Here’s how I’d start photographing soccer today

A wide aperture and fast shutter speed were required for this shot

Learn how to freeze the action like this (Image credit: Future)

Following Lionel Messi's record-breaking move to Inter Miami, soccer has arguably never been more popular stateside. So, if you're a fan of the beautiful game, I've come up with a quick tutorial for freezing the fast-passed action. And best of all, this technique can be applied to other team games such as football and hockey. If you're keen on advancing your sports photography further, here's how to photograph football like a pro.

While getting a press pass for an MLS or English Premier League game might be out of reach, your local soccer club or a lower league club should be far more approachable. For a club at the bottom of the football pyramid, you might well be able to wander freely around the side of the pitch, but in most cases, you’ll be positioned to one side of the goal until half time.

While the best cameras for sports photography are great investments, lenses should be your main area of concern if you're just starting off. To record bone-breaking tackles and nifty footwork further up the field, you’ll need a much longer lens. If you’re concentrating on goalmouth heroics then 200-300mm will be required but when the action heads to the opposite end of the field, I'd recommend something more like 400-600mm. Either way, the best lenses for sports photography are a great shout.

Bring something to sit on, you'll be there for quite a while (Image credit: Future)

Metering matters

Soccer under lights or at midday can result in underexposed photos if you use zone/evaluative metering, so in those circumstances it might be better to use centre-weighted metering. The key issue is having a fast enough shutter speed to freeze the action, so open the aperture up, dial in 1/800 sec (minimum) in Manual mode and set the ISO to Auto. Definitely use focus tracking, or continuous focus, and shoot with a continuous or burst mode to capture the key moments.

Essential kit

You'll need to keep the camera dry with a waterproof covering (Image credit: Future)

It’s worth having one of the best monopods to provide stability and also make it more comfortable to hold the camera for long periods of time. Bring a stool for yourself. Some kind of weather-proof system is a good idea, so make sure you invest in the best raincovers just in case there’s a downpour.

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To get close to the action you'll need as big a zoom lens as you can afford. Discover some of the best telephoto lenses here. You'll need storage and The Best CFexpress Cards are some of the fastest memory cards you can buy. After capturing the action, it's time to edit your photos, with this collection of the Best Photo Editing Software around.

Wendy was the Editor of Digital Photo User for nearly five years, charting the rise of digital cameras and photography from expensive fad to mass market technology. She is a member of the Royal Photographic Society (LRPS) and while originally a Canon film user in the '80s and '90s, went over to the dark side and Nikon with the digital revolution. A second stint in the photography market was at ePHOTOzine, the online photography magazine, and now she's back again as Technique Editor of Digital Camera magazine, the UK's best-selling photography title. She is the author of 13 photography/CGI/Photoshop books, across a range of genres.

With contributions from

Mike HarrisHow To Editor

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