How Sports Illustrated Photographers Shoot Football

[@OnPointe55]

Love this. Every photographer on that field has a purpose. More photographers could learn a lot from their words

[@HBK970]

fetlife?

[@racewiththefalcons1]

I love how honest these guys are...it's mostly luck, photography is better now, etc. That's reality.

[@aextraordinaire]

It's true a lot of it is luck and field awareness.

[@Andrew_Gregg]

This is and probably always will be my favorite video from you guys. I've watched it at least 30 times. More videos like this please.

[@rodneyturnerphoto]

Would love to see a 10 year followup. good content

[@aextraordinaire]

I agree with you Rodney.

[@KrisKasprzak]

Look at all the lights in those stadiums, several look like a giant light box, bright and no shadows. I'd love to see their shots from say a high school or middle school stadium.

[@Victorkapz]

Well... I'm sure the local high school kid taking photography class 101 would run circles around these guys hahahahaha

[@TrishaJStrong]

Kris Kasprzak You can find out more about each product by clicking the links in the category section on the right..google for it ..

[@scwfan08]

Lisa Ann What are you doing on KZbin?

[@MichaelWellman1955]

What great advice: Practice, practice, practice on everything as much as you can and Never give up. Great advice

[@vandenkevin]

"You need something wide, like a 70-200mm..."

[@TonKeys]

Haha exactly what I thought lol

[@kj-marslander]

they're in a totally different league than us normal photographers

[@joshlobel8111]

On full frame when you're far from the sidelines, that's considered wide, crazyyy!

[@kj-marslander]

Josh Lobel I know!! I have a D7000 and I think it makes amazing pictures but when I think that a FX camera can use a wider FOV, I don't see a use for it outside in daytime. If I had a full frame camera I wouldn't use it outside for two reasons, I need the big focal length equiv of a crop sensor and daytime makes high ISO unnecessary. And full frame cameras are great at super high ISO so they work better indoors, and it works great because they are expensive, so you wouldn't want to take them to a dangerous place like a football game sideline. That is, unless the camera has insurance and is loaned to you from the wire.

[@stewartkirbytnp]

@@kj-marslander That logic makes 0 sense.

[@michaelcaudill1412]

“All that matters is if you get the picture or not”. So true!

[@ianfeldmann7380]

I would love to see an update about Basketball or other sports. This is a great piece and gives great insight for current Sports photographers as well as people who dont know much about it or the pro level that exists

[@Enid2Sacramento]

Terrific work, guys! Very professional looking and informative to boot. I would love to see more features like this.

[@veeboogie2356]

This was the most inspirational video. Takes my motivation to another level.

[@tmc-fotografiede2272]

One of the best and motivating video! (As a sports photographer)

[@GabrielaCruceta]

those lenses are worth more than my life haha

[@DeputyNordburg]

@Wayne96819 You can by a Canon 400 2.8 used for about $2000, it's older and does not have IS, but you don't use IS for Sports..

[@marcmaza2821]

The best you can do is look for a steal deal on Craigslist!

[@purduephotog]

Thanks for Memory Lane. Witnessing this happening in 2000... having people go soup for us... to the start of the digital where you're handing off cards (hard drives)... to wifi transmission... it's just amazing.

[@FStoppers]

You were at this game? I'd assume this hand off still happens right? Can cameras transmit GBs of images fast enough and reliability enough in a stadium to get away without the runners? I was just shooting a new video with David Bergman during a concert in an arena and I couldn't get my cell data to work at all. Maybe wifi is stronger but I also still have so much trouble tethering Nikon and Sony cameras to any sort of wifi let alone relying on it for something like sports photography being published to the Wire. -P

[@purduephotog]

@@FStoppers Not this game- but others over the course of the transition. And wifi didn't really exist in the beginning, it was all proprietary protocols / hacks on and, honest, wasn't all that reliable- but when you had a 'card' the size of a large brick swung around your shoulder attached with a SCSI cable, anything that would throw a JPG out was worth it. The digital cameras at that time were also CCD and only about 2-4 MP. Now adays everything is so polluted I hear that everything has to be cabled for security and speed. This was an incredible trip down memory lane- thank you.

[@uniquesista12]

Thank you so much for this video. I had been trying to find answers on professional sports photography, and this helped so much. You guys are the best!

[@JesusPerez-vx5hd]

These guys are my heroes

[@BostonHooligan08]

Thinking about volunteering to photograph some H.S. football games this upcoming season. Very excited to get out there.

[@MrModerate_kane]

This is so very true still, if you ant it, you have to keep pushing no matter the knock backs, make it work and you will get there, this is appropriate for all photography positions which every photographer wants to be in, you just got to have a bit of luck, be in the right place and make your impact known. Do that enough times and people will see you and your work.

[@Enid2Sacramento]

Excellent work! Thanks for posting.

[@DanielMogg]

Lots of info here still relevant in 2019!

[@CSLphotos]

Great Video. One thing I learned from Photo Journalists is its getting Action or Reaction. But... Reaction is ALWAYS the best photo and 98% always on the Cover.

[@artifexfoto]

love this video guys! I've watched it about 20 times already!

[@itsm5media83]

I love hearing some professionals talk like this because I've never been around any. Thanks

[@veeboogie2356]

Its M5 Media exactly the way I feel.

[@BestLittleStudio]

I know this is a year old, but to answer your question, the image was shot in standard square frame, however in order to fill the 16x9 image in youtube they simply copied elements over to fill it out, they expected no issue as it is on screen less than a second. If you look you can follow the lines all the way around for the original image.

[@gilbertd7771]

Inspiring. Thanks a lot for the insight!

[@JMHSPhoto]

The video made by FStoppers with Bergman and Bon Jovi is...amazing in it's won right. This video is the very best Fstoppers made.. These guys are all unemployed now and we'll never see them in their career environment ever again.

[@FStoppers]

Thanks. It's pretty amazing that we created those two videos all in the first year of starting Fstoppers. To this day, that Bon Jovi experience and this Sports Illustrated experience were two of the best days of my life. Glad I was able to capture them both. -P

[@AngeloGuardia]

Hell yeah!!! this my life!

[@marlonmendoza2882]

Amazing lenses

[@theaznbboi]

Someday 🙏🏻

[@darryl12000ify]

I shot Pac-10 (now Pac-12) football for three years and NFL for ten years- TOTALLY different flavor to each. They're right about film vs. digital- i have pics of Ricky Henderson at 800 ISO at a night game at Coors Field that kick ass over stuff from 200 ISO film images. But, damn, i really do miss seeing that image come up in the developing tray in the darkroom!

[@blacksoundtv]

my dream job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@marcmaza2821]

Dream job!!

[@sidewinderz]

Love the vids as always..keep them coming!

[@Megavoltt]

Great video again.Thanks guys.

[@tmc-fotografiede2272]

Still true in 2019, Cheers from Germany.

[@MLeeMedia]

Very much so, the technology advances, but the mindset shouldn't!

[@bernhardtsen74]

Inspirational!

[@PinPin167]

Amazing.

[@purplelimetree1218]

I've always a touch time deciding whether I should go with my 400 2.8, my 500 2.8 or my 600....

[@PhotoVideoGraphics]

PurpleLimetree 😆

[@freakyrobot]

very inspirational and informational!!!! thank you!

[@henrooo]

Great insight.

[@enri_1986]

My god, I've never seen so many 1D-Mark IV's. And to come to think I finally have one, I'm missing the big white lens.

[@MrKLMFokker]

please please please upload more of these!!

[@krc7878]

best video so far! thank you!

[@FStoppers]

@ashkibala1 I don't know about well paid, I didn't ask them the specific number. But they are on staff with SI so they do get a salary with the magazine. It could be $60,000 or it could be $120,000 I dunno...but yes most of them supplement that income by shooting other projects. If you are freelance, then you probably make very little money by licensing your images. In that case, 99% of the time you would have to shoot other projects.

[@marshalltravis3217]

Just heard that SI has big layoffs yesterday….hope these people survive 🙏.

[@formattester6]

great insight!

[@Chuckl881]

You mean Sigzilla? One or two sports shooters have used it, but it's obviously a bit large. The 50-500 OS Sigma on the other hand is great for action sports shooting, and their newest 120-300 OS is even better.

[@carlosloyarubenlizarraga2670]

they all got let go by sport illustrated but that build some of the new freelance agency in the usa and rhe world i work for them sence 2014 geat work and great workplace. I love this work.

[@phaskellhall]

ha no, normal photo files aren't as wide as HD video so I had to place another image behind it to fill the frame.

[@martinhelthuis374]

Theres no 500 2.8 from Canon or Nikon.

[@mowensphoto1]

This coming from a staff photographer from sports illustrated =/ smh

[@antonc108]

He spoke with such conviction and authority. Maybe they got one specially made for him.

[@scwfan08]

That lens would probably cost about 100k

[@ChecoElBailador]

Never say never. 200-500 2.8 = $26k www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?A=details&O=&Q=&ap=y&c3api=1876%2C%7Bcreative%7D%2C%7Bkeyword%7D&gclid=EAIaIQobChMImKf7v9771QIVCmh-Ch2yzwFMEAQYAiABEgLm1_D_BwE&is=REG&sku=551435

[@2011blueman]

@@ChecoElBailador I've seen that thing in real life. I don't see it ever being used on the sidelines, it's simply too massive.

[@BigAntTVMedia]

i love this video

[@Cordy712]

I shoot dog sports and I have the newest Nikon 70-200 f2.8 with the Nikon D750. The low light performance is a lot better than anything I had before but I still struggle to keep things high quality when I'm shooting an indoor sport. I was hoping these guys would talk a little more about technical stuff, camera functions I don't know about, strategies with ISO. But it was a motivational and interesting video.

[@Cordy712]

Especially autofocus. I'm missing many shots with the 70-200 because they're out of focus.

[@FStoppers]

When I filmed this, it was just me (Lee couldn't also get access). I did my best to get these guys to talk about interesting stuff but at the end of the day, most of them would only give me 20 mins of their time plus the 20 mins scouting locations to shoot. It was definitely one of my favorite memories of the early years of Fstoppers but I agree, I wish it was more technical. -P

[@Cordy712]

@@FStoppers I still think the video is a success for what it is because it was interesting, like I said, and motivational, and lots of people have responded positively to it in comments below. But hey, still future video potential!

[@JMHSPhoto]

I don't know exactly how low of a lighting level you're dealing with inside a dog sport venue.. But at 6400 1/1000 and f/2.8 -- I can nail just about anything inside a arena.. even with crappy mercury vapor lights. You MAY want to look deeper into your workflow and methods for post-work. Your D750 body should be doing 6400 like butter.

[@almaguzman3645]

The new 500mm 2.8 ?

[@jaredmciverimagery]

well i can tell where the guy leaning against the green door is from, haha. within 20 miles of Philadelphia lolol

[@valdemarcaballero5298]

Fantastic video!!!!!! thanks for sharing!!!!!!! :D

[@971553487611]

sxxce.vedeyo

[@texmex9721]

So what i should do is be 6 guys and give myself assignments in 6 areas? And be Lucky. Wow, great tips.

[@JonathanAkosah]

😂 YESSSSSIIIIIIIRRRRRRR

[@WakaFlockaGame]

Very good video

[@mikewinburn]

that i'd heard of (saw a couple reviews here on youtube.... but thought he was referring to a 500 .28 prime.... i'd imagine that to be enormous!.... might need more than a monopod for that haha

[@tw06le1]

Man I'd leave my job RIGHT NOW to shoot sidelines.... I only need a place to sleep after the games.... lol- Not to mention for Sport Illustrated...

[@YonnyMestampo]

3:43 A 500mm 2.8? Where is that lens? The only lens I know about is the Sigma 200-500 2.8 and no sports photographer use that.

[@michaelf1935]

Like to know if these guys are all shooting Auto ISO? During a game where the shadows are constantly changing, and I'm in auto ISO my exposures are all over the place.

[@ppiercejr]

They most likely used manual back then and probably still do now. I know that some use auto ISO now and others use aperture priority, but they just change their exposure compensation depending on whether they shoot front lit or back lit etc... It is even easier now and more likely that they use manual with the new mirrorless cameras since you can easily see the exposure in real time. For my general daytime sports shooting with DSLRs, I shoot aperture priority and set it wide open and then find the ISO that will allow me to get the shutter speed that I want for backlit situations and then find out where I need to be with exposure compensation depending on the direction I am shooting. That way I only need to change one setting. When I use mirrorless, I shoot manual and set the shutter speed that I want and the aperture wide open and then change the ISO to maintain those settings. Daytime at f/2.8 that may be ISO 100 to ISO 640, if I need to go lower, I may increase shutter speed, if I need to go higher, I may decrease shutter speed. I like 1/1600 sec for sports in the day. Night is totally different and then I start with f/2.8 and 1/1600 sec and see what ISO I need. If it is too high, I will try 1/1250 sec first and even down to 1/1000 sec and be happy. Less happy at 1/800 sec, but still great for a lot of amazing photos and you have been looking at them in magazines for years

[@MrKdr500]

for $26k us you can get a 500mm f2.8, search B&H photo for it.

[@Expensivestitch]

yeah i just got inspired

[@MetrologyEngineer]

Leave it up to Sports Illustrated...

[@BigAntTVMedia]

inspiration thks

[@RobertXPhotography]

Before they all got fired.

[@awillingvessel238]

can you shot in f4? with good quality and with a6500?

[@vandenkevin]

Surprised too see they shoot raw as well.. And do they shoot with an assistent?

[@oig40203]

Magazines are going away fast. I wonder how that will affect the equation.

[@satishbamal8447]

It's going online so still they would require these pictures

[@michael-4k4000]

"You need something like a 500 2.8f" OK that doesn't exist

[@snoopyonline4tv]

Greate!!!

[@SurrealLeaf]

@ashkibala1 Like the video said, you start usually at the bottom. Its sadly very unlikely that you can just send photos of still models or so to huge magazines like SI and get straight to NFL. You can go to local kid leaque or something, shoot few pics and ask local newspaper to publish em or offer to take photos for it while they send reporter to do writin. Then you build your portfolio and get to bigger newspapers..then other newspapers. Maybe in 10 years you could get to international paper;)

[@krisg.5203]

one of my dream job. . ... 😢

[@mod8]

Why cry? Work.

[@dperry23]

Dream job of mine. How do I go about getting credentials?

[@DaSupaNinja808]

Try talking to various high schools to allow you on the field to build a portfolio. To get into college and pro level games its a bit more difficult. It is all about your portfolio. The better your work the more gigs you will get. To get into college and pro games you might have to talk to a company that already has credentials to get on the field.

[@orion2250]

DaSupaNinja808 yup..your right.shooting college level rugby and soon Lacrosse.they love the exposure.my last shoot had over 1100 .fast glass helps

[@AlfredAmeneyro21]

Not photography related, but at the time mark 00:14... What are those things in the knees?

[@aextraordinaire]

Those are knee braces.

[@kj-marslander]

4:55 that headshot is so noisy. But I think it works with this shot in particular.

[@joshlobel8111]

It's obviously been cropped a bunch, still a great shot!

[@kj-marslander]

+Josh Lobel I agree

[@liudasbar]

6:05 What application is used here? Thanks.

[@djkevin314]

photo mechanic

[@mikewinburn]

simon said you need a 500mm f/2.8...who's producing that? i suspect a tripod would be needed and not a mono

[@olivertruswell]

Haha popping in an 8GB card. 64 is the minimum now. 128+ standard. Shows how quickly things change. You'd get about 120 shots on that 8GB.

[@YonnyMestampo]

Listen the guy at 3:35 and after. He says 300 2.8, 400 2.8 and 500 2.8...

[@gerry3x]

I thought they laid all their photographers off

[@poolboyinla]

They did.

[@ksearles85]

I wouldn't say they would make more than $60,000 a year from SI, tbh ... but they would all supplement with studio work.

[@GhostofRazors]

No shortages of sports photographers.....

[@ethanmichiels5870]

I know Al Tielmans.

[@fkylw]

You guys know you don't have to play music throughout the entire 11 minutes, right?

[@Chuckl881]

Yonny: Yes, I heard that. But I'm talking about area metering, not speed or f-stop. If you're shooting a target that's heavily back-lit, using center or spot-weighted metering, no matter which mode you are using (except P, usually), you'll have less guesswork on exposing the subject. All decent DSLRs have that tool, and it's crazy not to understand it and use it.

[@snaddon38]

500 2.8?

[@Josh-qo1dl]

Did i just see someone shoot in Raw+basic instead of fine? 1:20 awesome video tho.

[@marios4all]

Yeah they just said they're sending the jpgs to the editors and when they pick the ones they want they request the raws. So it doesn't really matter.

[@Josh-qo1dl]

Yeah i just realized for sports jps are better for sports shots, its quicker and holds more photos.

[@JuanPenaphotography]

Most sports photographers shoot jpgs, no time for edits when sending pics, no dates pics come great of the cameras less edits to be done.

[@MrKdr500]

he said 600 f4

[@poolboyinla]

Hopefully, these guys got new jobs.

[@Dncyx]

that chap look like Tom Hanks

[@BestLittleStudio]

He can volunteer to do the shoot, but not give away the shots. Parents will pay, give the coaches, refs etc some nice free shots, you want them to want you there, but the parents will pay.

[@quandom2]

haha good eye

[@MetrologyEngineer]

.mp4 COME ON!!!

[@wanneske1969]

Why not to use a monopod with zoomlenses ?

[@StephanEilert]

+johan bauwens because they usually are 24-70 and 70-200mm, on this level, meaning that you will only get more stuff and make you slower

[@joshlobel8111]

Unless it's a massive heavy zoom lens, like the Sigma 120-300mm, but otherwise they can hang on your shoulder or be by your side.

[@KymTricePhotography]

Amateurs use a monopod with a 70-200, not professionals. I would not be caught dead with my 70-200 on a monopod

[@raredreamfootage]

These guys would be jobless if they allowed fans to bring whatever camera they so choose into the stadium. Here in Vancouver, they limit fans to 70mm maximum for lenses.

[@ncjpg]

Wow that's interesting I didn't know that! :)

[@raredreamfootage]

The trick is to bring a 70mm lens but use a crop sensor to get more reach.

[@jasonisonfire]

70mm on MFT is 140mm FF equivalent - that's pretty handy, and it's unlikely anyone would realize at the event

[@raredreamfootage]

Yup totally, plus the GH3/GH4 has tele mode for even more reach!

[@AGH331]

If these fans are experienced enough to know all the settings, have a decent post-processing workflow etc. and enough money for the same equipment, then yes. And how many people do you know who do? 80% of all people with DSLRs I know have close to no clue about their cameras and just shoot in green mode, of the remaining 20% only a fraction are actually decent photographers and an even smaller fraction is familiar enough with stuff like focus tracking, AF point selection, the right choice of equipment etc. to shoot sports. So if you find such a person and let them take their equipment to the stands, you don't have a random fan with a camera, you have a fan who happens to be a (non-professional) sports photographer. And he will still be in a disadvantaged position spatially to those guys right next to the field.

[@aamsergie]

This is great. Summary. You need: 5 setups. 300 f2.8 400 f2.8 500 f2.8 600 f4 (equaling no less than 40k) Assistant Luck There you go 😂

[@keithwilkins518]

17-35

[@waynekerr67]

@ashkibala1 Unless you're a staffer, forget about making money shooting pro sports.

[@AGH331]

Aaand they all just got fired. Sad times for professional photography ...

[@ethanmichiels5870]

+AGH331 They didnt get fired.

[@AGH331]

Michelle Michiels Sports Illustrated laid off all their staff photographers at that time. They may still work on a freelance basis, but technically they all got fired.

[@mcgarnacle21]

AGH331 Why did they get fired?

[@veeboogie2356]

AGH331 OMG THATS HORRIBLE. I'm sure they still use them someone is taken my photos.