American Football Today

[Cathus]

I love shooting American Football, it's a great sport for anyone wanting to get into sports photography, there are so many different facets other than just following the ball.

I'm team photographer for the Hertfordshire Hurricanes who play in the British Universities American Football League.

They beat the Kent University Falcons today. Conditions in the winter league are challenging, as you can see below, you start the game in bright sunshine & end it in the dark under floodlights, meaning you can start the game on ISO 400 & end it at ISO 6000 or higher.

1. Falcons run the ball
Canon 1D MkIV, 600mm F4 1/1600 @ f4, ISO 800


2. Hurricanes Force a Fumble
Canon 1D MkIV, 600mm F4 1/1600 @ f4, ISO 800


3. Hurricanes Head Coach
Canon 1D MkIV, 70-200mm F2.8 1/200 @ f4, ISO 4000


4. Hurricanes Offensive Line
Canon 5D MkII, 24-105mm F4 1/200 @ f5.6, ISO 2000 + flash


5. Hurricanes Trio
Canon 5D MkII, 24-105mm F4 1/200 @ f4.5, ISO 2000 + flash

[pburness]

Nice photo's Cathus, I specifically like the one of the coach. Is that really ISO 4000?

Phil

[Cathus]

Thjankyou,

It is 4000, but I usually run noise reduction software through the high ISO shots, can't recall whether I did on this one, I know the 5D MkII ISO 2000 shots that follow it weren't.

[pburness]

I'd love to get into a game and take some photo's like this.
I guess being the 'team photographer' gets you beyond the stand and marshalls and down onto the pitch area with better access to the players.
So how did you get to be the team photographer?

Phil

[Cathus]

Phil,

American Football in the UK is one of the easiest sports to get into as a photographer for three reasons, one is that they play all year round, the University Leagues plays Winter & the Adult/Youth & Junior play in the Spring/summer.
Most of the summer season teams play on public playing fields or at clubs where the access is unrestricted (save for a bit or rope round the pitch)
And American football players love having their photos taken & most clubs don't have their own dedicated photographer & are very amenable to an approach from someone wanting to shoot their game esp if it involves passing on a few shots to the clubs or players.

My interest stems from the early 80's when I started my own team & played competitive football for about 5 years.

I started shooting the game in 2009 when I emailed the teams nearest to me, all of them said they'd be happy for me to pop down, it just so happened that the first team that replied got my attention so I have shot the Watford Cheetahs for 2 seasons in the summer.

University teams are further spread apart so I was lucky that Hertfordshire are based only 15 miles down the motorway, their team photographer packed up just before I approached them so they were grateful for someone to volunteer, I'm now nearly half-way through my second season with them. It helps them being one of the best teams in the country, they have 3 national titles & reached the semi-finals last year.
I like to think that one of the best teams has one of the best American Football photographers

There is always something to shoot, whether you want to follow the ball & get the diving passes or tackles, or focus on an individual battle between the linemen, the coaches & player portrait type shots on the sidelines or after the games, the cheerleaders.

I am so keen on this aspect of photography that I started my own online magazine (there is no UK print mag for the sport currently) which features high quality photography from all over the UK. It currently has over 3,000 downloads a month.
You can find it at:
Inside American Football
if you download a copy you can see in the back where all the teams in the UK are, check out also the British Universities American Football League.

You can see more of my American Football shots on my old website at www.neesam.com/photography - Photo Galleries / Sports.

I would encourage anyone to give it a try, just email a local team & say you'd like to pop down and shoot one of their games.

[karenoliver]

Fantastic shots, Cathus. You have got some great portraits there as well as action shots. I am so jealous of your kit btw! I see the Canon 1D MkIV as the step up from the 5DMk2. I just need to rob a bank first lol The 600mm lens is a fantasy lens lol. Great work :-)

Karen

[Cathus]

Karen,

thanks. I was very lucky in that when I retired from my first career 2 years ago I was allowed to upgrade my equipment with my pension payout. The 1D MkIV is used almost exclusively for sports stuff, I tend to use the 5D MkII for most other photography.

I'm now getting into professional league rugby & football (had my first soccer shot in the Daily Mirror a couple of weeks ago) & finding the 600mm too long, sadly I don't have the dosh for a 300 2.8. But when I bought the 600 I was more into aviation & wildlife, funny how things go as I mostly do sport now.

[karenoliver]

Originally Posted by Cathus

Karen,

thanks. I was very lucky in that when I retired from my first career 2 years ago I was allowed to upgrade my equipment with my pension payout. The 1D MkIV is used almost exclusively for sports stuff, I tend to use the 5D MkII for most other photography.

I'm now getting into professional league rugby & football (had my first soccer shot in the Daily Mirror a couple of weeks ago) & finding the 600mm too long, sadly I don't have the dosh for a 300 2.8. But when I bought the 600 I was more into aviation & wildlife, funny how things go as I mostly do sport now.

Well done on the Daily mirror shot! You can hire lenses. which might be an option if you need the 300mm?

Karen

[Cathus]

Karen.

you usually need a deposit equal to the value of the lens, if I had a spare 3 grand I could use as a deposit on the lens, I'd probably just buy it instead.

[pburness]

WOW, downloaded the magazine and It is very professional.

Nearest teams to me are Liverpool / Manchester or Chester, so I'll pop along to one and check it out.

THanks for the advice
Phil