It's been said that if one can shoot sports well, one can shoot almost anything. I don't know if I agree with that completely, but sports is a good place for a photographer to hone many skills, including timing, quick focus and the ability to capture moments.
Good planning is essential for good sports photography. On your way to the game, or match, consider what you want to accomplish, and position yourself accordingly. If you are shooting baseball, and want a good double-play shot, for example, it is best to take a position behind first base.
The best way to shoot action is to anticipate it. Know the tendencies of the players. Take a portable radio to the game, and listen on headphones.
Shoot photos that are tight and crisp. Take chances. Shooting tight often means many photos that are out of focus, but those that are in focus can be spectacular. A good technique for manually focusing is to put your lens on or near the infinity setting, and come back into focus on the action. This prevents you from turning the lens barrel left and right several times during a play. Wait for action to come to you. Be patient. A soccer field is a big place, and even a pro with a 400mm lens has to wait for action to come his way. Many pro sports shooters take photos in vollies of only two or three. It is not a good idea to hold down the shutter trigger in hopes that your motor will land you the peak action. It is better to trust your instincts and time the peak action yourself. Ideally, your first shot will be peak action, and your second will be player reaction.
Try for story-telling images. One of my favorite techniques is to keep my lens aimed after a play is over. In doing so, I am able to shoot better reaction from players. Look for photos away from the field of play. Fan reaction can make for outstanding photographs.
It is not necessary to have expensive equipment to shoot sports. A 35mm camera, a 135mm f2.8 lens, and 200 ISO film for outdoors and 1600 ISO for indoors should suffice for most needs. Using these films, outdoor exposure settings of f5.6 at 1/1,000 and an indoor setting of f2.8 at 1/250 are good starting points.
Photo Class is a series of lessons in photography by Billy Calzada for beginning and intermediate students. Visit Photo Class often, as new lessons will be posted periodically.