How to photograph sports?
Sports photography is a relatively difficult field to master, but it is fascinating. It requires a high level of concentration and a good knowledge of the discipline being photographed in order to anticipate key actions and moments. Unfortunately, preferably high-end equipment (fast lens, camera with a fast burst rate) is often essential.

A camera with very responsive autofocus (AF) and a good burst rate is preferable (otherwise, you will need to anticipate well). Good high-ISO performance is also essential, especially for indoor or night sports: 2500 to 3200 ISO for top-level football, and often 5000 or 6400 ISO in most sports complexes not intended for professional athletes. The camera should be paired with a lens with a wide maximum aperture (f/2.8 or f/4 minimum) and a long focal length (200 mm minimum).
In short, sports photography unfortunately requires heavy and expensive equipment to achieve a good result, especially when lighting conditions are poor, although everything depends on what you mean by “good”. Reassuringly, to photograph your kid during a daytime football match, you do not need €5,000 worth of equipment. During the day, with entry-level equipment (250D or 4000D paired with a relatively slow 70-300 lens opening at, for example, f/5.6), daylight makes it easy to shoot sports such as football or rugby, a good opportunity to try sports photography. To keep the cost down, you can also buy used equipment, notably on Leboncoin.

As a reminder, for this type of photograph, the shutter speed should be set to at least 1/500 to freeze the athlete’s movement. It is all about compromise, depending on the available light. With a lower-end camera in particular, it is preferable to shoot at 1/500 - f/5.6 - 500 ISO rather than 1/1000 - f/5.6 - 1000 ISO, since noise increases as ISO sensitivity increases. On a high-end camera (1DX, D6), the quality difference between ISO 500 and 1000 is small, so it is much less of a problem to prioritize shutter speed to freeze movement perfectly. In fact, most sports photographers favor a high shutter speed at the expense of a little potential grain caused by raising ISO sensitivity; the same applies to us at the La Voix du Nord / La Voix des Sports photo desk. I agree with this approach when the available equipment allows it (a recent, at least mid-range camera), and in my day-to-day sports coverage I very rarely go below 1/1000 s.

When light is scarce, using a mid-range or high-end camera (R6, R7, etc.), paired with a bright telephoto lens (70-200, 300, 400mm, minimum f/2.8), becomes essential. The poor lighting in most sports complexes forces photographers to push their equipment to the limit of what is reasonable (6400 ISO or even 12800, 1/500, f/2.8). The use of a speedlight is strongly discouraged: it is also prohibited in many sports (table tennis in particular), and except in special cases the result is very poor.

Football

100 to 800 depending on the weather

Difficulty	Low (daytime) and moderate (night). Also see this specific tutorial on football photography.
Lenses	70-200 2.8 (close action, warm-up), 300 2.8 (slightly more distant action, close-up, player or staff portrait), 16-35 2.8 (dynamic pre-match images, benches). The 300 has the advantage of separating the background well.
Position	Sitting, ideally on a fishing stool (available at Decathlon/Go Sport for less than ten euros or in hunting/fishing shops), beside the goal and behind the touchline if space allows: this is not always tolerated by the match delegate and/or referee, but this position allows you to shoot great aerial duels.
Daytime ISO sensitivity
Nighttime ISO sensitivity	2500 to 3200 (L1 / L2), 4000 to 12800 (amateur football, adapted to the stadium lighting)
Shutter speed	1/1000 for a very sharp image, 1/1600 if possible. In all cases, do not go below 1/500.
Aperture	f/2.8 à f/5.6

Rugby

Difficulty	Low (daytime) and moderate (night). Quite similar to football.
Lenses	70-200 2.8 (close action), 300 2.8 (slightly more distant action, close-up, portrait): as with football, the 300 has the advantage of separating the background well.
Position	Sitting to avoid heads being cut off in the background, on a stool or on the grass, beside the goal line or behind the dead-ball line.
Daytime ISO sensitivity	100 (sun) to 800 (cloudy)
Nighttime ISO sensitivity	2500 to 3200 (TOP14, Pro D2), 4000 to 12800 (federal and regional level)
Shutter speed	1/1000 for a very sharp image, 1/2000 if possible.
Aperture	f/2.8 à f/5.6

Basketball

Difficulty	Moderate
Lenses	70-200 2.8 (action), 300 2.8 (close-up, portrait), 16-35 2.8 (bench, atmosphere with the coach), 24-70 (close action under the basket). If you had to choose just one, the 70-200 would be the obvious choice!
Position	On the floor (to avoid heads being cut off in the background), underneath the basket or to the side of the basket.
ISO sensitivity	3200 to 5000 (Jeep Elite, Pro B, N1), 5000 to 12800 (amateur basketball)
Shutter speed	1/1000 for a very sharp image; 1/500 can work if the light is really poor, but do not go below it.
Aperture	f/2.8 to f/4

Handball

Difficulty	Moderate
Lenses	70-200 2.8 (action), 24-70 (close action). If you had to choose just one, the 70-200 would once again be the most practical!
Position	On the floor (to avoid heads being cut off in the background), beside the goal. Referees switching sides may make this position awkward, but it is the best position. Introduce yourself to the match delegate or referees to agree on where you can stand without getting in the way.
ISO sensitivity	3200 to 6400
Shutter speed	1/1250 minimum for a very sharp image, especially during a shot. Below this speed, the attacker’s hand and/or arm may be slightly blurred. But once again it is all about compromise: 1/800 at 3200 ISO is preferable to 1/1600 at 6400 ISO if your camera is not good at handling noise.
Aperture	f/2.8 to f/4

Volleyball

Difficulty	High: in my opinion it is the most difficult sport to photograph (along with water polo), especially women’s volleyball.
Lenses	70-200 2.8 (action at floor level), 16-35 2.8 (bench/coach atmosphere), 300 2.8. If you had to choose just one, the 300 without hesitation. Volleyball is probably the most difficult sport to cover; to get good photographs, you need to spot an attacker and follow them through the viewfinder until a possible attack, especially with the 300mm, because following the ball is virtually impossible. Unlike football or rugby, which are fairly easy sports to photograph, anticipation is essential in volleyball photography: you really have to read the game and be very observant.
Position	On the floor with a 70-200 to shoot receptions by the libero, for example, or standing from a high position or behind the service area with a 300mm for attacks and defensive blocks.
ISO sensitivity	3200 to 6400
Shutter speed	1/1000 minimum for a very sharp image. But as with other sports, you can always drop to 1/500 if the light is very poor.
Aperture	f/2.8 to f/4

A Car Rally

Difficulty	Moderate
Lenses	70-200 2.8, 16-35 2.8, 300 and 400mm
Position	If you have photographer accreditation, you can position yourself as close as possible, without putting yourself in danger and while following the marshals’ instructions. Ideally, have spectators in the background. Without accreditation, you are part of the public: arrive early to choose your position well in advance. Position yourself to get the most appealing background possible. You can also scout for puddles to create reflections or water spray, and places where cars are likely to leave the ground.
ISO sensitivity	100 (sun) to 6400 (night stage, or shaded woodland)
Shutter speed	1/500 minimum to freeze the image, but frozen wheels in a rally are... ugly. Create a nice panning shot using shutter speeds of 1/100 to 1/160: the image will be much more dynamic thanks to the sense of speed created by this effect.
Aperture	f/2.8 to f/5.6, up to f/14 for panning if there is plenty of light. You can also use an ND filter to reduce incoming light and reduce depth of field.

Motocross / Enduro

Difficulty	Moderate
Lenses	70-200 2.8, 16-35 2.8, 300 and 400mm
Position	As with the rally above, if you have accreditation, you can position yourself close to the action while following the marshals’ instructions.	Ideally, you should also have a spectator area in the background. Otherwise, arrive early to find the best position. In CFS, the French sand-racing championship, look for sections of track with small bumps that allow a rider to be airborne in the foreground, with other riders on the ground or airborne in the background. Big jumps are also spectacular... when the sky is blue; otherwise the result is mediocre in bad weather.
ISO sensitivity	100 (sun) to 1600 (bad weather)
Shutter speed	1/500 minimum to freeze the image, but frozen motorcycle wheels hide the sense of speed. Vary your output by creating panning shots at shutter speeds of 1/100 to 1/160.
Aperture	f/2.8 to f/5.6, up to f/14 for panning if there is plenty of light.

Tennis

Attention: respect the players’ concentration. Silence is essential during important phases of play; the shutter burst should not be heard.

Difficulty	High (and even more so if there are shaded areas)
Lenses	300 2.8 or 400 2.8, 70-200 2.8. If you had to choose just one: the 300 without hesitation, which allows very tight framing.
Position	On the floor or seated, at the edge of the court, at net height and on the side opposite the players’ bench. Respect the players’ concentration: silence is essential during important phases of play; the shutter burst should not be heard.
ISO sensitivity	2500 to 12800 indoors, 100 to 800 outdoors
Shutter speed	1/2000 for a perfectly sharp ball, but 1/800 and above works well.
Aperture	f/2.8 à f/5.6

Ice Hockey

Difficulty	High; it is not easy to get the puck in the image.
Lenses	70-200 2.8, 24-70 2.8, 300 2.8 (for distant action or a close-up of a player, celebration scene). If you had to choose just one: the 70-200, which is very versatile for hockey.
Position	Standing near one of the two teams and close to the goal. Behind the plexiglass for your safety: watch out for the puck, which can cause serious injury!
ISO sensitivity	1600 to 6400 depending on the rink.
Shutter speed	1/1250 for a very sharp image. Make sure to overexpose by at least 1 EV for a properly exposed image (the ice can fool the exposure meter).
Aperture	f/2.8

Field Hockey

Difficulty	High, but less difficult than ice hockey, even though getting the ball in the image remains difficult.
Lenses	70-200 2.8, 24-70 2.8, 300 2.8 (for distant action or a close-up of a player, celebration scene). If you had to choose just one: the 300.
Position	Behind the goal line, to the side. Watch out for the very powerful ball and the sticks; as with ice hockey, they can cause serious injury!
ISO sensitivity	100 (sun) to 1600 (very cloudy).
Shutter speed	1/1600 for a perfectly sharp ball; you can go down to 1/500.
Aperture	f/2.8 à f/5.6

Athletics

Difficulty	Moderate
Lenses	70-200 2.8, 300 2.8 (for a close-up such as the photo at the top in the sand), 16-35 2.8 (for a start, for example)
Position	Preferably on the ground (again, to avoid heads being cut off in the background). For the start of a race with several hundred participants, ideally find a high position.
ISO sensitivity	100/200 (outdoors), 3200/6400 (indoors)
Shutter speed	1/800 minimum.
Aperture	f/2.8 to f/4 for photographing a single athlete, f/5.6 to f/8 for the start of a race with several hundred participants.

Table Tennis

Difficulty	Moderate
Lenses	70-200 2.8 (versatile), 300 2.8, or 135 2. If you had to choose just one: the 300 2.8, which perfectly isolates the player.
Position	Seated facing the player you are following, if possible with spectators in the background.
ISO sensitivity	2500 à 6400
Shutter speed	1/1000 for a very sharp image, 1/500 minimum. If there is little light, focus on slower phases such as serves (1/250 can work).
Aperture	f/2.8

Gymnastics or Dance

Difficulty	Moderate
Lenses	70-200 2.8, 300 2.8. If you had to choose just one: the 70-200, which as always is the most versatile.
Position	As close to the floor as possible, at the edge of the mat with the audience facing you so they appear in the background. You need to capture the elegance and aesthetics of the gymnast or dancer.
ISO sensitivity	1600 to 6400
Shutter speed	1/500 minimum, preferably 1/1000 for a very sharp image.
Aperture	f/2.8 à f/4

Boxing

Difficulty	High. It is not easy to anticipate an uppercut or a hook.
Lenses	70-200 2.8 (action, boxer portrait), 16-35 2.8 (atmosphere with the coach), 300 2.8 (from a high position), 24-70 2.8 (close action). If you had to choose just one: the 70-200 without hesitation.
Position	On the floor at the edge of the ring (making sure not to obstruct spectators), and/or from a high position if the venue allows it.
ISO sensitivity	3200 to 12800
Shutter speed	1/800 minimum, preferably 1/1600 for a very sharp image.
Aperture	f/2.8

Cycling / Cyclocross

Difficulty	Moderate
Lenses	70-200 2.8, 16-35 2.8
Position	Preferably on the ground. For the start of a race with several hundred participants, ideally find a high position. For cyclocross, you can vary your angles very easily: a rider carrying the bike on their shoulder uphill, passing through a puddle, crossing a tree trunk... for a photographer, this discipline is a delight.
ISO sensitivity	100 (sun) to 12800 (in shaded woodland during cyclocross)
Shutter speed	1/800 minimum.
Aperture	f/2.8 to f/4 for photographing a single cyclist, f/5.6 to f/8 for the start of a race.

RAW ou JPEG ?

RAW format (which is a digital negative) is preferable to classic JPEG for indoor sports because it allows you to change the white balance during post-processing. You only need to do it on one image and apply the adjustment to the rest: an operation that takes less than a minute. It is also easier to correct exposure in RAW than in JPEG, and the dynamic range is much greater! This makes it possible to produce JPEGs after processing the RAW with better contrast, highlights that are not blown out, blacks that are not blocked up, and correct white balance. However, a RAW file is much larger than a JPEG (4x larger) and significantly slows the camera’s burst mode: using RAW therefore requires 16, 32 or 64 GB memory cards and a powerful computer if you do not want to tear your hair out! For responsiveness, most photojournalists use JPEG only to send their images, but I personally use both on the 1D X MK II: JPEG on the CFast card, and RAW on the CF card. With a recent computer, a USB 3 card reader and especially an SSD, processing RAW files is very fast.

Manual, aperture priority, or shutter priority?

In general, for indoor sports, manual mode is the most practical. For football or rugby, you can use aperture priority (AV): set the aperture to f/2.8 or f/4, for example, and adjust ISO sensitivity to obtain a speed of at least 1/1000. It is fairly effective, but be careful with aerial duels against white clouds in the background: remember to lock exposure beforehand (the * button on Canon) or use manual mode. Shutter priority (TV) is mainly useful for motorsports, especially for panning. Set the shutter speed to 1/80 or 1/100 and choose an ISO sensitivity to obtain, for example, an aperture of f/4 or f/5.6. Also read this tutorial on the basic rules (ISO, shutter speed, aperture).

Image stabilization

Contrary to popular belief, in sports, image stabilization is completely unnecessary, except for panning. This system allows you to get around the basic rule that with a focal length of F mm, you need a shutter speed of 1/F to avoid camera shake. For example, with a 200mm lens, a speed of 1/200 is necessary to obtain a sharp photograph of a stationary subject. With image stabilization activated (IS on Canon), it is therefore possible to shoot at 1/50 with a 200mm focal length without camera shake, which is useful for a portrait of a stationary subject, especially when light is low. In sports, the minimum shutter speed for freezing movement is 1/500, so activating stabilization is unnecessary because at a slower shutter speed the photograph would be blurred. In addition, leaving IS active unnecessarily reduces battery life and interferes with autofocus effectiveness.

White balance

White balance (WB, White Balance) allows the sensor of a digital SLR to be calibrated so that white is truly white and colors are rendered correctly. An incorrect white-balance setting produces an image that is too warm (orange/red) or too cool (blue). In most football and rugby stadiums, AWB (automatic white balance) produces very good results. Unfortunately, in many sports halls, automatic white balance gives poor results (colors that are too warm), so it must be adjusted manually.
Depending on the type of lighting, you can try the “Tungsten” (3200 K) or “White Fluorescent” (4000 K) settings on your camera. Adjusting white balance manually by photographing a sheet of white paper under the lighting or using an ExpoDisc provides greater accuracy. The ExpoDisc is a disc placed over the front lens that allows you to obtain a theoretically white photograph when the lens is pointed toward the lighting. This “white” photograph, which is not white initially in AWB mode, tells the camera to use it as a white reference: consult the manual under “custom white balance” for the exact procedure. On a Canon 1D, simply set white balance to “Custom” and then go to the “Register Custom WB” menu.

If you use RAW format, you can very easily correct white balance during post-processing without degrading your images and apply it to the whole series to save time, but you still need to photograph a white sheet (or use an ExpoDisc) during your assignment so that your software knows which calibration to apply.

Finally, and this is every sports photographer’s worst nightmare: venues using cyclical lighting! With this type of lighting, a burst of 10 images in one second with fixed exposure (1/1000 - f/2.8 - 4000 ISO, for example) and a fixed custom white balance (3000 K, for example) will produce a very heterogeneous series: different color rendering and exposures from one image to another. This is caused by the phase difference of lighting powered by the electrical grid delivering alternating current at a frequency of 50 Hz (50 variations per second): a variation invisible to the naked eye, but captured by an SLR at a high shutter speed. There is no real solution apart from shooting RAW so you can correct it during post-processing. Often in a burst, the most interesting photograph is the one with poor exposure and an unusual white balance... you have to live with it!

Miscellaneous tips

Avoid back views at all costs: the player should be identifiable and preferably with the ball nearby (tennis, football, rugby, volleyball, handball). Do not hesitate to crop your images in post-processing to train your eye: with time you will find the ideal framing. Always think about your backgrounds: ideally position yourself so that you have spectators in the background; it is much more aesthetic than a fire extinguisher, a wall, a trash can, cars… To avoid heads being cut off in the background, it is important to adopt a low position, and this is even more true when photographing children: invest in a small camping stool (around ten euros at Decathlon) for outdoor sports, or sit on the floor indoors (although after a while your knees and legs will hurt). Using a monopod is unnecessary with slow lenses whose focal length is less than 300 mm. A monopod with a bulky 400 2.8 is justified (more than 7 kg on the scales), but with a simple 70-200 2.8 or 70-300 4.5-5.6 it is pointless and counterproductive: the monopod restricts your freedom of movement. When I was starting out, I was the first to use a monopod with a 70-200...

Also remember to use a lens hood on your lens (optional or supplied, as with Canon L-series, Sigma, etc.). The lens hood provides excellent mechanical protection for the front element and prevents stray lateral rays from causing flare (bright circles in the image) and reducing contrast. Each lens has a specific hood model (diameter, shape, length). It screws onto the lens and is perfectly adapted to its characteristics. Contrary to popular belief and despite its name, the lens hood is also very useful in bad weather (it partly protects against rain) and in cloudy weather or indoors (to limit stray light). If you have any other questions, or if there is a point I have not covered, feel free to contact me.