tension as they do when they’re performing the skill. The more experi- enced you get, the better feel you’ll have for this. Shooting at that exact instant that the skill is being performed is what makes for great sports action shots.
7. ALWAYS BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR A GOOD OFF-THE- COURT CANDID
NET NO-NO: Make sure the pesky net tape doesn’t spoil your great action shot.
5. CHECK YOUR BACKGROUNDS It isn’t always possible to have a nice look- ing background, especially in an aging high school gym. But some choices are better than others. Take a look around before you begin taking pictures. Try to avoid shooting over- fl owing trashcans or ugly walls.
6. WAIT A SECOND OR TWO UNTIL THE TENSION IS RIGHT A few seconds before players serve, pass, set or hit, they often don’t have the same body
Sometimes your best shots will come before or after the match. It might be players enjoying a snack or sharing music from their phones or celebrating a win or even looking sad after a loss. Don’t forget to shoot celebration and emotion shots after a great play. Many amateur photographers stop fol- lowing the play through the viewfi nder once the ball is down. Those celebration shots often times are great framed pictures. Capturing the full fl avor of the volleyball experience means shooting more than just pass, set, hit. Some of your favorite shots will probably be taken off the court.
8. EDIT YOUR PHOTOS CAREFULLY The fi nal phase of good volleyball photog- raphy is being picky when you get to your computer. No one wants to look at your bad photos, so you should only share the good ones. A few good ones are always better than a whole bunch of not-so-good ones. You can tell at fi rst glance if a photo isn’t good; it never gets any better the second or third time you look at it. Here are a few things to look for when editing (or cropping) your photos:
• No half
people. When cropping photos, make sure you’re seeing the waist- line of your main
KEEP ON SHOOTING: Some of the best photos come after the ball hits the ground.
LONG SHOTS PAY OFF: Using a longer lens from above can produce great results.
subject. Cropping too high makes the subjects look strange.
• Select photos that have a ball. You want to see at least two thirds of the ball in all action photos. It’s rare to have a good action shot that doesn’t include the ball. It happens, but not often.
• Look out for net tape. Pick photos where you can see the player’s entire face, either through the net or above the tape. A full facial expression gives the shot more personality.
Peter Brouillet is photo editor for VolleyballUSA and DiG. He has shot multiple Olympics, NCAA cham- pionships and major pro beach events, and he can often be seen behind his telephoto lens on the sidelines of NFL and college football games, occasion- ally being run over by a wayward tight end.
USAVOLLEYBALL.ORG | 39
PHOTO: TERRY SCHMITT / UPI
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