10 Tips for Shooting Action Sports Like A Seasoned Pro

Action sports is a tough genre of photography to learn.  It takes a lot of practice, knowledge of the sport, and know-how to create great images.  I can tell you all of these tips, but there is only one way for you to make them work.  Experiment!  Get out there and shoot as many action sports as you can, and try applying at least one of these tips to every image.  You won't be a pro overnight but with practice and effort I believe that anyone can take great action sports images!

#1: Know the sport your shooting -- Simply heading out and shooting randomly can yield good images, but to truly create great images, you have to know what the athlete will be doing.  I find that a big part of the reason that I've been successful shooting skiing, mountain biking, and skateboarding images is because I enjoy and spend time participating in these sports.  Know-how can take you a long way while understanding why the athlete loves the sport and what the key moments are is necessary to get awesome and creative images.