Sports Photography Guide

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Get Inspired by Established Sports Photographers

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Learn All the Answers about Sports Photography

Everything About Sports Photography

Learn everything there is to know about becoming a sports photographer.

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Find Inspiration

Get Inspired by Established Sports Photographers

Make A Living

Make a Living with Business Tools to be Successful

Learn It All

Learn All the Answers about Sports Photography

Table of Contents

Find Inspiration

Make a Living

Learn It All

Find Inspiration

The Best Sports Photography Portfolio Examples of 2023

Whether you already have a sports photography website or are building one from scratch, it’s always a good idea to look at other inspiring portfolios to get ideas for your own. At least once each year, we recommend reviewing your site to add recent work and see if any of the content or design needs to be refreshed. We’ve done the hard part for you by collecting fantastic sports photography portfolio examples that you can click through for inspiration; you’re sure to find some fresh ideas for how you can design your own.

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Paul Mitchell Photography
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Paul Mitchell is a photographer and rally enthusiast who has been taking pictures of motorsport rallies for over ten years. His passion for photography and motorsport drives him to capture the most beautiful and exciting moments from each rally using different techniques. His aim is to create stunning, long-lasting images that people will cherish for years to come.

Agility Photography
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Brent Crouch and the team at Agility Photography UK love their canine friends and capturing those moments that can pass too quickly to notice. They take the time to recognize and appreciate the hard work canines put in for us, during and after competitions. Brent’s interest in canine photography was sparked when he began taking pictures at Flyball competitions for his partner. Their new furry addition to the family, with an aptitude for Agility, opened a whole new world of fantastic ‘doggy shot’ opportunities.

Brian Bates Photography
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Brian Bates excels at capturing the emotion of an event, whether it is a sporting event, receptions, special occasions, or just life. He is the primary photographer for several organizations and loves helping them capture special moments.

Melissa Weber Photography
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Melissa Weber is a sports photographer in the Scott County, Ky area. She is a University of Cincinnati DAAP grad & a graphic designer by profession for 20+ years. She loves photographing athletic events, especially fastpitch softball games. She wants young athletes—particularly girls and young women—to see how incredibly talented, confident, strong, powerful and amazing they are. Too often, girls and young ladies lack confidence and self-esteem. Her aim is for them to see what she sees through her lens.

DirtLife Media Designs
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David Passmore founded DirtLife Media Designs to advance local action photography and to bring style, motion, and speed to a single still photo. His philosophy is simple; “Action sports photography should convey action.” After being an avid bmx/mountain bike and dirt bike racer most of his life, David is no stranger to the importance of technical skills both in riding and behind the lens. David pursued his lifelong passion for photography after retiring from racing.

Delta Horsley Photography
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Delta Horsley is an Equine Photographer in SouthEast Texas. As a former horse trainer, Delta has years of experience and familiarity working with horses. With a lifelong love for both horses and photography, she has an especially keen eye for capturing horses through the lens creating timeless memories of you and your horse.

Check Out The Best Sports Photography Portfolio Examples of 2023

Creative Sports Photography Ideas for Your Next Photoshoot

50 Creative Sports Photography Ideas for Your Next Photoshoot

Sports photography is a dynamic genre of photography that involves documenting the different activities at sports events, including fan reactions, players’ movements, VIP and stakeholders’ presence. It is also a form of storytelling to ensure specific sports highlights are preserved for posterity’s sake. 

Furthermore, sports photography isn’t scripted and often doesn’t allow retakes since actions are live. Thus, as a sports photographer, you need more than just skill and equipment to make the most of your sports photography shoots. You need to always be wearing your creative hat, leverage unique perspectives, and be ready to click the shutter at the right moment. 

In this article, we explore 50 creative sports photography ideas to spur you. We also look at some diverse sports genres and events high-volume photographers can specialize in. 

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Website Templates for Sports Photographers

Our user-friendly templates can be customized into thousands of distinct design variations, perfectly tailored to meet the specific needs of sports photographers like you.

Brooke
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Big images highlight the beauty of your work. Ideal for fine art, landscape, and wildlife photography.

Victor
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Feel the excitement and exhilaration as your dynamic images pop off the dark background of this template.

Meriwether
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A modern design with a nod to vintage film photography makes this an ideal template for weddings and other special events.

District
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Introducing our latest District template tailored for sports photographers! With its striking fonts and versatile color palette, this template is meticulously crafted to seamlessly enhance your sports photography. It serves as an impeccable backdrop for photographers of all kinds.

Portland
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Experience a one-of-a-kind carousel with personality, designed exclusively for sports photographers like you. It elegantly frames your work in minimalist aesthetics, ensuring your session types and specialized genres are beautifully presented.

Discover
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Introducing an eye-catching gallery specifically crafted for sports photographers. This gallery is tailored to showcase your universal, modern, and meticulously arranged photography images with flair and finesse.

Canvas
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Once you’ve expertly captured life through your lens, unveil its myriad facets with this grid view layout.

Explorer
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Allow your captivating images to create a powerful impact within the confines of a stunning single-page website layout.

Amore
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Passionately portray the narratives of sports with a dynamic and energetic touch.

Noir
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A remarkable template designed to capture impactful sports photography.

Savannah
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A gentle color palette and sophisticated script font provide the ideal backdrop for showcasing sports photography.

Southwest
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The black canvas backdrop sets the stage for high-contrast sports photography, creating an evocative and dynamic mood.

Check Out Website Templates for Sports Photographers

Make A Living

Create Your Online Sports Photography Portfolio  

Build a Sports Photography Portfolio

An online sports photography portfolio website is an essential tool for sports photographers looking to establish their brand, attract clients, and showcase their talent for capturing exciting moments of athletes in motion. With so many options available, choosing an online portfolio that will help you create a visually stunning presentation that captures the energy and enthusiasm of athletes can be challenging. Fortunately, we can guide you through the process of designing an amazing sports photography portfolio website to take your photos to the next level.

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Learn It All

Expert Tips for Capturing Dynamic Sports Photographs

Whether it’s the thrill of a game-winning goal, the grace of a gymnast in flight, or the determination on an athlete’s face, sports photography requires great precision and timing. Veteran photographer Jeff Cable not only has a reputation for being a sports photographer but is also deemed a master at freezing the excitement, emotion, and drama of the games. With an exceptional portfolio spanning major sporting events, including the Olympics, Cable has not only witnessed sports history but has also played a crucial role in preserving those moments for posterity. His extensive expertise comes from a combination of photography skills and a deep understanding of technology.

In this article, Jeff Cable draws on his wealth of experience and in-depth knowledge to share with you his expert tips and techniques tailored to help you elevate your photography game. Whether you’re a seasoned sports photographer or are just starting out, Cable’s advice can help you capture the dynamic and inspirational moments across sports genres and events and bring you to the next level of success.

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Mastering action photography.

  • Choose the right shutter speed: A fast shutter speed (around 1/1500 sec) will freeze the action, and a slow shutter speed (maybe 1/4o sec) combined with motion panning can result in an image with a sharp subject that conveys motion.
  • Use burst mode: I will shoot anywhere from 5 frames a second to 20 frames per second to capture that one image at the peak of action.
  • Know the sport: As simple as it sounds, this is one of the most important tips. The more you know and understand about the sport you are photographing, the more you can anticipate what will happen at any time.
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Composition and framing techniques.

  • Foregrounds and Backgrounds: Be hyper aware of your environment. I always look for a background which will enhance my photo, not have distractions when choosing my shooting positions.
  • Find the right place: Position yourself where you think you will get the most forward-facing shots.
  • Capture the action and the reaction: When starting out, many people get so caught up in the action that they forget to photograph the reactions of the athletes. Practice looking for and capturing reactions; they can take an image from good to amazing.
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Maximizing lighting in sports photography.

  • Metering: I usually photograph in evaluative metering mode, but sometimes if you have dark subjects against a bright background (or vice versa), spot metering can be a better choice.
  • Backgrounds: I prefer to photograph athletes with an interesting background, provided there are not any elements that will overwhelm or distract from the main subject. It might be a large crowd of spectators, or a colorful banner. My personal preference is a darker background so that it does not compete with my main subject.
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Emphasizing athlete expressions and emotions.

  • Get familiar with the sport: Again, being knowledgeable about the sport you are photographing will allow you to anticipate what will happen at any time. This translates into being more prepared to capture emotional reactions during key moments.
  • Know the athletes: When I photograph for an Olympic team, I study each athlete ahead of time, reviewing images and watching video footage, to know who celebrates big and who does not.
  • Focus on the eyes, but include more: A great reaction is awesome to photograph, but many times it is more than the face. It may be a fist pump, a big kick, or another body motion.
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Utilizing unique angles and perspectives.

  • Depth of field: I usually shoot sports with my lenses wide open (the best aperture possible). This helps keep the focus mainly on my subject, since the low aperture means they are in focus and much of the background is not.
  • Show the location, competition, or event: Look for opportunities to incorporate an event or team logo into some of your shots. Whenever I am photographing at the Olympics, I do my best to have an Olympic logo somewhere in the frame. With something like bobsled, for example; out of the 18 turns, there might only be 4 with the Olympics rings. I will typically photograph at those turns.
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Preparing for sports photography shoots.

  • Photo positions: Before you take any photos, walk around the area to determine the locations for best backgrounds, lighting and peak of action.
  • Prep your supplies: Have your batteries charged, your memory cards formatted, and computer and card readers ready to download. This is especially true when you are under tight deadlines.
  • Have the right gear and settings:
    • Determine the best lenses for that environment, based on your proximity and the sport you are shooting.
    • Check your camera settings to make sure you are in the right modes (burst rate, focus, metering, etc)
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Post-processing techniques for sports photography.

  • Emphasize motion: Techniques such as motion blur or selective sharpening can help you direct the viewer’s focus and convey the speed and motion inherent in sports.
  • Crop for impact: A well-thought-out crop can significantly enhance the overall composition and eliminate distractions so you can emphasize your subject more.
  • Selective editing: Don’t be afraid to make selective adjustments to specific areas of your image. For example, dodging and burning can help highlight or shade specific areas, adding depth and drama. AI tools can help speed up the process of fine adjustments, too.

Sports Photography FAQ’s

How many galleries can I upload?

With Zenfolio you can upload as many galleries as you’d like. Choose the plan that best fits your needs: Portfolio includes 15 GB of storage, Portfolio Plus includes 150GB of storage, and our ProSuite plan has Unlimited storage.

Is there a plug-in for Lightroom?

Yes, Zenfolio offers a Lightroom Classic Plugin to upload photos to your Zenfolio account directly from your Lightroom Classic program on your computer. This plugin is a great way to quickly edit and upload photos straight from Lightroom Classic to your Zenfolio account. The Publishing services used by the plugin also allow you to make additional edits to the photos that you’ve already uploaded from Lightroom and publish those changes, automatically replacing the photos that were previously uploaded.

Can I upload multiple folders?

Multiple folders can be uploaded by using Zenfolio’s Desktop Upload tool. The Desktop Uploader allows you to upload photos directly to Zenfolio from any folder on your computer, without needing to use your internet browser. Not only can you upload photos and videos directly from your desktop, but the uploader can recreate your nested folders and galleries from the file organization structure on your computer, saving you tons of time. Plus, you can queue galleries to upload while you work on something else.

How can clients find their photos/self-service from my website?

With Zenfolio you can send a direct invite to your clients via email or copy the URL to the gallery and send it via text, social media messenger, or your email account. You can also set up your website and site navigation to link to your event gallery, allowing customers to visit your website and click on the event to locate and purchase images.

Do I have to login to the website to manually approve all orders?

Log in to your Zenfolio account is required before you can manage and approve orders. This can also be done on the go when using a mobile device.

Is Zenfolio compatible with uploading from post-production or tethering programs other than Lightroom Classic?

Zenfolio offers a Lightroom Classic plug-in, a built-in uploader, and the Desktop Upload tool.

Can I control the frequency of order profit payouts?

Zenfolio payouts are processed automatically. Payment will be paid out within 3-5 business days, after the order has shipped, to the bank account or debit card associated with your Stripe or PayPal account. Payments processed by Stripe will be paid out through Stripe. Payments processed by PayPal will be paid out through PayPal.

What are the fees to use and sell on Zenfolio?

Zenfolio has a 7% fee of the order sub-total – excluding sales tax and shipping. Stripe and PayPal can be set up as payment processors and they have their own fees that are between 2.9% + .30 and 3.49% + .49.

Do I need to add a watermark before uploading photos or does Zenfolio have a tool to add watermarks?

Zenfolio offers a watermark tool that you can use to apply a watermark to your images after uploading. When a client purchases photos for print or download, the Zenfolio-applied watermark is automatically removed.

Are Zenfolio watermarks removed once a customer purchases?

Yes, once a client purchases photos the Zenfolio watermark is removed.

 

What labs can I sell through directly in Zenfolio?

Zenfolio offers automatic fulfillment through the following labs: Photographers in the US have the choice of Mpix or BayPhoto, in Canada we offer Fujifilm powered by Zenfolio, in the UK we offer One Vision Imaging (OVI), and in Europe we offer Fujifilm powered by Zenfolio. Photographers can also choose to self-fulfill orders.

 

Does Zenfolio handle the delivery of purchased downloads?

Zenfolio handles the processing and delivery of downloads to your clients.

Can I sell high resolution and low resolution images?

You can sell various sizes of downloads including high resolution and low resolution digital products. The sizes range from Original down to 0.5MP (800px).

Can I sell bundles of 3 or 5 downloads?

You can create a package including 3 or 5 digital download files and sell this bundle of multiple images for download via any price list.

How do I make bundles of multi-image digital downloads?

You can create a package including multiple downloads in the desired amount and resolution and sell this bundle of multiple images for download via any price list.

Can I sell downloads which include the entire gallery?

You can set up an entire gallery download using the “All Photos” option and sell this digital download option at your desired price.

Can I allow an event organizer to download images for free or a set amount of images for free?

You can add the event organizer as a Client to a gallery, then use client options to allow them to download free images. You can allow them to download them all, or set a specific amount available as free downloads.

Can I sell downloads that include a graphic of the event logo on them?

To offer a download for sale that includes a graphic, you can upload the photos with the graphic already placed on the image. Alternatively, you can use order approval and replace the file or files in the order by uploading a new version containing the graphic before approving the order.

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