Sports

This striking portrait of an Olympic swimmer is all about the moody low-key lighting, which highlights the athlete’s toned physique and the prominent Olympic rings tattoo on his left shoulder. The image is so sharp, each droplet of water is visible on the swimming cap and goggles.

This image of a cyclist is a great example of panning. By pairing this technique with a slow 1/40 sec shutter speed, the bike's wheels are spinning and the surroundings have been smoothed out into lashings of motion blur, but the subject is perfectly sharp.

This portrait is of weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz, who made headlines at Tokyo 2020 as the Philippines’ first ever Olympic gold medalist. The mono conversion has helped to mute the busy surroundings, while the lighting pulls the subject from the background. However, it’s the moment captured that really elevates this image as Hidilyn composes herself before lifting the barbell.

Access at large sporting events is notoriously difficult to obtain, but that didn’t stop Harry Oliver. This stunning black and white image of a diver at the London 2012 Summer Olympics was captured from the stands. The athlete is frozen mid-tuck above a diving board and the beautiful rim lighting clearly separates the subject from the background.

This wide-angle interior shot is a great reminder that sports photographers are tasked with documenting stories throughout the whole sporting event and not just the competition itself. The venue is an important part of that story and this is a stunning example of how a sports arena’s sweeping curves can make a fantastic architectural shot.

Capturing a fast-moving subject is no mean feat, but this image of a skater is tack-sharp. A fast 1/2000 sec shutter speed was used to freeze the motion and the focus is spot on. The harsh sunlight has cast an almost perfect shadow, while also highlighting the subject’s muscular frame. The arched positioning of the arms works well, as they don’t intersect with anything else within the image.

This image depicts the moment immediately after Angel Aviles lands a right cross on Gideon Buthelezi. The fast 1/1000 sec shutter speed has frozen spirals of spital and wakes of skin, conveying the brute force of the impact. Everything beyond the ring is obscured in shadow, which serves to isolates the competitors during this decisive moment of action.

You don’t need to use a super-fast shutter speed to capture motorsport images if you’re willing to try out the panning technique. This image is tack-sharp and the slow 1/100 sec shutter speed has allowed for attractive lashings of motion blur. A great image!

This gnarly surfing shot was taken at the Boardmasters OPEN in Newquay. The bright white foam contrasts against the overcast sky and the surfer’s dark wetsuit. The froth is frozen still as it thrashes into the air, but crucially, it doesn’t obscure the subject. The black and white conversion (via Adobe Lightroom) complements the dark and brooding sky and the additional contrast has added definition to the water.

A super-fast 1/1600 sec shutter speed has been used to freeze both the kayaker and the water. The viewer is drawn to the subject’s face, and crucially, this hasn’t been obscured by lashings of water. A fantastic, action-packed sports shot!

We really like this image and its blend of sports and landscape photography. The mountain biker is the main subject, but the viewer's gaze is encouraged to drift across the rolling Lake District. Despite the brooding sky, the subject is spotlighted by a few rays of natural light, an instance that’s difficult to come by.

Moments of action aren’t just limited to the competition itself. This track athlete has been photographed after a race has finished and his celebrations convey a strong narrative. We like how the lighting allows the subject to pop against the busy background.

This incredible image of a canoeist performing a breakout manoeuvre was captured during a slalom run at Lee Valley White Water Centre. Care was taken to focus on the athlete’s face, while ensuring it wasn’t obscured by splashes of water. Chris’s passion for the sport aided his ability to predict what was going to happen and despite only having a split second to focus using his Nikon D4S, he walked away with this superb shot.

Ireland’s national sport of hurling is immortalised in this action-packed still. The shallow depth of field causes the players to pop against the blurred crowd in the background and the super-fast 1/3200 sec shutter speed has effortlessly frozen the on-pitch action.

Sports photography isn’t always about capturing action-packed moments and this candid image of boxing students watching a demonstration is a fantastic example. We like the unusual angle – through the boxer’s feet – and how each student is seemingly oblivious to the camera, enthralled only by the action inside the ring.