2.10. Getting Images into Your Digital Studio
        1. 2.10.1. Portable hard drives
        2. 2.10.2. Using a flash card reader with a PC
        3. 2.10.3. Image transfer: The software factor
      11. 2.11. Summary
    3. 3. Equipment and Techniques for Digital Sports Photography
      1. 3.1. Nothing Beats a Great Photo
        1. 3.1.1. If in doubt, shoot dark
        2. 3.1.2. Cheat sheets
      2. 3.2. Zoom, Telephoto, Portrait, and Wide-Angle Lenses
        1. 3.2.1. Original equipment versus aftermarket lenses
        2. 3.2.2. Optimal optics: Making the most of point-and-shoot
      3. 3.3. Composition, Angles, Exposure, and More
        1. 3.3.1. Composing a good sports photograph
          1. 3.3.1.1. The rule of thirds
          2. 3.3.1.2. Taking great digital action shots
        2. 3.3.2. Capturing key moments
        3. 3.3.3. Getting a good angle
        4. 3.3.4. Telling a story
        5. 3.3.5. Developing a style
        6. 3.3.6. Getting proper exposure
        7. 3.3.7. Posing
      4. 3.4. Choosing a Digital Format
      5. 3.5. Shutter Speed, Aperture, and ISO
      6. 3.6. Summary
  9. II. Shooting Sports on Location
    1. 4. Outdoor Field and Court Sports
      1. 4.1. General Positioning
        1. 4.1.1. Professional sporting events
        2. 4.1.2. Local and amateur sporting events
      2. 4.2. Equipment
        1. 4.2.1. Venue size
        2. 4.2.2. Field or court access
        3. 4.2.3. Weather
      3. 4.3. Baseball and Softball
        1. 4.3.1. Positioning
        2. 4.3.2. Settings and getting the shots
      4. 4.4. Football
        1. 4.4.1. Positioning
        2. 4.4.2. Settings and getting the shots
      5. 4.5. Soccer
        1. 4.5.1. Positioning
        2. 4.5.2. Settings and getting the shots
      6. 4.6. Other Outdoor Court and Field Sports
        1. 4.6.1. Track and field
        2. 4.6.2. Lacrosse and field hockey
        3. 4.6.3. Volleyball
        4. 4.6.4. Tennis
      7. 4.7. Summary
    2. 5. Outdoor Recreation and Competition, On and Off the Water
      1. 5.1. Equipment
        1. 5.1.1. Considerations on the water
          1. 5.1.1.1. Protecting your gear
          2. 5.1.1.2. Choosing the right equipment
        2. 5.1.2. Considerations on land
      2. 5.2. Specific Sports
        1. 5.2.1. Boating
          1. 5.2.1.1. Positioning
          2. 5.2.1.2. Settings and getting the shots
            1. 5.2.1.2.1. Bright light
            2. 5.2.1.2.2. Panoramic shots
            3. 5.2.1.2.3. Limited light
        2. 5.2.2. Water skiing, wakeboarding, and jet skiing
          1. 5.2.2.1. Positioning
          2. 5.2.2.2. Settings and getting the shots
            1. 5.2.2.2.1. From land
            2. 5.2.2.2.2. From the water
        3. 5.2.3. Car and motorcycle racing
          1. 5.2.3.1. Positioning
          2. 5.2.3.2. Specialized equipment considerations
          3. 5.2.3.3. Settings and getting the shots
            1. 5.2.3.3.1. Bright light
            2. 5.2.3.3.2. High-speed action
            3. 5.2.3.3.3. Slower racing with big action
            4. 5.2.3.3.4. Drag racing
            5. 5.2.3.3.5. Night shots
        4. 5.2.4. Cycling and human-powered wheeling
          1. 5.2.4.1. Positioning
          2. 5.2.4.2. Specialized equipment considerations
          3. 5.2.4.3. Settings and getting the shots
            1. 5.2.4.3.1. Narrow depth-of-field shots
            2. 5.2.4.3.2. Tight close-up shots
        5. 5.2.5. Skiing and snowboarding (and snowmobiling, too...)
          1. 5.2.5.1. Positioning
          2. 5.2.5.2. Settings and getting the shots
            1. 5.2.5.2.1. Overcast shooting
            2. 5.2.5.2.2. Shooting in bright light
          3. 5.2.5.3. Specialized equipment considerations
        6. 5.2.6. Summary
    3. 6. Indoor Competition Sports
      1. 6.1. Lighting
      2. 6.2. Equipment
      3. 6.3. Settings
        1. 6.3.1. Telephoto considerations
        2. 6.3.2. Using a flash
        3. 6.3.3. Red-eye reduction
        4. 6.3.4. White-balance
      4. 6.4. Basketball
        1. 6.4.1. Positioning
        2. 6.4.2. Settings and getting the shots
      5. 6.5. Martial Arts
        1. 6.5.1. Positioning
        2. 6.5.2. Settings and getting the shots
      6. 6.6. Ice Hockey
        1. 6.6.1. Positioning
        2. 6.6.2. Settings and getting the shots
      7. 6.7. Wrestling
        1. 6.7.1. Positioning
        2. 6.7.2. Settings and getting the shots
      8. 6.8. Gymnastics
        1. 6.8.1. Positioning
        2. 6.8.2. Settings and getting the shots
      9. 6.9. Fencing
        1. 6.9.1. Positioning
        2. 6.9.2. Settings and getting the shots
      10. 6.10. Summary
    4. 7. Extreme and Adventure Sports
      1. 7.1. Equipment
      2. 7.2. Hang Gliding and Paragliding
        1. 7.2.1. Positioning
        2. 7.2.2. Settings and getting the shots
      3. 7.3. Skydiving and Parasailing
        1. 7.3.1. Positioning
        2. 7.3.2. Settings and getting the shots
      4. 7.4. Climbing
        1. 7.4.1. Positioning
        2. 7.4.2. Settings and getting the shots
      5. 7.5. Summary
    5. 8. Specialized Sports
      1. 8.1. Equestrian Photography
        1. 8.1.1. Positioning
        2. 8.1.2. Settings and getting the shots
      2. 8.2. Golf
        1. 8.2.1. Positioning
        2. 8.2.2. Settings and getting the shots
      3. 8.3. Ocean Sports
        1. 8.3.1. Offshore Sailing
        2. 8.3.2. Scuba diving
        3. 8.3.3. Surfing, wind surfing, kayaking, and boogie-boarding
      4. 8.4. Swimming
      5. 8.5. Summary
  10. III. Working with Sports Images in the Digital Studio
    1. 9. Creating a Digital Studio
      1. 9.1. Visualizing Your Digital Studio
        1. 9.1.1. Digital photography studio hardware
          1. 9.1.1.1. Computer considerations
          2. 9.1.1.2. Preparing sufficient hard drive capacity
          3. 9.1.1.3. CD/DVD burners
          4. 9.1.1.4. The best monitor for digital photo work
          5. 9.1.1.5. Color-calibration devices
          6. 9.1.1.6. Networks
          7. 9.1.1.7. Printers
          8. 9.1.1.8. Deciding about film and slide scanners
        2. 9.1.2. Digital photography software
          1. 9.1.2.1. Photoshop
          2. 9.1.2.2. Photoshop Elements
          3. 9.1.2.3. ACCSee
          4. 9.1.2.4. Paint Shop Pro
          5. 9.1.2.5. Slide show software
          6. 9.1.2.6. Creative/artistic treatment packages
          7. 9.1.2.7. Image management tools
      2. 9.2. Web Services
      3. 9.3. Using Removable Storage Media
        1. 9.3.1. Choosing flash cards
        2. 9.3.2. Storing photo files on CD-R/RW and DVD discs
      4. 9.4. Summary
    2. 10. Working in a Digital Studio
      1. 10.1. Deleting and Transferring Images
        1. 10.1.1. Deleting photos safely
        2. 10.1.2. Transferring images safely
          1. 10.1.2.1. Moving sports photos from field to computer
          2. 10.1.2.2. File transfer tools and tricks
      2. 10.2. Processing Digital Sports Photos
        1. 10.2.1. Sorting and choosing
        2. 10.2.2. Prioritizing
        3. 10.2.3. Checking file sizes
          1. 10.2.3.1. Renaming
      3. 10.3. Storing and Archiving Digital Sports Photos
      4. 10.4. Editing Digital Sports Photos
        1. 10.4.1. A typical editing scenario
        2. 10.4.2. Photo sizing
        3. 10.4.3. Correcting images
          1. 10.4.3.1. Backlighting
          2. 10.4.3.2. Fill flash
          3. 10.4.3.3. Cropping
      5. 10.5. Photo Touchup
        1. 10.5.1. Redeye tool
        2. 10.5.2. Clone Stamp tool
        3. 10.5.3. Sharpen tool and Unsharp Mask
        4. 10.5.4. Other useful tools
        5. 10.5.5. Rotation
        6. 10.5.6. Layers
      6. 10.6. Achieving Artistic Sports Photo Effects
        1. 10.6.1. Going black and white
        2. 10.6.2. Adding text
        3. 10.6.3. Frames
        4. 10.6.4. Filters
      7. 10.7. Summary
  11. IV. The Ins and Outs of Presenting Your Digital Sports Photos
    1. 11. Output: Getting Sports Photos Online, In Print, and On Display
      1. 11.1. Printing Options
        1. 11.1.1. Printing sports photos at home
          1. 11.1.1.1. Preparing photos for printing
          2. 11.1.1.2. Inkjet photos
          3. 11.1.1.3. Other home photo-printing options
        2. 11.1.2. Using lab services
          1. 11.1.2.1. Walk-in labs
          2. 11.1.2.2. Online lab services
      2. 11.2. Online Photos for Sharing and Profit
        1. 11.2.1. Creating your own Web site
        2. 11.2.2. Using online photo galleries
      3. 11.3. Displaying and Distributing Sports Photos
        1. 11.3.1. Creating a virtual contact sheet
        2. 11.3.2. LCD projection
        3. 11.3.3. Slideshows
        4. 11.3.4. Software considerations
          1. 11.3.4.1. iView MediaPro
            1. 11.3.4.1.1. ProShow Gold: A photographer's dream
      4. 11.4. Summary
    2. 12. Going Pro or Covering Costs: Selling Sports Photos
      1. 12.1. Establishing Yourself with Team and Player Photos
      2. 12.2. Stock Sports Photography
        1. 12.2.1. Understanding stock photography no-nos
        2. 12.2.2. Knowing what stock agencies want
      3. 12.3. Assignment Photography
      4. 12.4. Sports Photojournalism
        1. 12.4.1. Breaking into digital sports photojournalism
        2. 12.4.2. Freelancing
      5. 12.5. Joining Pro Sports Photography Organizations
      6. 12.6. Summary
    3. 13. Legal Issues: Taking, Displaying, and Distributing Sports Photos
      1. 13.1. Understanding the Legal Issues in Sports Photography
        1. 13.1.1. Following the rules, even when you think they're dumb
        2. 13.1.2. Avoiding potential legal pitfalls
        3. 13.1.3. Legal issues and youth sports
        4. 13.1.4. Legal issues and adult sports
      2. 13.2. Model Releases
      3. 13.3. Sports Organizations and Photographers
      4. 13.4. Protecting Digital Photography
      5. 13.5. Summary
  12. A. Photography Resources
  13. B. Contributing Photographers
  14. Glossary

Product information

  • Title: Digital Sports Photography: Take Winning Shots Every Time
  • Author(s):
  • Release date: September 2005
  • Publisher(s): Wiley
  • ISBN: 9780764596070