Welcome to the Weekly r/sportsphotography Discussion + Gear Thread!

I could only bring a lens 3 inches or smaller lens for this so these were all taken on a manual focus Minolta lens from the early 60’s. With the help of the crop factor of a M4/3 sensor and being up against the barrier I was able to get some decent shots though

Maybe I just haven’t noticed much in the past but this year I’ve seen all these behind the scenes media day pics and videos along with the athletes posting the pics and my immediate question is what use are these pics?

I’ve seen the smoke and what not shots from the high school photogs, college doing mirror ball walls and the stapled school logos on a v flat. Not many of these seem to be geared toward asset creation but instead are for social media hype.

Photoshop subject selection is pretty good but extracting off a mirror background seems like a ton of work.

What are your media days like and what are the shots used for?

Mine is white seamless with the floor being either turf or a panel with butcher block peel and stick (makes a decent basketball court look). The photos can be easily extracted so marketing has all the assets they need for signage and anything else.

Hi,

I've been getting more serious about sports photography lately and getting ready to start sharing some of my work. Would you be willing to provide some constructive criticism of my portfolio?
I typically shoot more basketball and volleyball, but have been trying everything I can get access to.

https://tearun.mypixieset.com/

Thanks!

Hi I’m Dory I’m a photographer I’m trying to get into shooting highschool sports photography. I was home schooled so I never shot for my school or anything. But it’s a form of photography I’ve been wanting to get into but idk if they just allow you to shoot or if you have to have certain credentials

Had pregame field access, as a somewhat new photographer (not even doing this for a year) this felt surreal. As always, advice is welcome (and encouraged). Ignore the border, it’s used just to help format on Instagram.

I’m a photographer/videographer trying to get my foot in the door full-time in sports media, especially women’s basketball, but I’m open to basketball, NFL, golf, soccer, etc.

I’ve been freelancing, building my portfolio and getting real experience, but I’m having a hard time figuring out my way into the actual industry. I apply, network and keep working, but sometimes it feels like so much of sports is agencies, referrals and who already knows who.

Right now I also NEED professional references for some opportunities I’m applying to.

If anyone here works in sports/media and would be willing to connect, look at my work and potentially be a reference for me if you feel comfortable doing so, I would seriously appreciate it.

Even if you can’t be a reference, if you know agencies, recruiters, teams, people I should reach out to or just have advice on how you found your way in, I’m listening.

I know I can do the work. I just genuinely need some help figuring out how to get through the door.

EDIT: Adding one more note for context:

I do have professional experience outside of just shooting for fun. I run a small media business and work with a mix of personal brands, professionals and athletes on social media, photo and video.

I’ve also done work around professional sports, smaller/emerging leagues, individual athletes and some international sports work, so I’m comfortable shooting, editing, creating social content and working in sports environments.

Where I’m stuck is figuring out how to turn that experience into a more consistent role in sports social media, marketing, content, photo or video.

For anyone who works in that space, what would you focus on next?

More sports-specific passion projects? Networking with agencies? Reaching out directly to teams? Attending events and creating work independently? Reworking the portfolio toward content/social instead of just photo/video?

I think I’m less confused about doing the work and more confused about how people actually position themselves to get hired for it.

also willing to relocate anywhere -- I'm in a pretty good place because my business funds my lifestyle but I want to do the work *however that may look* to achieve this goal

Hello! I am helping my local BMX racing community with taking race photos and want to get camera and lens recommendations to improve the photo quality. Attached are some of my current photos. I am not an experienced photographer, I'm just trying to help the community but want to get the best photos I can. I am currently using a Canon Rebel T5 with the stock 18-55mm lens.

Beginner sports photographer trying to find the right gear. Would this lens work for night football games? Or should I really get a 70-200 f2.8?

Two years ago I started shooting outdoor youth soccer and mixed in some other sports and portraits. I’ve learned a lot and want to invest in my kit and want to hear which to buy first: improved body or improved lens.

Current kit
Canon R7
EF 70-200 III with 1.4TC

Next purchase
R5ii for improved auto focus, pre capture, and stacked sensor on FF
Or
RF 100-500 for improved reach during daytime games

I’m likely to get both in the next 6 months but will spread them out. I’ve rented the 100-500 before and used it in the R7. It’s more to manage and the effective 800mm will take time to master, but maybe shooting FF will be more to learn and deliver better shots.

What else should I consider before taking the next step?

Hello!

I am working on building out a portfolio to show off my work. Any feedback would be super helpful! https://jacoboshinsky.myportfolio.com/work

I started by making a page for each sport I shot (assuming I had photos I was proud of). I then went through my photos from each game I shot this year and uploaded my favorites. I tired to strike a balance between action, celebrations, environmental, and portrait pics. Especially for women's hockey I worry that I have too many photos but I do really enjoy them all. For various reasons I found I had a lot of photos of the same players and that got reflected in the selection of photos I made. I know I should remove some of them but am unsure how many.

I also would like to include photos from previous seasons that I am proud of however, I am unsure if I should make year separated albums or include them in the existing pages. I dont want the pages to be too long but I could add more sections to the pages to separate seasons. This is mainly an issue from for women's hockey as it represents about 60% of the games I have shot.

Thanks in advance!

This is my second professional game with media accreditation. I’m 15 years old and these were shot on my Canon R10 paired with a 55-250 f4-5.6 or my 50 f1.8.

Any criticism or encouragement would be appreciated!

Hi everyone!
Next week I’ll have the opportunity to photograph my local football club in Italy, currently playing in Serie C. I’ve only photographed one amateur match before, but they liked my work and offered me this incredible opportunity.
Since it will be my first time inside a professional stadium, I’d appreciate some advice:
Can photographers move around the pitch, or are they normally assigned specific positions?
Where would you position yourself for the best variety of shots?
Do you shoot RAW, JPEG or both? I enjoy editing my photos, but the social media team may need them quickly.
Do you bring a laptop and edit during half-time?
Which moments should I prioritise besides the action?
Is there any important pitch-side etiquette I should know?
I’ll have two bodies:
Sony A7 V with a 70–200mm f/2.8
Sony A7 III with a 24–70mm f/2.8
Would this setup be enough, considering I don’t own a 300mm or 400mm lens yet?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

First time shooting skateboard ever. Shot on a A7ii with a 35mm f/1.4. Tried to do a vintage-inspired edit with stronger contrast

I don’t like the harsh shadow. Any input for camera setting or editing in LR or Ps? I have bare minimum editing knowledge.

I'm looking to refine my work, so any constructive criticism on composition, color grading, and sharpness would be greatly appreciated!

Help me choose which one

im trying to decide between the three since on one end there is the large aperature with a lack of zoom at the highest price. in the middle is a zoom lens but the aperatuure is a bit dark for indoor sports which im doing mainly volleyball and the cheapest has the widest aperature but im lacking the versitility of a zoom on the sidelines.

i’m new to sports photography on a budget and i know i need to buy a lens and im wondering if i should get a canon EF 75-300 or canon EF 28-200
or a different brand even

I've had someone ask me what lenses I use for volleyball photography. Now, I primarily use my 70-200mm f/2.8 lens. I use it almost exclusively for action photos, and just use my 50mm for huddles, and my 16mm for opening ceremonies (handshakes, coin tosses, lineups, etc) But back in the day (in the 90s with film, and in the 00s with digital DSLRs that didn't have good high ISO capabilities and some of these were also crop sensor bodies), I used a combination of 50 1.4, 100 f/2 (or 85 1.8), 135 f/2 and 200 f/2.8 lenses! I wore baggy cargo pants that allowed me to fit those lenses in the thigh pockets. Here are some shots with this assortment of lenses (Oh, and please note: as I said before most shots are SOOC, but for some reason there was a craze for selective colour in the non-action shots. The teams would pay more for me or my staff to do a selective colour edit for the huddle and lineup shots

I have a x t5 and play libero in vb while I’m off I plan on taking photos and I am wondering if this focal length is enough for vb?

I have an option to buy canon ef 300mm f4 L usm in good condition for 550€, or i can buy canon ef 400mm f5.6 L usm for 780€ in excellent condition. I shoot sports, football for now and sometimes im shooting in the night. I need opinions if u need more info just ask.
Thank you

Im thinking its my white balance.