Sports Photography How To

For a sports photographer, the thrill of the game is superseded only by the thrill of capturing that peak moment of action. For the uninitiated, photographing a sport—especially football—can be intimidating and certainly challenging. Hit-or-miss, in fact. But not to a seasoned pro like Peter Read Miller. This illustrious Sports Illustrated photographer, who now largely shoots for commercial clients, shares with us his experience and knowledge of how to shoot the game of football.

If there’s one universal rule of sports photography, it’s that you have to actually use your camera if you want to get the shot. Evidently these sideline photographers at last night’s College Football National Championship game between Alabama and Georgia missed the memo, because none of them has a camera eye up to their eye as the ball is in the air.

Unless you have unlimited funds and room for a closet full of gear, choosing a new camera is a really important decision that requires very careful research. As you’ll see in the video below, a bit of help from an experienced pro can greatly facilitate the process and help you make an informed choice.

Let’s face it: Most of us are passionate about gear, and we regularly update our equipment. The medical term for this affliction is Gear Acquisition Syndrome—commonly known as G.A.S.

The winners of the prestigious 2019 Red Bull Illume Image Quest photography contest were just announced and the prize-wining shots are, as expected, truly spectacular. The Red Bull Illume Image Quest contest showcases the best of the best in action, adventure, and sports photography and Shutterbug's editor-in-chief Dan Havlik was one of the judges in this fifth annual competition.

Baseball fans everywhere were pretty excited Wednesday night when the Chicago Cubs finally won the World Series after an agonizing 108-year wait. While the Cubbies came through in dramatic fashion, the performance of Chicago’s two newspapers covering the event was a mixed bag—at least when it came to photography.

Perhaps you're tired of us reminding you to use a tripod for outdoor photographs with maximum sharpness, but it's an undeniable fact. What's less understood are several simple methods for making the best use of this very important accessory.