Great action shots are easy to capture with the sports mode setting

If your child plays sports, you probably want to capture some of the action instead of having only a team photo to remember the season with. Without the right camera, it can be a bit challenging though. I’m going to give you some ideas on how to use the equipment you’ve got for the best possible photos and how to fake it if your camera just won’t keep up.

The best option for sports is a camera with a zoom lens and a “sports mode” setting. I use a Canon EOS D60 digital SLR which I was lucky enough to inherit from someone else. The current model from Cannon that is a favorite is the Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera.
The sports mode setting on either model allows you to snap multiple shots in a row, capturing some great action shots in the process. Some point and shoot cameras also offer this option - it usually is an icon that looks like a guy running.

The zoom lens gives you the best way to get close to the action. You can capture the look of intense concentration on your child’s face, even if they are on the other side of the field (or court). If you have these two tools, I am guessing you might be pretty comfortable using them so, the rest of this post will be for those of you that just have a regular point and shoot digital camera.

The best part about digital sports photography? You know instantly if you have a good shot, good angle, and have things in focus. I have taken hundreds of film photos of sports to have one or two usable shots at the end, digital eliminates this problem. If things aren’t quite right, you can move and adjust and try again.

Action shots look great but they are not the only option for sports photos.

If you just have a small, point and shoot camera (I use a older model Canon Powershot sometimes) look for the photos that show action about to happen.

This is the type of photo you can capture with a regular point and shoot camera. If you’re in the right spot, it will be in focus, well set up and even though it is not a dramatic action shot, it still looks really good because action is about to happen. You have the sense of movement that will make your photos look extra special.

In baseball you can get a batter waiting for a pitch or leading off from base or you can get a fielder waiting for the ball to come. Football offers great shots of offense and defense lining up and anything right before the whistle blows to start a play. Basketball has the same type of shots - getting ready for the tip off, and lining up a free throw shot come to mind. For pee-wee sports with a point and shoot camera, these can be great photos. If you child eventually makes it to the state championship, you can get great action photos from the newspaper later.

Interaction with teammates is an important part of sports and the moments are really easy to capture with any type of camera.

Other shots to capture are interaction with teammates and even sitting on the bench. Anything that is part of the team experience is fair game. One of the best aspects of sports photography, even for a pee-wee sport is the expression it can produce. Kids get so involved in what they are doing, they don’t have time to pose the way they normally might (or hide, depending on the child). You may end up with some really intense expressions that you wouldn’t capture otherwise, both the excitement, the disappointment and the concentration. .

It can be really worthwhile to capture a quick shot when kids aren't paying attention especially if they are prone to posing (or hiding) from the camera.

In my opinion, one of the most important things you can do is to get up and move around. While your kids are still young it’s not going to be a big deal if you are right on the sidelines snapping photos. So, be there! Take advantage of the opportunity. Stand behind the goal, or just to the side of it in soccer or at the goal line in football and capture some shots you wouldn’t get from the bleachers. And bring a big memory card. The pictures from this soccer game are just a few of the over 250 I took that day. It was way more than I needed but I wanted to make sure I had the perfect shots to scrapbook later so I took as many as I could.

One other option - find the parent with the really huge technical looking camera and make friends. Then ask him or her to snap a few shots of your kiddo too. If it was me, I would certainly do it.

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