Most challenging sport to photograph?

[Aquaman]

I am not a sports photographer but I admire everyone's work. What sport is the most challenging to photograph? For example, is it volleyball because of the speed of the game? Or high school football with the lighting challenges from night games?

I interested in reading everyone's opinions.

[Capt Rick]

Im sure Hockey would be a challange!

[KartGirlsMom]

My daughters were all gymnasts - most gyms are very low light, with no flash allowed. Makes for a challenge.

[freeflydrew]

I think Squash is tough...

[cosworth]

Ball hockey. Zero flow to it and ultra fast. Ice and roller hockey have flow and some grace. Ball hockey has no ice, ultra low light and is iso 800 for me.

Ball hockey is like 15 cockroaches chasing the same chunk of food in a empty case of beer.

I just spent 3 days shooting a tourney and my finger hurts, my shoulder blade muscle hurts, my eyes hurt. I was sitting with a monopod even.

BMX and skateboarding, I thought, were tough since you have to get close and the risk of injury from flying debris was high. You can set everything up like portrait with those guys. Hockey makes bmx and sk8 look like a family sitting.

Now I get a luxurious and lazy week of shooting a beach volleyball tournament. I hope I don't fall asleep.

[fslshooter]

What sport is the most challenging to photograph?

A sport that the shooter isn't familiar with -- add difficult lighting and fast action and it's even more challenging.

[XTi Guy]

A sport that the shooter isn't familiar with -- add difficult lighting and fast action and it's even more challenging.
I was also thinking the same.

[liza]

Night football. Baseball is difficult for me, too. You never know where that ball is going to go!

[PaintballPhotography.com]

IMO I think paintball is one of the most difficult sports to photograph, I can not think of any other sport where the photographer and equipment takes such a beating. After a photographing a professional tournament like last weekends NPPL Commanders Cup and am covered with bruises from paintball hits. So far this year I have broken 4 filters and had two lenses damaged. My equipment is not only damaged by the high velocity of the paintball strikes but the paint gets all over your hands and it manages to work its way in to all the small spaces around the camera body buttons and CF door as you handle the camera...

I am on a first name basis with the friendly people at the Canon facility in Irvine:) :oops:

http://www.paintballphotography.com/Public/Photos/Tampa%20NPPL%20lens%20hit%20.4.gif

[iamskew]

Volleyball is the hardest for me because it is so quick and you almost always are trying to work around that big net.

Sometimes you get it right though:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v306/iamskew/nebraska%20week%2032/edgarvolleyballtournament9-1.jpg

[davidmigl]

In my limited circle of experience, i've got to say volleyball is the hardest for me - unpredictable action (just try to catch the first bump on a serve - you have to make a split second decision on which player to focus on), and lots of people that get in the way, meaning you can only get certain types of shots from certain angles.

Night football, IMHO is easy, as long as you have the right (ahhrrLrm) equipment. Nothing screams "NOOB!!!" like showing up with a flash and a 75-300 4-5.6.

BTW, nice sequence paintball!!

[liza]

Isn't it funny how the opinions differ? I think volleyball is easy. :)

[gparvan]

Swimming. Tough to get good position, angles, faces etc.. I've tried long lens to reach across the pool, but following is tough due to flags, judges and spectators. Short lens don't work very well cuz you can't get tight enough. Indoor lighting can be poor, outdoor lighting can be miserable with sun angled poorly. I suppose most these issues apply to all sports, but most subjects are not 70% underwater.

[csondagar]

I have never photographed any sports but I think extreme sports like skydiving would be difficult!

[troutbreath]

That paintball series is awesome.

I am hoping to shoot some volleyball and basketball this winter. So far, my experience has been limited to outside American Football and Baseball.

[RSN]

Volleyball is the hardest I have shot so far. Not much light and action is so fast. I think after a little more time I will get better. Night football is the easiest so far that may be because I shoot about fourteen a week.

thats my 2 cents
Rod

[Rob612]

A sport that the shooter isn't familiar with -- add difficult lighting and fast action and it's even more challenging.

I'll second that. A few weeks ago I had a chance to give atry to handball, that something I knos abolutely NOTHING about. Boy, that was really tough, I managed to get 3 or 4 pics worth the effor on a total of more than 600, but I swored never again shooting something I don't know at least a little.

[Dandaman_24]

i find bog snokling tough to photograph

[primoz]

For me personally gymnastics is one of hardest. But this has to do with me never being interested in this sport, and having no idea about particular sport, make it very hard to shoot.
Otherwise I don't count indoor sport as sports with difficult light conditions. Yes it's hard to get decent light, but at least it's constant. Outside it's much more difficult since light can be changing every few seconds, and this takes a lot more experiences to handle then constant light indoor.

[grego]

A sport that the shooter isn't familiar with -- add difficult lighting and fast action and it's even more challenging.

That's the best assessment here that covers pretty much anything. :)

[Trevi]

You know... When I go to the beach, I set my camera gear up, I get out my comfy chair, I get a cold drink from the esky beside me, I put my ipod on followed by my hat and I look around the beach at all the wonderful things there and you know.... I tell my self that this has got to be the toughest gig... Man I am so beat from a days shoot.
Whew....

[caryj]

Agreed, one you are not familiar with. But to add to that, I think each sport would present its own unique challenges.

[Hawk1959]

After shooting Basketball, Football, Wrestling and Volleyball... from these I would have to say Wrestling. Lighting changes all over the Gym and the Floor mats can through your setting off. Plus one moment you think you have a good shot.. Review it and you have to Butts in your face!!....

But my oh my... when you hit it... The Facial Expressions and intensity pay you back in full!!

Hawk

[avaloncm]

For me, it has been volleyball - Granted, I have only done football, soccer, basketball and volleyball - The action is so fast and you never know where the ball is going. Plus most high school gyms are not well lit.

[Fade2]

I'd say hockey, too much glass in the way.
And high school anything! lol very poor lighting.

[R Mutt]

Not one for motorsports?

Objects moving between 0 and 200+ mph, shooting in lighting that never seems to favor you. The need for large heavy expensive glass. And to get that great shot usually requires putting yourself in a dangerous position. I can't think of many sports where your life is in danger every second.

[20Dgrappler]

I agree with Hawk on wrestling, because there is no goal or set direction of motion. Boxing theoretically could have the same issue, but in wrestling the participants are attempting to get behind each other. One moment they're facing and the next they're looking away.

You theoretically need about six cameras stationed around the mat to optimize your shot.

[creamcorn]

Volleyball is the hardest for me because it is so quick and you almost always are trying to work around that big net.

Sometimes you get it right though:



Bright Sun, High shutter speeds, 1D? Doesn't sound to hard to me...besides, most of the pictures are of women pointing fingers behind their arses! :p

[hmhm]

Pillow fighting. I keep falling off the ladder.
-harry

[mspringfield]

I agree with the sports you are not familiar with posts but would also add sports that you do not particularly like. If I am shooting a sport or event that I don't care for I find it very difficult to concentrate and get the shots. My mind keeps wondering back to the pub that I drove by on my way to the venue! :lol: I find it very difficult to shoot things like marching band competitions or basketball because they bore the heck out of me. On the other hand football, soccer, lacrosse, gymnastics, and equestrian events are very easy for me to shoot.

Michael

[Tandem]

Photographing dog or cock fighting would be a challenge. You would be lucky if all you lost was your camera.

The Rocky Mountain State Games had foosball as one of the events. How in the world would you shoot that?

Out of the sports I have shot, I'd have to put discus throwing and archery right up there. Baseball, too, if you have to shoot through a fence.

Anyone for dwarf tossing?

[sh0rt]

Paintball is hard to shoot, not only the beating you and your equipment are taking. But the most challenging part is that paintbal is unpredictable. There is no centerpiece like a ball or anything. Anything can and will happen anywhere anytime on the field.

Other Sports really challenging are indoor sports where you have to deal with bad lightning and fast action.

[COKE CAN]

I agree with Gary, paintball has to be it