Sunsets | Silhouettes:
Fishermen at Huntington Beach Pier shows a silhouette created by sunset.
Fishing, surfing, stand up paddle, kite surfing, windsurfing, beach volleyball and roller blading are a few activities and sports that you can hone your skills on. Although it's pretty tough to make a living shooting strictly beach sports as a specialty, it isn't unheard of. For the hobbyist this type of photography is challenging and fun. For those seeking to earn cash, some photographers can turn the pictures around fast and sell them to the athletes as vanity shots.
If you plan to shoot beach sports, including pier fishing, but especially surfing, you may need a great telephoto lens to catch the action.
Pro Competitions
The market may seem oversaturated with photographers at beach sports competitions but it shouldn't stop you from feeding off the energy of fellow photographers. We all get better when we feel the push. Sometimes it can even help to watch what other photographers are doing. You should not get into their space when there's plenty of room and you can take a similar approach. Even photojournalists try not to bump and push each other but it has happened for the sake of breaking news and the need to capture the award-winning shot. Just be prepared for the backlash if you are pushy. Crowd retribution can be nasty!
Tripod a Must!
- When you're photographing surf contests or spectacular surfers and you're trying to hold steady on any lens above 300mm, a tripod isn't a must, but a stationary object is certainly going to help. It's the difference between missing shots and nailing them.
Practice
Sports photography has come a long way since autofocus and tracking were introduced decades ago. But you still must know when to push that button and in surfing, it means watching the waves and knowing when the next ride is forming.
