How to shoot...Winning sports shots!
Digital Photographer|Issue 251
From tennis to athletics and swimming to the FIFA World Cup, pro sports photographer and Nikon ambassador Joel Marklund shares the secret of gold-worthy images
Joel Marklund
How to shoot...Winning sports shots!

Last year, we were gearing up for a super summer of sport, with the delayed Euro 2020 football championships, Wimbledon tennis and the Tokyo Olympics all crammed into the space of a glorious couple of months. With large sporting events having been delayed by the global pandemic, spectators were back in the stadiums and sport was once again on everyone’s minds.

After a fallow year of photographing events almost completely devoid of supporters, I couldn’t wait to capture the great sporting moments and the thrilling atmosphere of the crowds that follow them once again.

This year promises to be just as spectacular, with events such as the FIFA World Cup, Rugby League World Cup and the Tour de France on the horizon. There is always plenty to look forward to for any pro sports photographer.

The path to becoming a sports photographer isn’t easy. On a professional level, it demands fast telephoto lenses and top-end cameras, neither of which come cheap. And getting accreditation to shoot at professional games is a chicken-and-egg situation where you need a proven track record to get access to shoot and, realistically, you need to be working for a sports photo agency or a newspaper to get the gig in the first place.

But it’s not impossible and starting offsmall, perhaps by covering your local amateur team or smaller sporting events, can lead to bigger and better things. Hopefully, this advice will stand you in good stead, no matter what level or discipline of sport you want to shoot.

This story is from the Issue 251 edition of Digital Photographer.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the Issue 251 edition of Digital Photographer.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHERView All
Sigma 28-105mm f/2.8 Art
Digital Photographer

Sigma 28-105mm f/2.8 Art

This is anot-so-standard zoom lens, as Matthew Richards discovers on a test drive

time-read
1 min  |
Issue 285
AstrHori 120mm f/2.8 Macro 2x
Digital Photographer

AstrHori 120mm f/2.8 Macro 2x

Matthew Richards finds out if double the magnification means couble the value

time-read
1 min  |
Issue 285
DxO PhotoLab 8 Elite
Digital Photographer

DxO PhotoLab 8 Elite

DXO's flagship editor gets an upgrade but, asks Rod Lawton, are the results worth it?

time-read
3 mins  |
Issue 285
Panasonic Lumix GH7
Digital Photographer

Panasonic Lumix GH7

Gareth Bevan thinks a new sensor and AF make this the hybrid camera to beat

time-read
3 mins  |
Issue 285
STORM CHASE
Digital Photographer

STORM CHASE

Paige Vincent on the adrenaline rush, the risks and her passion for shooting in the face of storms

time-read
5 mins  |
Issue 285
PROTECT YOUR IMAGES FROM AI
Digital Photographer

PROTECT YOUR IMAGES FROM AI

Pandora's box is open and, for better or worse, Alis here to stay. Here’s how you can protect your images from being used to train Al models without your permission

time-read
4 mins  |
Issue 285
CREATE AI COMPOSITES
Digital Photographer

CREATE AI COMPOSITES

Serge Ramelli explains how to make AI work for you, by creating otherwise impossible portrait backgrounds

time-read
3 mins  |
Issue 285
Paul Wilkinson's top 25... PORTRAIT TIPS & TRICKS
Digital Photographer

Paul Wilkinson's top 25... PORTRAIT TIPS & TRICKS

Even with so much information out there, taking perfect portraits can be hard work. Pro photographer Paul Wilkinson guides us through this huge genre with his pearls of wisdom

time-read
10+ mins  |
Issue 285
MASTER MINIMALISM
Digital Photographer

MASTER MINIMALISM

Less is more in the world of minimalism. Rebecca Greig explores what makes minimalist captures work

time-read
6 mins  |
Issue 285
LITTLE WONDERS
Digital Photographer

LITTLE WONDERS

Kim Bunermann meets Louise B to discuss the joys and challenges of working with newborns and freshly baked parents

time-read
8 mins  |
Issue 285