p.1 #3 · Any book recommendations for improving sports photography skills?
There are a number of good books out there on shooting sports. Maybe the best is Peter Read Miller's book but they are in short supply and trade at a relatively high price. I would be willing to loan you my copy if you send me a private message with your name and address. I would like it back as it is something of a collector's item now. There is a hard bound book that you can get sometimes at a huge discount that essentially shows the behind the scenes with sports illustrated covers. I learned more about cropping images from that book than any other source and I think it was less than $10. I forget the name off the top of my head but it was well worth reading. For the most part there hasn't been any new book written about sports photography in a long while. The void has been made up by the internet where there is more than a little advice about shooting any sport. The BYU team has put out some of the best videos I have seen but there are many others. For most the videos are probably a better instructional method than a book though I favor both. The reality is there are a lot of small nuances or tricks of the trade but knowing your gear and your settings along with knowing your sport are probably the two biggest factors. The third, and maybe the biggest factor, is that you have to learn or understand what makes a good image. Early on and even now I pull pages from magazines, save posts, and look at Getty and other wire services to see what makes a good sports photo. Generally, one can see from these what is generally considered good art and also something about how the image was made. You can see from most images where the photographer was located and his/her angle of view. I have said too much but I would say it pays to go shoot games and events that you don't care about to try things you wouldn't try if you had to deliver a certain gallery. There is freedom in shooting an event no one has asked you to cover just to try things you might not otherwise try. For example, the other night I shot a football game using all fast primes aside from my 400 f2.8 and substituted my 200 f2 for my 70-200 and used a 50 f1.2 instead of my 28-70 or my 24-105. There is something to be said about variety.
p.1 #5 · Any book recommendations for improving sports photography skills?
* The BYU Photo Team videos are Best in Class.
* If I could recommend one YouTube channel, check out and subscribe to Jack Beasley Sport Photography.
* The only sports photography-specific podcast is Big Lens Fast Shutter. Unfortunately, they stopped making content around COVID -- but the core concepts still hold up incredibly well. And it is entertaining.
* As far as books -- I second Peter Read Miller's book noted above and would add "1/100th, The Sports Photography of Bob Martin," as a visual delight.
* I'm a book collector so it pains me to say this -- but I find that YouTube is a better educational tool than books in this particular field. Technology marches forward and has such a profound impact on equipment, editing, workflow, and it's always changing. For example, how we handle ISO today versus just 3-4 years ago is vastly different. The amount of flexibility have with files overall now versus 4-5 years agoi (when flagships had 20MP files vs today's 45+).... the game is changing rapidly. And my bet is that most of us will be cuilling with AI in a few years.Some core concepts hold for sure -- but a book from 5-7 years ago may feel "dusty," in terms of today's reality,
* I have a bias as someone who works in the museum world but I think the best books on sports photography are not about sports photography. They are about general design, composition, and visual style in art and coming up with your own unique style and voice.
* After that - or arguably before depending on your goals - the most important books may be on business, marketing and "How to Make Friends and Influence People."
