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SUGAR'S SECRETS
10 Tips & Techniques for Photographing Tennis at the U.S. Open 2007
Authored by Jim Sugar
Jim is an Olympus Visionary and renowned photographer who has worked with National Geographic for over 20 years and specializes in sports, aviation, nature and news photography.
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1. To photograph action on the Center Court, turn the camera to a vertical position and set the lens to a middle position (approximately 50 mm).
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2. For maximum support place the base of the camera in the palm of your left hand leaving your fingers to control the zoom ring on the lens, place your right hand on the grip on the camera with thumb and fore finger free to access controls. This will put your elbows at your sides for extra stability while shooting.
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3. When shooting from The Pit, you will be looking at the players from shoe-top level--literally. From this position, two types of shots work well. One is a wide-angle horizontal panorama with the entire stadium in the background and the nearest tennis player up close. But an equally good possibility will come from a vertical shot of the nearby player with a medium telephoto lens. Shooting from The Pit may provide an excellent photo of the player between shots when he/she reacts to the previous point or walks back into position for the next serve.
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4. After you have been shooting for a few minutes, experimented with a selection of lenses and shot both horizontal and vertical photos, say to yourself: "What haven't I seen? If I move left or right, vertical or horizontal, wide lens or long lens, could I see the subject in a new or different way?" Often your best photos will come in the last few minutes from a given location after you ask yourself this question, and then both look and see new photographic possibilities.
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5. In addition to asking yourself "What haven't I seen?" ask yourself one more question: "I looked but did I see?" At a venue that is as busy and complicated as the scene of the U.S. Open, often the best photos are the simplest images that are right in front of you. Remember that you don't need to be shooting with the widest or the longest of lenses to make a great shot.
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6. If you are photographing action, you will not have the luxury of saying "Just one more time, Mr. President." Once the moment is gone, there will be no Instant Replay. Force yourself to work quickly.
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7. Whenever possible, try to anticipate the action and the possible moment in the action. When photographing from the courtside, pay attention to whether the player is left-handed or right-handed. This will affect the player's position when serving. It will also affect the player's position when hitting both forehand and backhand shots.
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8. Follow the score of the game and the games in a set. Decisive points often create the greatest drama in a match and the best photos.
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9. Try to look at some great tennis photos before arriving at the U.S. Open. Tennis Magazine and Sports Illustrated often publish great tennis photos both on the cover and on the inside pages. Although you will not be able to copy an exact image, just being familiar with the game and the players will make you a better photographer by recognizing a shot when you get close to the action.
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10. The more you know the game and the players, the better you can anticipate the action, and the better your photos will be.
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Good Luck & Great Shooting!
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