I still remember the first time I tried to capture a basketball game professionally - my shots were either blurry messes or perfectly framed images of players' backs. It took me years to understand that basketball photography isn't just about technical skills; it's about anticipating the story unfolding on the court. Just last month, I attended the Leo Awards at Novotel in Cubao, Quezon City, where Fajardo received his award, and watching the professional photographers work during that golden season kickoff taught me more about basketball photography than any tutorial could.
The foundation of great basketball photography begins with understanding your equipment inside out. I've shot with everything from basic DSLRs to professional gear costing over $5,000, and here's what I've learned - your camera is only as good as your understanding of it. For basketball, I typically shoot with a shutter speed of at least 1/1000th of a second to freeze the action, though sometimes I'll drop to 1/640th if the lighting is challenging. The aperture stays around f/2.8 to f/4 for that beautiful background separation, and ISO? Well, that's where things get interesting. Indoor courts can be notoriously poorly lit - I've had to push my ISO to 6400 or higher in some community gyms, though professional arenas usually allow for cleaner shots at around 1600-3200 ISO.
Positioning is everything in this game, both for players and photographers. Early in my career, I made the mistake of staying in one spot, thinking I could capture everything from a single angle. Big mistake. Now I move constantly, anticipating where the action will flow. There's this sweet spot near the baseline, about 10-15 feet from the basket, where you can capture both the shooter's expression and the defender's reaction. During that Leo Awards event, I noticed the pros were constantly communicating with each other, almost like they had their own silent language about who would cover which angle.
Timing separates amateur shots from professional ones. It's not just about pressing the shutter when someone jumps - it's about capturing the moment before the peak action. I've found that shooting just as a player begins their upward motion for a dunk yields more dynamic images than waiting for them to reach the highest point. And expressions? Those are gold. The grimace of effort during a layup, the triumphant shout after a three-pointer, even the disappointed slump after a missed free throw - these emotional moments tell the real story of the game.
Lighting in basketball venues can be your worst enemy or your best friend. Most professional arenas have decent lighting these days, but I always scout the location beforehand. The Novotel venue during the Leo Awards had surprisingly good lighting, though I still had to make some quick adjustments. I've developed a personal rule - if I can't get a clean shot at 1/1000th second with ISO 3200 or lower, I'll switch to shooting players during slower moments rather than action sequences. Sometimes the best basketball photos aren't of dunks or blocks, but of a coach's intense stare or a player wiping sweat from their forehead during a timeout.
Composition matters more than people think. I'm personally not a fan of perfectly centered shots - they feel too static for such a dynamic sport. Instead, I use the rule of thirds, placing players off-center to create movement and tension. Leaving space in the direction a player is moving or looking creates anticipation. And don't be afraid to break rules occasionally - some of my favorite shots have been unconventional compositions that captured the energy of the moment rather than technical perfection.
Post-processing is where the magic really happens, though I keep it subtle. My personal preference leans toward natural-looking edits that enhance rather than transform. I'll boost contrast slightly, adjust white balance to compensate for weird court lighting (those orange tones can be brutal), and do some careful cropping. But I never add elements that weren't there or dramatically alter the reality of the moment. The raw emotion of basketball needs to shine through authentically.
What many photographers overlook is the importance of understanding the game itself. You can have all the technical skills in the world, but if you don't understand basketball strategy and player tendencies, you'll always be reacting instead of anticipating. I spend as much time studying teams and players as I do studying photography techniques. Knowing that a particular point guard likes drive-and-kick plays or that a center has a signature post move helps me be in the right place at the right time.
The business side of sports photography has changed dramatically over the years. When I started, you'd mainly sell to newspapers and magazines. Now, with social media, there's constant demand for fresh content. Teams want action shots for their Instagram feeds within minutes of the play happening. Players want professional photos for their personal branding. During events like the Leo Awards, the demand for high-quality basketball imagery spikes dramatically, especially when celebrating milestones like golden seasons.
Looking back at my journey from awkward beginner to confident professional, the biggest lesson I've learned is that equipment matters less than vision and anticipation. The best camera is the one that helps you tell the story you want to tell. Whether you're shooting a local high school game or a professional event like the Leo Awards at Novotel, the principles remain the same - understand the game, know your gear, anticipate the action, and always look for the human element within the athletic competition. That's what transforms good basketball photos into great ones that people remember long after the game ends.
