Marc-Andre Fleury.Photo: Steph Chambers/Getty
01of 09PGA TourDaniel Berger.Steph Chambers/Getty"Great photographs usually involve emotion conveyed through faces or eyes which help the viewer relate to the person. However, sometimes body language and humor can express the human condition equally well.“I am not a golfer, but I imagine the tediousness of the game drives players crazy. They are exceptional at keeping their frustration inward, so to see a player roll backward in the sand trap made for a relatable laugh. Golf photography begins to feel stale after a long tournament of tee shots, putts and celebratory waves after a player retrieves the ball. This moment is rarely seen.”
01of 09
PGA Tour
Daniel Berger.Steph Chambers/Getty
“Great photographs usually involve emotion conveyed through faces or eyes which help the viewer relate to the person. However, sometimes body language and humor can express the human condition equally well.
“I am not a golfer, but I imagine the tediousness of the game drives players crazy. They are exceptional at keeping their frustration inward, so to see a player roll backward in the sand trap made for a relatable laugh. Golf photography begins to feel stale after a long tournament of tee shots, putts and celebratory waves after a player retrieves the ball. This moment is rarely seen.”
02of 09NFLJamal Adams.Steph Chambers/Getty"While travel and big events are a fun benefit of my job, much of what I do as a sport photographer is covering local teams. Football is my favorite sport, with its huge warrior-like players, loud atmosphere and physical action. It’s a spectacle, much like this laser beam and smoke photo which accentuates the sport’s drama.“Properly exposing this image was tricky because of the bright side light, the lasers and the dark smoke. Sometimes in a difficult lighting situation, I pause briefly to check the result on the LCD screen to make sure I’m achieving the picture I want. In the industry we call quickly reviewing images on the back of the camera ‘chimping,’ though it’s best to avoid that habit as that’s how the next moment can be missed.”
02of 09
NFL
Jamal Adams.Steph Chambers/Getty
“While travel and big events are a fun benefit of my job, much of what I do as a sport photographer is covering local teams. Football is my favorite sport, with its huge warrior-like players, loud atmosphere and physical action. It’s a spectacle, much like this laser beam and smoke photo which accentuates the sport’s drama.
“Properly exposing this image was tricky because of the bright side light, the lasers and the dark smoke. Sometimes in a difficult lighting situation, I pause briefly to check the result on the LCD screen to make sure I’m achieving the picture I want. In the industry we call quickly reviewing images on the back of the camera ‘chimping,’ though it’s best to avoid that habit as that’s how the next moment can be missed.”
03of 09
NHL
Marc-Andre Fleury.Steph Chambers/Getty
“Growing up a Pittsburgh Penguins fan, I remember watching Marc-Andre Fleury make flailing saves. When he came to town, I was praying he’d make his signature moves while firing my remote above. I had the camera pre-focused, the zoom wide enough to capture action surrounding the goalie and a narrow aperture to ensure everything is in focus. Thankfully, luck struck.”
04of 09NFLTrevor Lawrence.Steph Chambers/Getty"One way I challenge myself with sports photography is to find something away from the action. I think what separates great photographers is their ability to think ahead instead of simply reading and reacting.“First-round 2021 NFL Draft pick and rookie star Trevor Lawrence came to town, and I wanted one good portrait of him. During pregame, the players sometimes come close as they warm up, heading to and from the locker room. In this photo, I used the light to illuminate his eyes, which matched the team’s color scheme. It took much patience to wait for him to look in my direction with no distractions around. A tight crop like this can bring the viewer right into the moment.”
04of 09
Trevor Lawrence.Steph Chambers/Getty
“One way I challenge myself with sports photography is to find something away from the action. I think what separates great photographers is their ability to think ahead instead of simply reading and reacting.
“First-round 2021 NFL Draft pick and rookie star Trevor Lawrence came to town, and I wanted one good portrait of him. During pregame, the players sometimes come close as they warm up, heading to and from the locker room. In this photo, I used the light to illuminate his eyes, which matched the team’s color scheme. It took much patience to wait for him to look in my direction with no distractions around. A tight crop like this can bring the viewer right into the moment.”
05of 09Tokyo Summer OlympicsIto Mima of Team Japan.Steph Chambers/Getty"Sports roared back from stifling COVID-19 protocols in nearly full swing, except for the Tokyo Olympics. There were no fans allowed, mandatory quarantines placed, and access was limited within venues. In these instances, that’s when a photographer’s creativity is truly tested.“My assignment for the Olympics was to cover the table tennis competition. My personal goal going into this was thinking about how I visually show that this sport and its athletes are just as competitive, beautiful and uniquely skilled as the marquee, primetime events. Intimacy of high stakes sport is defined in the details through drops of sweat, snow from ice skates, and, in this case, the Tokyo 2020 ball lifting off a player’s fingertips. I spent several sessions photographing Mima Ito’s signature serve with a 400mm lens while lying on the ground. She didn’t always serve in this way, which made it more of a challenge to capture and decide how much time to spend achieving this image I envisioned.”
05of 09
Tokyo Summer Olympics
Ito Mima of Team Japan.Steph Chambers/Getty
“Sports roared back from stifling COVID-19 protocols in nearly full swing, except for the Tokyo Olympics. There were no fans allowed, mandatory quarantines placed, and access was limited within venues. In these instances, that’s when a photographer’s creativity is truly tested.
“My assignment for the Olympics was to cover the table tennis competition. My personal goal going into this was thinking about how I visually show that this sport and its athletes are just as competitive, beautiful and uniquely skilled as the marquee, primetime events. Intimacy of high stakes sport is defined in the details through drops of sweat, snow from ice skates, and, in this case, the Tokyo 2020 ball lifting off a player’s fingertips. I spent several sessions photographing Mima Ito’s signature serve with a 400mm lens while lying on the ground. She didn’t always serve in this way, which made it more of a challenge to capture and decide how much time to spend achieving this image I envisioned.”
06of 09U.S. Olympic Track and Field TrialsSha’Carri Richardson.Steph Chambers/Getty"One of the biggest sports stories of 2021 was Sha’Carri Richardson’s positive test for THC, a banned substance, after qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics. It sparked a debate on whether cannabis is a performance-enhancing drug.“This image was photographed at the finish line of the U.S. Olympic track and field trials as I jockeyed for position sitting elbow-to-elbow with other photographers. Arriving to this spot early was critical in covering this heat because of Richardson’s likelihood of setting a record. The newsworthiness, the lines and her flashy hair, nails and posture make for a dynamic image and story to tell.”
06of 09
U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials
Sha’Carri Richardson.Steph Chambers/Getty
“One of the biggest sports stories of 2021 was Sha’Carri Richardson’s positive test for THC, a banned substance, after qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics. It sparked a debate on whether cannabis is a performance-enhancing drug.
“This image was photographed at the finish line of the U.S. Olympic track and field trials as I jockeyed for position sitting elbow-to-elbow with other photographers. Arriving to this spot early was critical in covering this heat because of Richardson’s likelihood of setting a record. The newsworthiness, the lines and her flashy hair, nails and posture make for a dynamic image and story to tell.”
07of 09College FootballThe Apple Cup at Husky Stadium.Steph Chambers/Getty"Fast forward to the end of 2021, and we see fans storming football fields again! Thanks to a Washington State Cougars fan who offered to hoist my 5-foot tall self on his shoulders, I was able to achieve a wide view of the players and fans celebrating at their rival’s 50-yard line. I thanked him 10 times over.“It can be claustrophobic, chaotic and difficult technically to photograph when fans enter the field after a major win. My lens typically fogs up from the warmth of the fans in chilly temperatures like this. so keeping that in mind was crucial to capturing the moment.”
07of 09
College Football
The Apple Cup at Husky Stadium.Steph Chambers/Getty
“Fast forward to the end of 2021, and we see fans storming football fields again! Thanks to a Washington State Cougars fan who offered to hoist my 5-foot tall self on his shoulders, I was able to achieve a wide view of the players and fans celebrating at their rival’s 50-yard line. I thanked him 10 times over.
“It can be claustrophobic, chaotic and difficult technically to photograph when fans enter the field after a major win. My lens typically fogs up from the warmth of the fans in chilly temperatures like this. so keeping that in mind was crucial to capturing the moment.”
08of 09NBADamian Lillard.Steph Chambers/Getty"The opposite of a detailed photograph are wide, scene-setting angles to help the viewer connect to the space. By now we’ve all seen empty stadium photos taken before fans slowly returned to venues early this year, so I wanted to try something different. An element like this reflection helps create a new layer to see how athletes interact with their environment.“I arrived at the Moda Center early and walked the bleachers to find a reflection in the plexiglass stairways. When I found one that would work with the cardboard cutout fans in the background, I focused on the plexiglass until a player filled it. I was lucky when star Damien Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers shot three-pointers in the exact spot I wanted him in to create this unique image.”
08of 09
NBA
Damian Lillard.Steph Chambers/Getty
“The opposite of a detailed photograph are wide, scene-setting angles to help the viewer connect to the space. By now we’ve all seen empty stadium photos taken before fans slowly returned to venues early this year, so I wanted to try something different. An element like this reflection helps create a new layer to see how athletes interact with their environment.
“I arrived at the Moda Center early and walked the bleachers to find a reflection in the plexiglass stairways. When I found one that would work with the cardboard cutout fans in the background, I focused on the plexiglass until a player filled it. I was lucky when star Damien Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers shot three-pointers in the exact spot I wanted him in to create this unique image.”
09of 09U.S. Olympic Track and Field TrialsAllyson Felix and her daughter.Steph Chambers/Getty"Equally as newsworthy at the U.S. Track and Field Trials in Eugene, Oregon, was Allyson Felix qualifying for her fifth Olympics at the age of 35.“Felix credits her daughter for the motivation and hopes her historic career is an inspiration to all fans and athletes. This kiss was a genuine, unpredictable moment when I had to quickly swap my long lens for a short one and run to where she was celebrating. Adaptation is a critical skill for photographers and was key to capturing this moment which makes you feel like you’re right there with them during the embrace.”
09of 09
Allyson Felix and her daughter.Steph Chambers/Getty
“Equally as newsworthy at the U.S. Track and Field Trials in Eugene, Oregon, was Allyson Felix qualifying for her fifth Olympics at the age of 35.
“Felix credits her daughter for the motivation and hopes her historic career is an inspiration to all fans and athletes. This kiss was a genuine, unpredictable moment when I had to quickly swap my long lens for a short one and run to where she was celebrating. Adaptation is a critical skill for photographers and was key to capturing this moment which makes you feel like you’re right there with them during the embrace.”
source: people.com
