Shooting football - Warning

[lauderdalems]

We all talk about what lens to use and what position to shoot from, but serious considerations MUST be given to the danger of being on the sideline - even high school.

Here is one of many stories...

http://www.alamosanews.com/V2_news_articles.php?heading=0&page=72&story_id=14162

[gromeo]

One reason that as soon as I see the play coming towards me I start getting up from the kneeling position and start moving back.

[Naturalist]

I shot high school football years ago and I loved the sideline action shots - got some that were in my face close and, fortunately, never got injured.

Good lesson here to take to heart. The players are padded - the photographer is not!

[wfcs1962]

I saw the play coming my way last Friday in Rock Island and started moving but the players never stopped, I was never even hit but when I looked the flash on my second camera was laying on the turf with the shoe busted off, I packed it up and sent it for repair. I got plowed by two players from a youth league lears ago age 14 and they were moving fast and I wound up with the spikes of the player going over right in the calf....Man that hurts. So I am very watchful.

[dmwierz]

One reason that as soon as I see the play coming towards me I start getting up from the kneeling position and start moving back.

Romeo - that's exactly the opposite of what I do. I figure if they see me, it's best to stay still so they can try to go around me. If they can't see me, I figure I'll never be faster than them so I just try to make my cross section as small as possible and of course, protect my cameras. It's better for me to get hit while already on the ground than get clobbered when I'm trying to stand up or trying to escape (and thus partially standing). At least that's my logic.

[gromeo]

Dennis, I agree if I am in the kneeling position and I waited to long to react I will stay my ground and duck covering my gear. Most players are more agile then me and will jump over me. I only get up when I know I have time to maneuver. At my age thats a 10 yard leway :)

[DDCSD]

Romeo - that's exactly the opposite of what I do. I figure if they see me, it's best to stay still so they can try to go around me. If they can't see me, I figure I'll never be faster than them so I just try to make my cross section as small as possible and of course, protect my cameras. It's better for me to get hit while already on the ground than get clobbered when I'm trying to stand up or trying to escape (and thus partially standing). At least that's my logic.


That makes sense to me. Better to possibly lay down (depending on situation) to avoid than to try and stand up.

[RickyH]

Photographing pro wrestling has trained me well to avoid contact with athletes. The first time I got hit with a chair, I learned my lesson. My golden rule that I carry with me in sports is, "If the action looks like its coming towards me, it probably is, so be prepared."

[asysin2leads]

Romeo - that's exactly the opposite of what I do. I figure if they see me, it's best to stay still so they can try to go around me. If they can't see me, I figure I'll never be faster than them so I just try to make my cross section as small as possible and of course, protect my cameras. It's better for me to get hit while already on the ground than get clobbered when I'm trying to stand up or trying to escape (and thus partially standing). At least that's my logic.

Not to mention that when you're trying to back-peddle out of there, you're off balance and joints are at awkward angles, resulting in greater possibility of getting hurt. I've seen guys hover over their cameras and protect their heads.

[Palladium]

When the action is coming towards me I move upfield - I never back up. I can make an escape much quicker moving forward than I can back-pedaling.

[dmwierz]

One thing that's worth noting - I always try to have an escape route IN CASE I need to move. If the play is clearly heading my way and I'm trying to get "the shot", then I'll get as small as I can, but if it only looks to be close, I'll sometimes bug out.

Last weekend, a Notre Dame receiver and Nevada D-Back came right at me, and a little woman security guard got sandwhiched between me and the receiver. The play was a clear incompletion and the players were pulling up by the time they got to us, but she "absorbed the shock" for me (she was fine, and actually laughed about it), but my point in mentioning this was I was in the North end zone where the band comes almost up to the photo line, so I had NOWHERE to go. This also can happen in South Bend around the sidelines as there are tons of people standing all around.

[asysin2leads]

It's all about situational awareness. Have more than one way out and know who's around you. I agree w/ Dennis. If you are thinking about an "escape plan" while the players are 3 yards away, you're late.

[Sibil]

That's one scary story. I feel bad for the guy.

Since I shoot youth sports, I never worry about the players (soccer or basketball) to run off the field and hit me. I am orders of magnitude larger than them. But those missed-handled balls that zoom out of the soccer field or basketball court can sure inflict some pain.

[hairy_moth]

There are a bunch of videos on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUuMaemRhxQ&NR=1

[danaitch]

The danger of moving your position too far or too fast when players grow too large in your viewfinder is that you can't see the safety's pursuit angle, or the offensive lineman pelting towards you to try to block him.

Often the guy you're focussing on is the least of your trouble (especially when the lineman nails the safety and sends him flying in your direction, unable to avoid you even if he tries).

'Duck and cover' seems the best advice, admitting that if you decide to quit your position early enough it might be safer to walk slowly backwards. Mind you, who amongst us is that dedicated to their own safety above 'getting the shot'. :(

[liam5100]

Occupational hazards my friends... occupational hazards..

I've taken more than a couple volleyball's, a few foul balls, one linebacker and more mud and dirt than I care to recall. But by far the worst I've ever seen.....http://www.wkrg.com/national/article/photographer_hit_by_javelin_takes_his_own_picture/14104/May-20-2008_7-50-pm/

[lauderdalems]

Maybe I should have included all sports and not just football. I just got back to shooting college volleyball and got smacked in the face by a volleyball. Would have hit my lens but I managed to get lens/camera out of the way first. I was red faced for two reasons that night.

[canonnoob]

Occupational hazards my friends... occupational hazards..

I've taken more than a couple volleyball's, a few foul balls, one linebacker and more mud and dirt than I care to recall. But by far the worst I've ever seen.....http://www.wkrg.com/national/article/photographer_hit_by_javelin_takes_his_own_picture/14104/May-20-2008_7-50-pm/


wow... thats horrible lol... yet funny that he took his own photo.. the kid who threw it even won state... lol..

anyway ive taken my share so far of foul balls and players falling into the baseball well but what can you do?

Ill quote this for some fun discussion...
a shot of me by someone trying to get the other shot...


http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t54/sick06cobalt/t_MG_1828-1.jpg

[MikeFairbanks]

Well, you won't get hurt shooting surfing from the beach, but if there's an incoming tide and you're not paying attention, you might just get a good dunking.

While that won't hurt much, your camera might die from saltwater poisoning.

And don't get me started on shooting from the water.