3 Simple Basketball Photography Tips And Tricks — Big 3 Basketball League Championship

I had the chance to do some photography at the BIG3 championship game, BIG3 Celebrity Game, and the FIRST EVER BIG3 ALL-STAR GAME. Sitting here at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and wanted to share some things that may help if you want to get into basketball photography. These tips can help at any level, beginners all the way to the pros.

1. Get To The Gym Early — No matter what level of basketball you are about start working make sure you account 1–2 hours before and after the game. Being early for a basketball game can help you showcase professionalism, and also you will be able to test your setting before the real speed of the game becomes normal. Giving yourself more time before the game will have you feeling less rushed can reduce your stress. It’s hard to get good pictures of fast moving athletes when you are in a state of stress for whatever the case may be.

2. Test Your Settings Before The Game — One of the most important things in any action sport is stopping the action. If you are early and prepared, you can test all of your settings in pregame warm up as players are doing shoot around, and my favorite the lay up line. This also help you get into a flow before the real game speed is in full effect. Shutter speed is going to be the key ingredient to making you basketball picture come out sharp. I struggled with this for a few years when I first started. There is no secret answer to what you shutter speed should be but a good rule of thumb I use when working with the fast athletes on the planet is I start a 1/800 and then adjust from there.

3. Versatility — Have a versatile lens that you can afford if you are just starting out. One of the first lens set ups I used was the Sony 85 1.8 for basketball photography. I tried to use the 70–200 F4 but wasn’t happy with how my images looked. The 85 1.8 is something you will hear people recommend but it was what I could afford, and it actually got the job done most of the time. Figure out a lens length that works for you court position. Everything should be based on where you are allowed to take photos. The baseline is the main area, but from my professional experience in the WNBA, BIG3, NBA, and NBA G LEAUGE, I have learned that there is sometimes not enough room for everyone on the baseline. When that happens you need to have a lens that will get you good images from the spot you have been allowed to use to capture the game.

These are some simple tips, but very effective when used right. When all else fails, stay focused and keep shooting (literally)