Best photo advice

If you want to up your game with your photography this is probably the best free advice I can give you. Pay attention to what is going on. Yep, it is that easy. I'm not going to tell you what to do, but I will tell you what I do and if you like my photos this is how I do it.

I've often been at games where I've seen the pro's punching buttons on their phones, probably updating scores to Twitter while great shots go unnoticed. I shake my head and go on wondering who these people are that need up to date Twitter scores but maybe this is a new thing.

Whatever game I am covering I have the camera up to my eye ready for a shot at every play. That is a lot of plays during a football game but nothing is getting past me. I anticipate the play based on the formation and follow the ball. I don't miss much doing that and that's why my shots look like they do. It's the same with volleyball, softball, basketball, etc...

If you are a casual photographer that just wants a few snapshots of your child then this advice probably isn't for you. But you should still pay attention to what's going on. I choose my lens, my angles and where I stand on the field/court based on what I plan to shoot. I have special angles for certain sports, head shots and wide angles also based on the outcome I desire.

Being a good sports photographer means being part of the game and choosing the right shutter speeds and F stops. And by that I mean not using the sports mode that came with the camera. I will get into that in a later article.

This may have seemed like the most obvious bit of advice I could have written but it is by far the most important thing you can do to improve your photography. You have to pay attention to what is going on and be prepared.

KT