Sports Photography Class-Pre-Game Action

Before the game starts is a great time to get isolated action of a player. Teams repeat drills over and over as the players move through the line. This presents a great opportunity to get a shot of your child because you know what they will be doing and where they will be doing it.

This is true for baseball in grounders, football for passing, and in this case soccer for shots on goal.

The Hope Solo shot of the USWNT from 2015 is of her as she fields her teammates shots on goal. I pretty much knew that each ball was coming her way, it was just if she would be going left or right. Pre-game shots can be distracting with a bunch of extra people on the field, but if you wait patiently and get lucky you will get a clean shot.

For the youth soccer player (my recurring subject as it is impossible to find a real game going on) I camped out by the goal post and pressed my shutter down all the way from right when the ball was kicked through the end of the play.

You will have many times when you take useless shots in this time as you anticipate the action coming to you, only to have it go the other way. That's ok, be patient and continue to shoot as you will get something if your patient.

During pre-game for the Steelers or Pirates or Penguins I typically shoot hundreds of pictures as this is a great time to get individual players in their element.

So, when you are out photographing recess today, if your student/child is doing an exercise, try this out. Shoot the same drill as they practice and work on getting a nice isolated picture.

Camera Settings:
Hope Solo: 1/1000 sec; f4.5; ISO 320; Manual
Youth Player:1/1600 sec; f2.8; ISO 200; Manual