Sports Photography

When photographing sports, you can set your camera to specific settings to match the goals you want to achieve. Sport-specific settings, as well as adjusting your timing based on the sport you're photographing, can be beneficial. Whether your subjects are moving quickly, erratically, or in a straight line around a track, use the following settings as a starting point to improve your photos.

The following tips were written with the D4 D-SLR in mind, but you can adjust the majority of the settings regardless of which Nikon D-SLR you're shooting with; simply consult your camera's manual for specifics.

• Most team sports, such as soccer or rugby, will require the photographer to photograph a subject that is partially obscured by another object or when the focus shifts quickly between nearby and distant subjects. To counteract this, change the following settings on your camera: AF-C Priority is set to RELEASE, AF-Area Mode is set to DYNAMIC AREA AF (9 points), and Focus Tracking with lock-on is set to 3 points (normal).

• When photographing sports where subjects are frequently obscured by other athletes, such as at a track event, use a long lock-on to keep your subject in focus. Set AF-C Priority Selection to RELEASE or FOCUS + RELEASE, AF-Area Mode to DYNAMIC AREA AF (9 points), and Focus Tracking with lock-on to 3 (normal) to 5 (high) (long).

• Increase the number of dynamic-area focus points for subjects that appear suddenly in the viewfinder or are difficult to track, such as diving or ski jumping. If the subject briefly moves out of the selected focus point, the camera will focus based on information from nearby focus points. This works best when there is a clear separation between the subject and the background. Set the AF-C Priority Selection to RELEASE, the AF-Area Mode to DYNAMIC AREA AF (21 points), and the Focus Tracking with lock-on to 3 in this case (normal)
• When framing pictures in portrait orientation, increase the number of dynamic-area focus points by one level for sports where you're likely to use the outer focus points, such as speed skating. Choose FOCUS + RELEASE for the AF-C Priority Selection, AF-Area Mode of DYNAMIC AREA AF (21 points), and Focus Tracking with lock-on of 3 when photographing ball sports and other situations where precise timing is not a priority (normal).

• Increase the number of dynamic-area focus points when photographing sports such as figure skating, where the subjects move quickly, or when changing the camera orientation (from portrait to landscape) frequently. Increase the lock-on time when shooting pairs skating events. This will help keep the camera from focusing on the background in the gap between subjects when subjects are obscured by their partner. Set the Custom Setting a10 (on the D4) to YES to store points by orientation for better framing. Set AF-C Priority Selection to RELEASE, AF-Area Mode to DYNAMIC AREA AF (9 or 21 points), and Focus Tracking with lock-on to 3 (normal) or 5 (high) (long).
• Reduce lock-on times when shooting sports with subjects that move or change quickly (for example, in hockey or when shooting baseball from the bench and alternately framing the pitcher and a runner). Set the AF-C Priority Selection to RELEASE, the AF-Area Mode to DYNAMIC AREA AF (9 points) or Single-point AF, and the Focus Tracking with lock-on to OFF or 1. (short).

• When shooting volleyball or swimming—sports where the time between focusing and shooting is short or there are obstacles between the autofocus target and the camera—use Single-point AF to prevent the camera from focusing on obstacles like the volleyball net or pool splashes. Set the standby timer to 1 minute or longer for a better shutter response. Set AF-C Priority Selection to RELEASE, AF-Area Mode to Single-point AF, and Focus Tracking with lock-on to 3. (normal).

VR Settings

Choose a VR setting appropriate for the subject you're photographing to reduce camera blur. When photographing moving subjects with a shutter speed of 1/500 second or faster, it is recommended that VR be turned off because blur is less likely.

To reduce the effects of vibration when panning shots of moving subjects or photographing stationary subjects, select ON/NORMAL.

Select ACTIVE when taking photos from a car, boat, helicopter, or other unstable platforms. It should be noted, however, that panning or excessive vibration may have an effect on the image in the viewfinder.

When shooting on a tripod, use TRIPOD mode; however, if you are not using a fixed tripod head or a monopod, use NORMAL mode.