How to Take Good Camera Pictures of a Tennis Match
Sport photography is a challenging and exciting pastime, and shooting the constant action on the tennis court is no exception. Whether taking photos of a leisurely tennis match among friends or for a publication, these tried and tested tips can help you get started.
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Instructions
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Start out by making sure you have the right equipment, including a large-capacity memory card and a digital camera with a long-focus lens (starting at 500mm long). This will enable you to take as many pictures as needed and to zoom in on the action on the court.
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Shoot photos from behind the court, aiming your camera lens through breaks in the fence. Or if possible, take pictures from the sidelines and focus on capturing shots of backhands and forehands.
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Make sure to poise your camera so you can prepare for a picture before the action happens. Begin pushing down on the camera's shutter seconds before a serve, backhand or volley takes place so you get the shot in time.
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Keep your eye on the rackets when photographing a tennis match, and try to anticipate the next swing so that you'll get the shot of the ball hitting the racket before it's airborne.
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Level your focus on the server for at least part of the tennis match to get some guaranteed action shots. Since the ball is constantly in motion, it's a good idea to capture routine serves on both sides of the net to get images of all players.
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Tips & Warnings
Try to capture the emotion on tennis players' faces during a match, focusing in after a player gets a shot over the net or misses, or when they have won or lost a match. Consider taking a digital photography class at your local community college or learning annex. Some of these classes have special focuses, including sports photography, which can help you learn crucial tricks of the trade.
Don't be discouraged if your tennis photo sessions yield limited high-quality shots. Even experienced professional photographers often produce only a few publishable pictures per shoot, as capturing the action on film is a challenge.
