Football Photography Tips

Football photography can be one of the most challenging and rewarding of all sports photography genres. Football photographers need to contend with the usual sports photography challenges, such as weather and moving athletes. But football photographers also need to contend with other obstacles, such as the distance away from the action on the field and a prospect of football players barreling toward you on the sideline. But the challenges can be worth it for a shot of a player hauling in the game-winning touchdown or a perfectly timed picture of a big hit. Here are some football photography tips.

At most football games, the photographers are confined to the sidelines and behind the end zones, while most of the action is in the middle of the field between the hash marks. The distance from the sideline to the near hash is about 100 feet, and because of this distance between the photographer and the action, a camera with a powerful zoom lens is absolutely essential to taking quality football photographs. A camera with a fast shutter speed is also essential because of the speed of the game. For example using a camera with a fast shutter allows you to follow the action and get multiple shots of a ball carrier breaking through the line of scrimmage all the way to the end zone during a touchdown run. A camera with multiple exposure capabilities is also great for photographing football. For example, this feature can allow you to follow the flight of the football as its thrown by the quarterback into the receiver's hands.

The best position to take football photographs depends on the game circumstances. For plays being run around midfield, somewhere between the 30 yard lines, the best position is about 10 to 15 yards downfield. For example, if the team has the ball at its 40 yard line, you would want to stand at the opposite 45. This position allows you to get shots of the quarterback dropping back to pass or handing the ball off to the running back, and it allows you to be in position to get a shot should there be a long run or pass. The one downside to this position is you won't be able to get an up-close shot of a sack or hit in the backfield, but it puts you in the best position to take pictures should the offense have a scoring opportunity. For plays in the red zone that have a high chance of resulting in a touchdown, the two preferred locations are behind the end zone or on the sideline at the goal line. Being in back of the end zone gives the photographer a panoramic view of the field, allowing you to get shots of the quarterback throwing the ball and the receivers catching a potential touchdown. A vantage point near the goal line sets the photographer up for a dramatic shot of a running back fighting his way into the end zone. In any case, determining the best angle to photograph from depends on the situation, and knowledge of basic football strategy can be helpful. For example, a fourth-and-goal situation from the one-yard line would call for a spot along the goal line in anticipation of a running play.

When photographing football, or any other sport or moving activity, the key to getting a great shot is anticipation. If you are pressing the shutter as the play is unfolding, it is generally too late because when the picture is taken the play will be over. To get a high-quality image of a wide receiver hauling in a key pass, don't take the picture when he catches the ball but rather a split second before. These instances that make a fast shutter speed vital to getting good images. Another trick to taking good football photographs is look for something unique. It could be a different angle, such as looking perpendicular to the goal posts as a kick sails through them or a different shot, such as the coach's reaction to a key play.