In most sports types such as baseball, football, hockey, soccer and the like, stopping the motion of the athlete on the field of play is almost a must. Stopping the motion while a team player steps into the action against an opposing player during the process of making points for their team can tell a story.
I say almost a must because sometimes when the timing is just right, and the photographer knows the gear they are using, an artistic moment can be shot while following a player as they run past the lens.
In this first image taken at Willow Springs Speedway, the black race car was shot using stop motion. Look also in the back ground, a gray race car is zooming its way around the track.
Stop motion is not always needed in all sports. While the gray car in the back ground definitely looks like it is in motion, the black car looks like it is parked on the track.
Now the next image, this blue race car, is convincing that it is in motion. Slowing the shutter down, center weighting the focal point, and panning with the car, trying to get in focus as it races by the lens is hard to do, but offers another level of story telling if done right.
Also check out my web sit at http://mostlybaseball.sports.officelive.com ALSO http://thommarshallphotography.art.officelive.com/default.aspx
I say almost a must because sometimes when the timing is just right, and the photographer knows the gear they are using, an artistic moment can be shot while following a player as they run past the lens.
In this first image taken at Willow Springs Speedway, the black race car was shot using stop motion. Look also in the back ground, a gray race car is zooming its way around the track.
Now the next image, this blue race car, is convincing that it is in motion. Slowing the shutter down, center weighting the focal point, and panning with the car, trying to get in focus as it races by the lens is hard to do, but offers another level of story telling if done right.
As a sports photographer, as stated in the guidelines in the beginning of this blog, you must know your sport. In knowing your sport, you also need to have an idea of what images you are after. When envisioning those images, then, and only then, will you know how to execute.
Here are more images taken during the Redline Time Attack in 2009.
Also check out my web sit at http://mostlybaseball.sports.officelive.com ALSO http://thommarshallphotography.art.officelive.com/default.aspx
