AmSnaps - Digital Photography Basics For Amateur Snappers

Beginning A Sports Photography Career And Photographing The Sports You Enjoy Is Both Rewarding And Exciting

A sports photography career might be something worth looking into if you have a love of both sports and photography.

Simply loving sports would not be enough as you would get so engrossed in the game you would forget to take the photographs and loving photography but not sports wouldn't work either. You have to understand the game to be able to catch the right shot.

First of all, you need to weigh the pros and cons of this career.

There's something very exhilarating about capturing an iconic shot of a pivotal moment during a game. Seeing your picture in print and knowing that your photo will be in everyone's minds whenever they think about this game in the future is a heady feeling.

If you're someone who didn't quite have what it took to make it as an athlete, this is the next best thing - capturing those moments for others just like yourself.

They wish they could be there in the middle of the action, but seeing the right photograph makes them feel like they are.

What's not so great about a sports photography career?

There is a lot of traveling involved, staying in hotels, sitting in airports, trying to get to the game. For a single person, this might be fun, but even that can become a drag after a while.

For someone with a family, it can be very lonely and hard on your loved ones. You need to really make sure this is what you want to do before you make that commitment.

What skills and equipment do you need?

Next you need to factor in what skills and equipment you will need to acquire to be successful in this career.

You also need to know the sport you are photographing. Know the strategies, the players, the rules of the game and who is the most likely to give you a great shot while doing something spectacular.

You need to be able to size up the way a game is going and quickly get into the right position for the perfect shot.

Of course it is also imperative to have some great equipment. After all, a good camera can do half the work for you.

Putting together a portfolio and constantly showing it to newspapers, magazines, and agencies can get your name out there.

Try to take unique pictures so that you can stand out from the crowd instead of blending in with all the other sports photographers out there. Soon, you'll be the name they remember when looking for just the right shot.

Don't go into this field if you expect to get rich quick. It takes experience and lots of dedication and perseverance to make it to the point where you'll be raking in the cash.

It also takes awhile to get your name out there. The bigger agencies usually only want someone with plenty of experience, so take your time honing your craft and building a reputation in the world of sports photography.

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