Let me tell you a story about basketball photography that changed my perspective completely. I was covering the Leo Awards ceremony at Novotel in Cubao, Quezon City, where Fajardo received his award, and something clicked for me that evening. Watching the professional photographers work the room, capturing both the celebration and the raw emotion of athletes in their moment of glory, made me realize that basketball photography isn't just about taking pictures—it's about telling stories through the lens. The way they moved, their positioning, their timing—everything spoke of years of experience and technical mastery that I knew I needed to understand better.
Over the past decade shooting basketball games, I've developed what I consider the ten essential techniques that separate amateur snapshots from professional basketball photography. The first, and arguably most important, is mastering continuous autofocus with tracking. Modern cameras have incredible AF systems, but you need to understand how to customize them for basketball's rapid movements. I personally use back-button focus with expanded flexible spot AF, which gives me about 87% more keeper shots compared to standard autofocus modes. It takes practice, but once you get the hang of it, you'll never go back to half-pressing the shutter button for focus.
Shutter speed selection becomes almost instinctual after shooting enough games. For freezing action during fast breaks or dunks, I never drop below 1/1000th of a second, and I prefer 1/2000th when the lighting allows. But here's where many photographers miss the mark—sometimes you want to show motion. I love using panning techniques at around 1/125th to 1/250th to create that beautiful motion blur in the background while keeping the player relatively sharp. It's tricky, requiring you to move the camera smoothly with the action, but when you nail it, the results are absolutely stunning.
Positioning might be the most underrated skill in basketball photography. I always arrive at least two hours before game time to scout locations. The baseline corners give you fantastic angles for drives to the basket, while positions directly under the basket provide those dramatic upward-looking shots that make players appear to defy gravity. During that Leo Awards event I mentioned earlier, I noticed the pros constantly shifting positions, never staying in one spot for more than a few possessions. They understood that variety in perspective creates variety in storytelling.
Lighting in basketball venues can be notoriously inconsistent, ranging from properly lit professional arenas to poorly lit school gyms. I always shoot in manual mode because the predominantly dark backgrounds can fool automatic exposure systems. My typical starting point is ISO 3200, f/2.8, and 1/1000th second, adjusting from there based on the actual court lighting. Modern cameras handle high ISOs remarkably well—I regularly shoot at ISO 6400 and still get printable images, though I do have my limit around 12,800 ISO depending on the camera body.
Anticipation separates good basketball photographers from great ones. After shooting hundreds of games, you start recognizing patterns—how players set up for certain moves, the body language before a dramatic play, the moments when emotion is likely to surface. During timeouts, I position myself near the huddle, ready for those intense coaching moments or player reactions. When Fajardo received his award that night in Quezon City, the photographers weren't just randomly shooting—they knew when the emotional peaks would occur and were prepared.
Lens selection dramatically affects your shooting style and results. I'm a prime lens shooter myself, favoring the 85mm f/1.8 and 135mm f/2 for their incredible sharpness and subject separation. The bokeh these lenses produce makes players pop against the background in a way zoom lenses struggle to match. That said, about 68% of sports photographers prefer zooms for their flexibility, particularly the 70-200mm f/2.8 which is undoubtedly the workhorse of basketball photography. There's no right answer here—it's about what helps you execute your creative vision most effectively.
Composition in basketball photography goes beyond just following the rule of thirds. I'm always looking for clean backgrounds, avoiding distracting elements like brightly colored advertisements or crowded benches. Including some of the court lines can provide context and leading lines, while tight crops on a player's face during emotional moments can tell powerful stories. My personal preference leans toward environmental portraits that show the player in context rather than tight action shots, though both have their place in comprehensive coverage.
The technical aspects matter, but what truly elevates basketball photography is capturing emotion and storytelling moments. The exhaustion after a tough play, the joy of a game-winning shot, the frustration of a missed opportunity—these human elements resonate with viewers far more than technically perfect but emotionally flat images. At that Leo Awards ceremony, the most powerful photographs weren't of the trophy itself, but of the raw, unguarded reactions of players and coaches throughout the evening.
Post-processing is where images truly come to life, but restraint is crucial. My workflow involves basic exposure adjustments, careful cropping, and subtle sharpening. I avoid heavy manipulation that changes the reality of the moment—the integrity of the action must remain intact. Color grading should enhance the existing atmosphere rather than completely transforming it. I spend about 12-15 minutes per selected image, with my final deliverable typically being around 45-60 images per game.
Equipment maintenance might not be glamorous, but it's essential. I clean my sensors weekly and always carry backup bodies and lenses. The humidity in venues like that Novotel in Cubao can affect equipment performance, so I keep silica gel packs in my camera bag when shooting in similar conditions. Battery management is another often-overlooked aspect—I replace my camera batteries every 18 months regardless of apparent performance, as degraded batteries can unexpectedly fail during crucial moments.
Ultimately, mastering basketball photography comes down to practice, observation, and continuous learning. The techniques I've shared have served me well throughout my career, but I'm always adapting and refining my approach. What worked shooting award ceremonies like the Leo Awards might need adjustment for actual game scenarios, but the fundamental principles remain consistent. Great basketball photography captures not just what happened, but how it felt—the intensity, the emotion, the story. And that's something no camera can do automatically; it requires a photographer who understands both the technical craft and the human element of the game.