How I became a sports photographer and moved to London. Sports Photography: Getting Started Sports Photojournalism

Today we will talk about one of the most interesting types of reporting - sports photography. We will analyze what features of sports reporting should be taken into account and what should be remembered when shooting sports events, as well as discuss the technical side of sports photography.

Text: Innokenty Nesterenko

The main features of sports photography

Almost all the rules that apply to reporting will also apply to filming sports events. Sports in general are extremely gratifying material for reporting. Here you will find entertainment, an abundance of events, and vivid emotions (both among the athletes themselves and among spectators, coaches and other participants). Most likely, you will not have to painfully search for a subject for shooting - you will just have to carefully look around.

If the result of the shooting is not one, but a series of shots, this will make it possible to fully reveal the story, unfold it in time (for example, like this: preparation for a race, start, excitement in the stands, tension and development, a turning point, finale and denouement, who- then rejoices, someone is indignant). In addition, sporting events are a fertile field for shooting portraits.

What is the difficulty of sports photography?

LACK OF CONTROL
First of all, in sports photography, as in almost any reportage, you cannot influence the event. The photographer has only the right of the viewer.

TIME LIMIT
Secondly, the photographer is limited in time. You cannot stop the action or repeat it. If you missed a moment, then you missed it completely and irrevocably.

SPEED!
Third point: speed. As a rule, any reportage shooting, and especially sports, is associated with rather active actions, and an interesting moment for shooting is really a “moment”, and not a many hours of action (compare with shooting a landscape, where the subject changes, as a rule, with the speed the movement of the sun across the sky).

POINT OF SHOOTING
In addition, in sports photography, it is especially important to think over the shooting point in advance, because at the decisive moment it will be too late to change the shooting position and precious time will be lost.

LIGHTING
Depending on the nature of the event, when shooting indoors, it will be necessary to solve the problem of insufficient lighting or "bad" artificial light. When shooting in open spaces, the lighting may also be not quite suitable, both in intensity and in direction. And it is either impossible to illuminate distant objects with a flash, or this will require synchronization systems that are beyond the scope of our conversation in terms of complexity.

TECHNICAL QUESTION: ROD AND / OR MONOPOD USE, HEAVY EQUIPMENT
Despite the short shutter speeds, for high-quality long-focus shots, it is imperative to use a tripod or monopod - this helps both eliminate shake and save the photographer's energy, because it is very difficult to hold a heavy lens on weight for hours.

Personal view of the event

In reportage photography, it is difficult to overestimate the influence of the author's view of the photographer. It is the photographer's choice of “what and how to shoot” that will create a joyful or tragic atmosphere, allow you to laugh or sympathize with the participants, or even allow you to see funny details outside the “main action”.

See how two photographers see the same sport differently.

Sergey Ilnitsky

Like any spectator, the photographer will have his own impression of what is happening - perhaps different from others. Here, however, one must again remember about the purpose of the shooting: if this is a personal creative shooting, then the author's view and the originality of self-expression will be a strong point. If this is a commercial shooting, where the goal is to show the event as accurately and clearly as possible, then it is important not to overdo it with the author's view and artistic approach.

Sometimes you have to choose between the accuracy of conveying what is happening and the author's view of the world. However, here there is always a place for a successful combination of the first and the second. It is rare, original author's photos that will be the best among all reportage.

In the examples below: the author of the photo did not just press the camera button while sitting in the front rows of the stands. Obviously, he had thought through the whole shooting in advance, from the point of shooting to the selection of special equipment. You can see the result yourself.

Shooting point, general and private plan. Additional lenses

Interesting is the shooting that will show either different plans, or the most advantageous angle for this event. Since it is not always possible to shoot an event from different perspectives, the photographer must think carefully in advance what to shoot, where and how. Consider your technical and physical capabilities, weather, environment. Remember, too, that when you select a vantage point, you are not only choosing the foreshortening, but also the background.

Adam pretty

Close-ups are always interesting to the viewer, because is beyond perception: even those who were personally present at the same championship rarely see what is happening in the same powerful optics as the one on your camera.

A wide shot is the best way to convey the general atmosphere.

Individual portraits and details will always decorate the photo report, make it more interesting for the viewer.

Additional cameras and lenses will give you more opportunities for shooting (including changing general or narrow shots on the spot). Cons: If you are not a professional photographer, you will have to learn to juggle technique in an environment where time is short and you need to quickly choose what and how to shoot. A separate skill acquired by practice is the ability to think over the scene, light and plot in time, and put the required lens on the camera in advance, if you shoot with the same camera and constantly change different lenses.

Why are you so complicated, you might ask? If working with multiple lenses is so difficult, why would I need it? So I bought a good zoom, it does a great job!

You will be partly right, but only partly. As usual, there is no universal answer. On the one hand, the versatile zoom is easier to use. However, a few fixes or specialized zooms will give you a much wider range of shooting possibilities. A good short-throw prime (perhaps even a fish-eye) will allow you to shoot very wide shots, and also, due to the good aperture, it will allow you not to raise the ISO even when shooting indoors. A long focus lens will allow you to catch good close-ups - and this can be critical when shooting sports events. especially when shooting sports, as a rule, physically getting close to the object is problematic.

Catch the moment

Sport is almost always some kind of action (we are not talking about filming chess championships now), movement. However, we are not shooting video. Our task is to capture and stop the key moment, as well as see important details in everything that happens.

Above, we have already mentioned speed as one of the features of reportage photography. Speaking about shooting a sports report, you need to take into account that all the most interesting usually happens at the same time. You could be bored as much as you want during a not very spectacular match. Five minutes before the end of the game - and suddenly a tense moment! Right now, when the decisive goal is scored, I want to simultaneously shoot how the goalkeeper flies beautifully into the mud, not having time to grab the ball, and how the coach of one team rejoices at the same time with one half of the stadium, and how the coach of the other team goes crazy and tears his hair , and so on - everything at the same time, and with every second everything changes.

And the photographer needs not only to see everything, but also to predict to some extent. The ability to predict events is generally one of the features of reportage photography. And the more experience you have, the better you see the process and the more successful you can build your staff.

To avoid missing an interesting shot, try keeping your eyes open - literally, both eyes. Usually, looking into the lens, we close the other eye, so it's easier to “aim”. An open second eye will allow you to notice with peripheral vision in time if something special begins to happen somewhere off to the side.

Obviously, you can “catch the moment” without the help of sophisticated technology. It is important to understand what is happening, think over the possible scenarios for the development of events, and be ready to react quickly at the right moment. Photographer Dmitry Donskoy in an interview about a very successful, but almost accidentally shot, answers the question of how he managed to do it: “- And there is only one plane. So, it was necessary to focus on the middle of the goal, a little closer to the post farthest from me. And I took care of this in advance. "

Strictly speaking, the “too smart” technique often even interferes: it relaxes, makes you believe in the illusion that you can not strain yourself, the magic button will do everything for us. However, it would be foolish not to take advantage of the convenient features now available. Let's say the burst function is incredibly useful when shooting sports. Our advice: more practice in different modes and with different settings in order to "test" both the capabilities of the technique and your own capabilities.

Speaking of burst settings, practice with your camera beforehand and explore its capabilities. Note that there are two types of burst, burst and continuous. In Russian, both (burst / continuous) are called burst shooting, but they have a big difference. In continuous mode, shooting is continuous 3-5 frames per second, at full resolution, usually without limiting the length of the burst. And in burst mode, the camera takes about 30 pictures per second at a reduced resolution, then stops to save the photos.

What makes a good sports photo different?

CLARITY

Sports photography, like photography in general, is primarily a story. Before, during and after the selection, go through the following points:

• Like any story, your photo story should show very clearly for the viewer: what happened, how, when, with whom. Can you yourself answer the question "what's going on here" based only on the photo?
• If there are winners in this sport, show who won and how. Are the winners visible in your photos?
• If the emotions and experiences of the participants are important, show them;
• Think in advance what will be critical when shooting this particular sport - obviously, shooting at a racetrack will be significantly different from shooting synchronized swimming;
• What is more effective in this case: to remove a photo story from a series of photographs, or is one frame sufficient? Justify.

Vladimir Vyatkin

One photo:

Expressiveness

The result of a good shot will be more than just a bunch of footage capturing events. You are an artist, not a pathologist. Good shooting conveys emotions, atmosphere, allows the viewer to join the participants in this event. And this is not as easy to achieve as it might seem at first glance.

Take another look at the examples above. Agree, we, the audience, do not have to guess what is happening in the frame. We instantly see deep emotions, all the subtleties of human experience. And if we ourselves have such an experience - passion, hope, despair, anger or fatigue from hard physical work aimed at results and victory - we will join the heroes of the picture. We will be able to sympathize with them if the emotions are heavy, or rejoice with them if it is the joy of victory. Moreover, looking at an expressive photograph, we do not just emotionally join the heroes, we cannot avoid it.

Please note: expressiveness is a characteristic of each individual photograph, and of the entire series. The mere fact of shooting in a “series” will not add expressiveness. Always ask yourself the question, why is this or that detail needed in the frame, what does it convey? Why is this or that photograph needed in the series, does it help or hinder? And note: in the example series above, each individual picture from the series is expressive and powerful in and of itself, even taken out of context. It will not reveal the whole story to us in full, but it will convey both emotion and mood.

COMPLETENESS

Below is an example of a series of shots - another work by Vladimir Vyatkin under the general title "Fall". At first glance, it seems that some shots unnecessarily repeat each other. However, as soon as you try to shorten and throw out “as if superfluous”, you understand that there is no superfluous here. Each frame works for a common result, adding its own part to the overall story.

Vladimir Vyatkin

This example is about a series of frames dedicated to one episode at the races. However, a series may reflect the entire event as a whole. In this case, for completeness of the series, it will be necessary to think in advance as much as possible - which characters are important, which points of action will be key, what should not be missed. By supplementing the shoot with optional characteristic details, you get a versatile and truly complete, in-depth photo report.

Take advantage of a wide range of tools and capabilities to maximize your coverage of this kind of shooting. Shoot from different distances and angles, take different shots, dilute the wide shot with personal portraits. The wider your range is, the more interesting and quality the shooting will be. And most importantly: this is the only way to really deeply and fully cover the material. For example, see this photo report about stuntmen.

QUALITY PICTURE

Even the most technically perfect shot does not automatically become a good photograph. Modern technology greatly simplifies the task of shooting sports: autofocus will catch the desired depth of field. A zoom lens allows for less bouncing around the stands in search of a better vantage point. The rate of fire of the camera and lens allows you to make a large number of takes at great speed, making it easy to "catch the moment". In Photoshop, you can retouch some errors after shooting. Take a look at the photos in the stock databases. A huge number of technically good, monotonous and faceless photographs. It seems that the moments were caught “right”, and everything is perfectly focused - but the photographs, for the most part, do not catch the viewer.

Here are some examples of sports photography taken before the era of mass digital photography.

Martin Munkachi

Alexander Abaza

Other good examples: modern photography.

Adam pretty

Wei Seng Chen (Sumatra)

Obviously, in terms of color, clarity and technical quality, modern photographs are strikingly different. At the same time, professionals of all times are well aware of the laws of composition, frame construction. The image is balanced, the picture is beautiful - nothing more. There are no empty, “failure” zones either.

Technical specifications

SHUTTER SPEED-IRIS-ISO

On digital cameras with preset shooting modes, as a rule, there is also a "sports" mode. Usually this is an extremely high ISO and the lowest possible shutter speed, that is, settings corresponding to shooting the most popular sports - running, jumping. However, our goal is not just to use the capabilities of the robot, but to independently control the situation.

Firstly, the sport itself can be very different (compare: hockey, billiards, triathlon, rally, skydiving). Secondly, shooting conditions for the same event may differ. Let's take, say, running: the settings will depend on whether the event is taking place outdoors or indoors, artificial or natural light, what are the possibilities for the location of the shooting point in relation to the runners, what is your goal (artistic photo, emotional portrait, spectacular general plan for photo report about the event).

In short, we think over the goal and choose the appropriate parameters. Most likely, you will need the following settings: maximum ISO level (not the maximum available for the camera, but the maximum based on the shooting conditions), minimum shutter speed, shutter priority shooting mode.

Artem Goloshchapov

Vladimir Vyatkin

TECHNIQUE: LENSES, RODS, MONOPODS

You can talk a lot about the value of the author's gaze, but the harsh reality is this: in sports photography, it is the technical quality of the picture that is most often important. The viewer will always be less interested in bokeh, and more in the number of the winning horse at the races.

So it is especially important here to choose the fastest possible lens (or several lenses). High-aperture, fast long-focus lenses fall into the category of "sports". An additional wide-angle lens will help to capture more detail, show the general plan (many even love the fish-eye).

When shooting at a long focus, you need to be especially careful to avoid vibration (the longer the focus, the greater the effect of any vibration on the picture quality). To avoid blurring from shaking hands, try to choose a shutter speed faster than 1 / focal length. That is, at a focal length of 200mm, you need to shoot with a shutter speed of 1/300 or shorter.

A few tips on this topic:

• Pay attention to lenses with built-in stabilizers, they allow you to noticeably increase the allowable shutter speeds (3-5 stops);
• If it is possible to purchase a faster lens (allowing you to shoot at slower shutter speeds), do not skimp, the result will justify the costs;
• Please note that a long focal length lens is always a significant additional weight. Take a tripod, monopod or think of some kind of camera stand already in place. It might be worth looking at monopod mount lenses;
• using a monopod not only frees your hands, but also speeds up the camera's autofocus.

One way to reduce vibration when shooting.

There are also outer rings with a socket for mounting on a monopod.

FOCUS MODES

We usually shoot static subjects in the "One Shot AF" focus mode. We chose the composition, pressed the shutter button halfway, autofocus focused the lens, locked focus at the desired distance. Then we can adjust the composition at will by moving the lens and press the shutter button to the end. This mode also has a useful bonus - it does not allow you to take a picture if it was not possible to focus at all (as a rule, a special indicator flashes at the same time).

Focus mode selection menu

For shooting more dynamic subjects, you need to master AI SERVO AF. In fact, this is the same One Shot AF, only without focus lock. The lens will automatically refocus whenever the distance between the camera and the subject changes.

However, be careful: in this mode, you can take a picture even when the lens is not yet in focus. In addition, if any moving object appears between the camera and the subject, the lens can focus on the object closer to the camera. Also, be aware that in AI Servo AF mode, the camera will not beep or light to indicate successful focus.

There is a slight delay between the focusing of the lens and the release of the shutter. Although it is measured in fractions of a second, it should be taken into account when shooting fast-moving objects - for example, a racing car at 160 km / h travels about 4.5m in 1 / 10s. This means that although the machine may have been in focus the moment the shutter button was pressed, it might not be in focus the moment the shutter itself was opened.

Many cameras solve this problem with predictive focus technology. The camera measures the distance to the subject each time the lens refocuses. By analyzing this data, the camera can calculate the speed and direction of the object's movement. Next, it extrapolates the information received to determine where the subject will be at the moment the shutter is released. The camera will then refocus the lens by the calculated distance so that the subject is in focus at the time of exposure.

SEVERAL FINAL TIPS

• Shoot sports in jpeg, not raw. Firstly, it will save space on the card when shooting in bursts (and running out of free space five minutes before the final is very disappointing!) Secondly, raw recording can significantly slow down the camera during continuous shooting;
• Again, don't count on flash. Almost everything interesting will happen outside of her ability. In addition, its use may be officially prohibited by competition rules;
• Size matters! Choose a lens with a long focus. It will definitely come in handy for you. If you can afford it, take 300-400mm (residents of large cities can use photo rentals). If not, let it be a good fast zoom of the order of 80-200mm;

• Be aware of your surroundings. Shoot general shots and side details outside of the game;

Dmitry Kurkin

IN THE RUBRIC "BUSINESS" we introduce readers to women of different professions and hobbies that we like or are just interested in. This time Daria Konurbaeva, sports photographer and journalist, author of the London Eye blog on sports.ru, tells how to capture the emotions of winners and losers, football trips and how Russia is ready for the World Cup.

How to get to the photographers' zone from the fan rostrum

In my life I did not plan to be a sports journalist, let alone a photographer. But it so happened that I became a football fan with all the consequences: I went to matches, rode away, sang songs on the podium.

I am the kind of person who always needs more and more at a certain moment. If you like a performer, it is impossible to just listen to him in the player - you must definitely go to the concert, even if he is in another city or country. You need to look at your favorite actor not only in the cinema, but also in the theater, and then shake hands and say how cool he is. Have your favorite author read all the books and interviews, sign a new book at the presentation. This is not a story about closeness to idols, but about maximum emotional immersion. If you are so rushing from something, then you cannot experience it at home, you need to throw out all your inner energy for some stupid and at the same time cool actions.

Then it struck with such adrenaline that my mother did not grieve. Absolutely hunting passion: catch the moment

It turned out the same with football. Until a certain stage, it was great to be on the podium, but I wanted more. At that time, Lokomotiv had a rather popular fan site, on which I slowly began to write some texts, reports from trips. I brought photographs from other cities, but I realized that there were not enough shots of the game. And, it seems, at the match in Novosibirsk for the first time I accidentally hit the edge of the field with a camera. The camera was stupid then, almost a soap dish, I almost did not understand how everything works, where to stand, what frames to shoot. But then it struck with such adrenaline that my mother did not grieve. Absolutely hunting passion: catch the moment. And that's it, you get addicted to it like a drug.

So it all started spinning. I got a new camera and started shooting a lot. Trained "on cats" - a youth team. I came to the matches, took some workouts and filmed. More for myself and at the table, but then the guys slipped through - and after each match I had a dozen personal messages: "Dash, throw off the pictures?"

On the specifics of the work of a sports photographer

I almost never made money from photography. This is a completely ridiculous story: my own versatility is ruining me. I work as a correspondent and a photographer at the same time, so I illustrate most of the texts with my own photographs, for which no one ever pays separately. Individuals were paid about five times: they asked for personnel for newspapers like "Soviet Sport", there a fee of 2-3 thousand rubles per frame on the cover. But that was four years ago.

I shoot mostly football, because it is the most of all and it is more accessible in many ways, but as far as possible I catch everything I can. Last year I filmed watersports when the European Championship was held in London. In the fall I tried tennis at the Final Tournament - this is generally a delight, I really want to work with him more. But in general, new species are a complex process. Starting with the specifics of the sport itself and ending with the shooting points that they give you. Everywhere has its own peculiarities, and I know very few photographers who are versatile and can shoot football, rowing and biathlon for example with the same quality. If we are talking about high-quality and artistic filming, and not just about "a man running with a ball."

You can make a living. Not millions - but in journalism, in principle, millions earn a few, especially in sports. Dream job - Getty Images, of course. Nobody films sports better than them. This is a very right balance between pure sports photojournalism and artistry.

About professional growth

You pay more attention and time to the texts, and most of the captured frames go to the table. In this there is some problem that is not yet resolved. I love writing texts and taking photographs equally, it is a different professional thrill. Plus, this greatly simplifies the life of editorial offices, although they do not always realize their happiness: where in ordinary life it is necessary to send a team of a correspondent-photographer, I handle it alone and bring full-fledged materials with text and pictures.

But because of this dichotomy of the professional personality, it is impossible to grow sharply within the framework of one genre. To start shooting better, you need to work as a photographer 24/7, shoot different things and a lot, try yourself in different formats, get your hands on it. It's the same story with lyrics: the more you write them, the better they get.

The ten thousand-hour rule always works, but while I'm trying to sit on two chairs, the maximum is five thousand each. Therefore, I am not the best photographer in the world, country or even city, and not the best journalist. But in terms of the sum of these skills, it turns out well. At least, I don't know another person in Russia in sports journalism who would shoot and write reports at a level similar to mine. So I am like this Thomas Muller (forward of Bayern Munich and the German national team. - Ed.) from their profession. No mega-strong sides, all kind of clumsy, no impact, no speed - but the sum of the qualities turns out to be a world champion.

About moving to London and travel

I ended up in London almost by accident. I have never been to Britain in my life, but almost suddenly I decided to go there to study, in a few months I collected all the documents and entered. I flew to cold winter London on the third of January, and on the fifth, my studies had already begun. As a result, I graduated there for eight months of pre-masters (preparatory courses preceding the master's degree. - Ed.) and a year and a half master's degree. At the same time, she worked as a journalist for local and Russian publications, led excursions around London.

And in two and a half years the main thing happened. First, I fell head over heels in love with London. Although this is not even love: you just understand that you belong to this place as much as possible. You feel good and happy in it, regardless of the weather, life difficulties and world news, you are in it - like a piece of a puzzle that has found its place.

And secondly, I saw how beautiful sports can be. A perfect aesthetic delight: the British are obsessed with sports, and any event, even boring cricket or rowing, is hundreds and thousands of fans with painted faces, paraphernalia and sincere emotions on their faces. This is actually my favorite genre, actually. Someday I dream of making a big photo project about fans of various sports from various countries. They are all equally beautiful and similar in their experiences.

Life in England teaches you planning. And accreditation for matches - and I, as a rule, attach most of my trips to them - needs to be taken care of in a couple of weeks, and in principle, life is so eventful that all personal schedules for a month in advance have been agreed upon. I travel a lot. England is small, from London to Manchester two hours by train, to Liverpool - three. It turns out very conveniently with football: I left the capital early in the morning, arrived at about ten or eleven, walked around the city for a couple of hours, by three you arrive at the stadium - and in the evening before the train there is still enough time for a local pub and a pint of cider.

On the value of the moment caught in the lens

The championship parade in Leicester was cool, this happens once in a lifetime, but there the whole day was more valuable, there were no direct mega-frames. Maybe because I don't work as a photographer, I have the opportunity to choose which events to go to. Still, if you are attached to an editorial office or a photo agency, then at some point you will be sent to a boring press conference, where there is not that much historicity.

All my filming is also a story about personal experiences. So yes, everything about Leicester is flavored with my emotionality. I filmed all of their Champions League matches last year: the story is unique in itself, so each shot is a kind of fixation of history.

I love almost all the footage from [Leicester's] home game with Sevilla. This is generally the brightest and strongest football experience in life, probably. There, the chances of winning were small, a lot of scandals around the team (The day before, Leicester fired coach Claudio Ranieri, who had made the club the champion of England a season before, for the first time in its history. - Ed.)- and they went out and won. Favorite shot - with Mark Albrighton at the very end. He rushed to the goal, and at the moment of the final whistle, when the game was over, Leicester won - he is still running forward, does not slow down, but on his face there is already this knocking down happiness. Or in the same place - Jamie Vardy, who after a missed moment began to prescribe his fists in the face. Such emotions are the very juice of any game.

In general, I do not really like "technical", as I call them, personnel. A football player in a fight, a tennis player with a racket, a swimmer in the water - this can be beautifully shot, but it's all a little protocol. Why do we love sports? For emotions.

Last year, she filmed the Final Tennis Tournament, and in the final it was decided who would become the first racket of the world at the end of the season: Novak Djokovic or Andy Murray. The most valuable shots from that match are not beautiful waving the racket, but the very moment when Andy wins the match point, drops the racket - and the whole spectrum of emotions from this on his face. Or five minutes later, when he is already on his bench, waiting for the award ceremony - and tears in his eyes stand from fatigue and emotional stress.

I shoot a lot and different things: travels, concerts, I make regular event reports. But only from the sport inside, incredible excitement and needles are turned on at your fingertips. Because the Eiffel Tower has stood and will continue to stand; the concert will be given again; Speakers at the event can be asked to smile again in case of an unsuccessful shot. And if you missed a goal, kick, jump - that's it. There really is one chance to fix history, there will be no repetitions.

On gender bias in sports journalism

Most often, the answer to the question "why was the report entrusted to that guy and not me?" lies in the plane not "because he is a man and you are not", but "because he is the best journalist." I do not focus on considerations like "everyone sees in me only a beautiful girl and does not appreciate my brain." Plus, you won't really focus on photographers: it will be physically inconvenient for you to work in heels and with a neckline, so you come to matches in winter in three sweaters and a hat - and who will make claims to you there?

Maybe I was so lucky with colleagues and editors, but I have never heard from someone “go cook borscht”. On the other hand, you don't often hear the phrases “oh, you have heavy equipment, and you are a girl, let’s help”, but this is not scary. We are for equality, so if I apply for a place in the profession, then I can carry my 10-15 kg of cameras myself. All other things being equal, male athletes will be much more polite to answer the questions of a female journalist. When I worked at a football club, I was, among other things, responsible for getting the players out to the press after the match. Even after the lost matches, there were almost never refusals: the guy from the press service would psychologically be much easier for them to send, and the girl would not be particularly naughty.

Recognition, by the way, is easier. There are hundreds and thousands of guys writing about football. There are dozens of girls. Both readers and colleagues remember you much faster and better - precisely because “what a wonder!”. And then it depends only on you whether you support this recognition with the quality of your work or not.

About the Confederations Cup and preparations for the World Cup in Russia

Honestly, I had no intention of working on it at all and planned to ignore this tournament and the World Cup next year with all my might. Such a long history, since the days of Sochi: they say, a big tournament is great, but "this is Russia, everything is not ready, we will be disgraced, I do not want to be a part of this shame."

And then I unexpectedly found myself in Moscow on the dates of the tournament, quite by accident I acquired accreditation two weeks before the tournament, although the official acceptance of applications ended in winter. Quite unexpectedly, they invited me to a special reportage project. And it turned out that the Confederations Cup is excellent and wonderful. Everyone was worried that no one needed football in Russia, that the stadiums were half empty. But it seems that the average attendance of 39 thousand viewers is a success.

I was lucky, because the very first city was Kazan, where it is tasty, beautiful, authentic - and they know how to hold sports tournaments. I told all my colleagues who happened to be based in Tatarstan: "You are incredibly lucky." Since the time of the Universiade and the World Aquatics Championships, Kazan has taught volunteers to work quickly and with a positive attitude, and the police have taught them to speak a little English and smile. They say that in St. Petersburg and Sochi this was a little worse, so before the World Cup I would advise all the host cities to go to Kazan and urgently learn from them.

Foreign fans spoke about the organization best of all: they were surprised at the friendliness and good level of security, cursed at the language barrier and difficulties with transport logistics. The main impression: how many people came and came. Fifteen thousand Chilean fans, several thousand Mexicans - and hundreds, hundreds of thousands of locals who came to football for the first time in their lives.

My most vivid impression of Euro 2016 in France is the fan zone in Paris. I arrived there on the opening day, when all the fans were just gathering in the capital and leaving from there. And now, on the huge field in front of the Eiffel Tower, there are fans from all 24 countries. Drunk, already burnt in the sun, singing songs, fraternizing. My favorite moment of any tournament: when everything is about to begin, everyone is in anticipation, but there are still no scandals, no problems, no losers and winners.

Sports photography is a hobby or profession for the most notorious fans. Capturing the movement, dynamics and highlights of a sporting event, be it football or hockey, rugby, running or tennis, is not as easy as it might seem at first. If you've ever looked at football stadium photographers - their equipment can be both envy and surprise - huge lenses that require their own tripod, lots of accessories, and continuous tracking of every movement.

But before you advance to the photographers premier league, you need to learn and the best way is small matches and events where you can practice shooting.

What do you need?

In order to shoot sports events, of course, you need a camera. A DSLR is, of course, good, but modern mirrorless cameras are sometimes faster in burst shooting. This, of course, comes from not having to constantly raise the mirror. Therefore, the fps value for mirrorless cameras is always higher. The main need, however, is the ability to manually set the shutter speed. Because you will need to shoot fast and get crisp sharp shots.

Upon arrival at the competition site, do not forget to inquire about whether it is possible to shoot. It's best to always stock up on permission, and then move on to filming.

The lens must have a focal length of at least 200mm

The focal length of your lens is critical. Since you can't shoot right in the middle of the action, right on the field, you need a telephoto lens. Yes, that's why professional photographers around the perimeter of stadiums have such huge lenses. In this case, the more the better. But the optimal length is exactly 200mm. You can enlarge the image enough, make the subject stand out from the surroundings, and of course, if necessary, shoot anything - from a portrait to a group composition.

The best options for Nikon cameras are Nikon 18-200mm f / 3.5-5.6G ED AF-S VR II DX or Nikon 28-300mm f / 3.5-5.6G ED VR AF-S Nikkor.

It is not customary for more or less professional photographers to remind of this, but it is always worth noting that in photography, the automatic mode rarely comes to the rescue, and it is not without reason that we are offered a lot of manual settings. To understand how and what works, the first thing to do is read the instructions for the camera. Then you will be able to deal with each indicator separately, and you will not at all become intimidated by the concepts of ISO, aperture (or aperture), white balance, etc. So forget about the automatic modes, even if they are called Sports or Action. We need a manual mode.

Use a fast shutter speed

This is a mandatory rule that should not be forgotten at all. You have to shoot fast, fast action, so it makes perfect sense that we need a fast shutter speed to get sharpness and avoid shadows and blurry frames. Minimum 1/500 sec. will be enough to fix a moving object, if you set the shutter speed longer, all the attendant risks will just appear.

Use aperture priority mode

First, let's take a look at the classic shooting modes that an average DSLR or mirrorless camera offers us. In addition to automatic and manual, there are such modes as Shutter Priority and Aperture Priority.

Aperture is a value, referred to as A or AV, measured in f /, or steps, and means how much light is sent through the aperture directly onto the sensor. If you set the settings to aperture priority, the camera will automatically set the shutter speed. This is the ideal mode for shooting on a sunny day and is used by many professional sports photographers. But what exactly needs to be done in order to properly adjust the aperture? We need to set a high value, that is, the figure should be, on the contrary, lower. For example, f / 2.8 or f / 4. So the maximum light will fall on the matrix, and for the correct exposure, the camera will independently set a short shutter speed.

Don't forget about ISO

It is clear that shutter speed and aperture are important, but the third important exposure is ISO or sensitivity. When we shoot in semi-automatic modes, be it aperture priority or shutter speed, we have to set the ISO manually. To do this, we take into account the location and weather conditions, and even time. For example, in the daytime solar time, ISO 400 is enough, but if the sky is covered with clouds, ISO should be set in the range of 800-1200. More details about this value can be found, of course, from the instructions.

If Aperture Priority Mode is not available, select Shutter Priority Mode

Why is a comfortable low angle important? It gives the frame more drama, creates an additional mood, in addition, you can not only shoot the player against the background of the grass, you can shoot the podium, the sky or spotlights, which also allows you to get interesting angles. This technique is often used by professionals, and this is exactly what you need to learn from them right away.

You will need a tripod to stabilize and balance your camera when you shoot from different angles and angles, especially from low heights. Therefore, take care that the minimum tripod height is comfortable.

The Cullmann Concept One 628M OT38 tripod is convenient because its minimum working height is only 27 cm, while the maximum is 189 cm. The combination of price and quality leaves no doubt that it is ideal for shooting sports events.

The Fujifilm X-T20 is an excellent sports camera with all the settings available and an impressive 14fps, making it the perfect companion for sports events. In addition, the camera is equipped with continuous focusing, shoots in RAW format and 4K video shooting capabilities.

The list is not limited to the listed names; there are many other gifted photographers on the resource of this photo community.

Dive in Alberta

Chris Burkard photographs kayaking, the northern lights, and surfing in the Arctic. Adventure carries from each of his images.

Chris is a self-taught photographer from California known for various creative compositions in the field of outdoor photography. He has an extensive collection of photographs that will keep your attention for hours. Here are a dozen of them:

On distant shores

Morning in Alberta, Canada

Horseback riding in Vestrahorn

Cold nights of Alberta

Sunset in the air

Snow surfing

Kayaking in Alberta

Conquering the waves

Caught the air

Snowboarding with Elena Haight

Multifaceted work Kevin Winzeler includes everything from studio portraits to heart-stopping sports. He describes himself as a commercial photographer who inspires a sedentary world to be active.

Kevin Winzeler's clients include renowned brands including Adobe Systems, Columbia Sportswear, Skiing Magazine and Skullcandy.

He lives in Utah but travels frequently around the world. Winzeler's images are imbued with a sense of freedom, energy, movement and action.

Parkour in Utah

Skiing

Mountain biking in Wasatch

Indian Creek Mountain Climb

Sunset Run in Utah

Oars! Oars!

Skiing

Surfer friends

Cycling down the road in Utah

Skiing

Surfing underwater

Kirill Umrikhin is another photographer with a solid client list, including Quicksilver, Roxy, DC, Nike, Nissan and Red Bull.

It seems that Kirill can shoot skateboarders on the ground, surfers in the water and snowboarders in the air with equal ease.

The short-lived photographer prefers that his pictures speak for themselves.

Sunrise line

Oops!

Backcountry snowboarding in Austria

Line

Reflection in sunglasses

Ascent to the sky

Snow and sun

Kelly Slater

Jump into the sunset

Line

Trail of light

He is best known for his sports photography with amazing light painting.

Dave Lel is from Denver, Colorado. He began his career in sports photography, looking to make money on his way to New York, where he planned to become a fashion photographer. But a stop at Summit County ski resort to earn a few dollars was the end of the trip.

Dave Lel spent the next 7 years filming winter sports. Ultimately, he became a staff columnist for Future Snowboarding Magazine, Rome Snowboards, and Sims Snowboards.

Michael Ash

Light speed

Trail of light

William Rogers

Louis Vito, Chicago

Trail of light

Rachel

Road recklessness

Bjorn Lanees

Spencer Semin

Lucas Gilman, who grew up in the mountains of Western Colorado, has always been close to adventure.

Traveling the world in search of unspoiled places and new experiences, Gilman captures extreme images from kayaking in India, Brazil, Uganda and Costa Rica to backcountry skiing in Colorado, Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Alaska and South America. Clients include Nat Geo, Sports Illustrated, ESPN Magazine, New York Times and Mens Fitness.

Frozen hell

Abikua Falls

Brazilian skiing

Sunrise at Blacktail Butte

Black water

66 degrees north latitude

Dynamic flow

Flight time

Derby Kentucky

Descending Tomata Falls

Skiing in the Arlberg region

Christoph Oberschneider lives in Salzburg, Austria, where he mainly photographs winter sports. Looking at his pictures, you just want to get on skis or take up a snowboard.

Oberschneider also photographs cyclists on mountain tracks and landscapes, but his winter sports photography is the most impressive.

Black and white snow

Choosing a ski trail

Aggressive and Powerful Skiing

Walking shadows

No pain - no victories

Skiing in telemark style in Austria

Cyclist at sunset

Downhill skiing on untouched snow

Too deep

Uphill.

Rage

Surf photographer Jeff Dotson will distract you from snow sports, who easily inspires viewers to travel to the ocean coast, where you can sign up for surfing lessons.

Based in Southern California, Jeff Dotson is not only a photographer, but also an award-winning visual effects artist and filmmaker. His images span the gamut from tense sports shots to incredible Photoshop creations.

Still from the film "Kainos" by Sarah Lee and Jeff Dotson

California's golden surf

Sunset

Combustion

Frozen

Blur

Fall from the sky

Gold

Surfing on a cloudy day

Palpitations

A pharmacist by training, Adam Kokot prefers to spend time clinging to rocks and wading through the snow, camera in hand, to capture amazing footage.

The career of the Polish photographer can be traced back to 2007, when one of his images was published in Mountain Climbing Magazine. Since then, he has come a long way, becoming a member of the Pro Team Phottix, receiving various awards, including from Red Bull and National Geographic.

Husky

Storm

Jura Krakow-Czestochowa or Polish Jura

White

The fall

Snowmobile

Kogolos

Climbing the Duron Valley

James Rushforth only started using 500px two months ago, but his work is every bit as impressive as that of other authors. Like Adam Cocot, he often photographs climbers climbing rocky mountains or ice walls.

Duration of training is 9 months. Payment 14,000 rubles. per month.

Unique moments

Rare, and in most cases unique moments, "captured" by the lens and fixed for an infinitely long time in the form of a photograph - this is the final result of the process called photography. However, the amateur level and the result of the work of a professional are two huge differences, especially when it comes to sports photography!

For a sports photographer, it is important not only to capture footage of football or hockey matches, figure skating pirouettes or throws of wrestlers and boxers' knockouts, but to do it professionally - that is, qualitatively. A high-quality sports photo is not only to “have time” to capture an interesting moment, it is an opportunity for a clear, bright and competent transfer of all the dynamics and emotionality of the moment with one photo! Otherwise, without professional knowledge and experience, a photograph, at best, becomes a dull faded picture.

The axioms of full-fledged learning

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of good, competent photographers! But to find a competent specialist in the field of sports among them is a difficult task, and sometimes impossible. This complexity is partly due to the small number of educational institutions capable of implementing comprehensive profile training programs. But by and large, a photographer who wants to specialize in sports photography is faced with a more global problem: the extreme rarity of theoretical and practical teachers who are able to transfer knowledge and experience, taking into account both the traditional canons of the craft of obtaining sports photography and current changes. New shooting techniques and technologies, competent work with new equipment and, again, new requirements for the quality of images - this is what becomes available to students in our unique photography school, which has integrated the most advanced changes in the world of sports photography into the best pedagogical traditions!

Only here our students are provided with all the resources necessary for their comprehensive training:

• an excellent academic staff of leading teachers in the direction of training "sports photography", as well as related industries;
• science-intensive training materials;
• comfortable photo studios equipped with the latest technology.

All facets of professionalism available to our graduate

The curriculum, meticulously crafted for our students, is designed for intensive but interesting learning, which results in work on a qualification diploma. A total of 352 academic hours, from the first lesson to the eight-hour diploma defense, accommodate:

• four topics of lectures ("Photographic equipment and photographic equipment. Optics", "Lighting equipment and accessories", "Fundamentals of photocomposition" and "Color science");
• practical exercises in ten key courses;
• specialization in six professional areas.

Unlike some training courses, our photo school is alien to a formal approach to the educational process aimed at obtaining a certificate of education. We issue a diploma, with the receipt of which the graduate acquires a solid theoretical basis and confident practical skills that allow him to immediately start professional duties! For example, our students are well versed in special camera settings for sports filming, taking photographs at sports events and participating in such important activities as working with long-focus optics and tripods, as well as other attributes of the professional activity of a sports photographer.

The skill of freshly baked photographers is brought to perfection by the practice of fast transfer of images to the customer, which is not taught practically anywhere!

Syllabus