High School Football Photography

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Join Dave Black and Scott Kelby on the field of a high school football game and learn from over 30 years of experience shooting sports for Sports Illustrated, Time, and Newsweek. Dave and Scott cover everything from choosing your ISO, shutter speed, and white balance to the right gear for the job and the best approach for the different styles of shooting you might be interested in pursuing. Whether you are out there for the school’s sports information department, a magazine, a wire service, or a trading card company, you’ll learn all the tips and techniques the pros use to capture jaw dropping action shots as well as the peak moments that go on to define a sporting event for generations to come.

Introduction and Gear (13:29) Dave and Scott introduce the class before taking a step into the studio where Dave starts to go over the gear he uses on a typical sport shoot.
Gear: Part 2 (11:21) Being prepared for all situations means you need to have the right gear on hand.
Arrive Early (07:39) Back on the field and the game is getting ready to start. Dave and Scott discuss their strategies for covering a football game.
Focus Strategy (03:05) Cameras provide a lot of focus options, but you need to choose the one that will allow you to lock on to your subject and stay with them as they move around the frame.
Follow the Ball (10:21) Not every play is going to produce a picture, but you shoot it, and you look for it, and you follow the ball.
Take a Knee (05:31) Your position on the field, from the sidelines to the end zone, is just as important as the height from which you are shooting the players.
Second Body (19:27) Sometimes the action comes too close for the long lens, so having a second body with a shorter lens is critical for not missing the action.
Halftime (11:13) Dave and Scott review the first half of the game and discuss the strategy for the second half.
Editorial Style (07:12) Shooting style and purpose switches to an editorial style for the second half of the game. Dave also switches to the 70-200 for awhile.
Entire Field of View (05:54) Dave's back to the 400mm and following the action up and down the field.
Closing Tips (04:44) Some great moments happen after the game is over, so plan to stay late and get right in there.

Course Time: 01 Hours 39 Minutes

D. Peresie

Apr 15 2013

Loved it -- watched it a couple times. Now, please please please BASKETBALL!
S. Earl

Jan 24 2013

This was fantastic! I would love to see Dave cover a basketball game.
S. Oncay

Oct 19 2012

great course, hope you do some other sports..hockey etc
T. Thoenen

Oct 5 2012

I've been doing High Schools Sports for a local paper since the fall of 2008, and everything you said in the course was what I have experienced. I started; believe it or not, with a Kodak Z1012. I also covered three local colleges and Ohio State - Michigan game with it. No the shots were not great but I learned a lot about timing and patience. The z1012 had a three shot burst, so if you didn't get it in there then you didn't get the shot. I now cover all of Stark County and go to many different stadiums with different lighting. I was glad to hear you include the shooters that don't have deep pockets. I used a Tamron 70-200 for over 3 seasons and now I have Canon L 70-200 IS, waht a difference I shoot with a Canon 40D with a high of 3200 ISO at time to noisy so I have to use a flash with an torpedo extender on it. What do you think about using a flash for sports? Thank you for the course, I took advantage of your trial offer and watched other videos as well a lot of good infromation. I've have pretty much taught myself through trial and error (long process with a lot of mistakes) but i love it. I have also received a lot of assistance from other pros in the area. Thank you again and keep the courses coming.
S. Kenney

Sep 21 2012

I just watched this for the third time. I am using the tips for both highschool and college shooting. I would love it if the guys did a live critique of football/sports photography on the Grid. Also would love to here about post processing of the game shots.
T. Borden

Sep 5 2012

Dave and Scott awesome job,you taught me so much from your video course on football, will you be creating a learning video on College or High School Womens & Mens soccer anytime soon?
J. Munoz

Aug 31 2012

Great learning video. Will be doing High School footbal soon and will use the knowledge of Mr. Black with my 70-200mm 2.8 lens untill I can afford a 400mm 2.8 lens. Need to see both basketball and volleyball instructional viseos.
E. Terry

Aug 28 2012

Excellent Course!!!! Just a some much information that can be applied probably to any sport. Please create a course for baseball next!
J. Matthews

Aug 24 2012

I have really enjoyed this and watched it about 4 or 5 times. Now we need volleyball and basketball.
K. Mullings

Aug 21 2012

Awesome love it thanks for sharing
J. Ethridge

Aug 19 2012

Dave Black's enthusiasm is contagious! While I don't follow football nor shoot sports, I truly enjoyed this tutorial (as I have so many on Kelby Training). Dave is simply an awesome photographer and instructor. He is also a riot and adds an element of humor to the game of photography. Hockey? Scott and Dave? Game On!
S. Knox

Aug 15 2012

I have actually sold a lot of high school kicker photos :-) but definitely not any of college kickers, unless it is the winning score. Great course. Despite shooting a lot of high school and college football I was able to glean several good tips and Dave reenforces some things that I know but sometimes get sloppy and forget (i.e., follow the celebrations and emotions after scores).
P. Steed

Aug 2 2012

Well done. Probably more meaniful to me since I shoot football with Nikon D3S and now a D4 in the family. Liked the suggestion of turning the 400 camera around and swinging it out from the monopod and picking up the second camera with one hand for the closer photos. Curious what you did with the 400 camera when shooting with the flash and second camera, Security of my equipment is a concern. All in all I enjoyed this lesson a lot!
R. Reynolds

Jul 30 2012

This was a great class. Enjoyed it from beginning to end even though I have problems with video artifacts. Can't wait for Dave Black's 3rd Painting with Light class. Love his easy going style.
B. McClendon

Jul 25 2012

Awesome course. I've only been shooting football for 1 season; I found the information conveyed to be extremely useful. My hit rate & my overall shot quality should improve for the upcoming season. Thanks to Dave for sharing the "how to's" he's learned over the last 30+ years; thanks to Scott for asking so many questions that got Dave to elaborate on his techniques. And the added bonus, I answered several of the trivia questions.
J. Spoto

Jul 25 2012

I really enjoyed this course and appreciate Kelby Training paying attention to suggestions. I had requested a class like this a while back. I would love to see one on high school basketball.
R. Vezzani

Jul 21 2012

Great video series Scott. Thanks for sharing. RV
J. Reizner

Jul 21 2012

TREMENDOUS! Scott - thanks for putting this together. And Dave is the best. I had a chance to work with him in Colorado Springs. Its not only his deep experience, but his enthusiasm for what he is doing that makes it so very enjoyable to watch. The relationship between Scott and Dave came across loud and clear in the clips - great back and forth. I agree with what others have said. I want to see Scott and Dave do a lot more sports photography episodes. Basketball, soccer, volleyball, hockey, LaCrosse - there are so many that I would like to see!
W. Martin

Jul 21 2012

The course helped me clarify some the of the appropriate camera settings. Some people emphasize the use of flash during action shots at high school football games as a way to capture good color and focu. It would have been helpful to comment whether flash is an intrusion into the game or not. Similar videos for other sports would be helpful.
R. Panick

Jul 20 2012

Great session, definitely one of the best sessions on Kelby training. The only thing I think you missed, what makes a good shot from a composition point of view. I have my own ideas, but I'd like to hear what the two of you think.
S. Toolsie

Jul 19 2012

Fantastic! Now I can't want to shoot!
M. Daugherty

Jul 16 2012

As usual Dave Black is awesome. Keep it coming!!
R. Mehlenbacher

Jul 16 2012

Dave Black is Awesome. Yes more please. Hockey Basketball and maybe soccer? Excellent instructor...but you already knew that!!
S. McAnally

Jul 15 2012

I am new to sports photography, lucky to connect with a local semi-pro team where I can walk the sidelines. The information in this course will be a great help when I go back next season.
P. Scheible

Jul 13 2012

I really enjoyed the course. I would love to see a volleyball one soon as in many states it is during the same season as football
P. Frocchi

Jul 13 2012

What's not to love. DaveBlack is a superstar. Thanks Dave and Kelby for continued great lessons.
H. Straub

Jul 11 2012

FANTASTIC. Over the shoulder of Dave Black is that what i wanted. Nice guy, top video-crew. And don´t forget the interviewer, Mr. Scott Kelby himself. Great job. Please more from Dave Black, soccer, hockey, whatever comes his way, i want to join him on the field. Amazing course. Thanks from germany.
D. Dillon

Jul 11 2012

I just want to thank Scott and Dave for a fantastic job!!!! I'm not a sports shooter but it gave so much insight into it and great tips! I love the fact it was a high school game. If I was ever going to shoot any sports, it would be local stuff with local kids (even little league baseball, etc.). So many great thoughts you shared that I had never even thought about. It's always so good to get out of our niche and stretch some. Thanks again! As Dave said.....I'll be going back and watching parts of this again and again. Kelby Training is sooooooo great!!! I've learned so much over the last few years watching all these folks that are so good at what they do. It's not just the trainers either. My hats off to all the production folks, camera folks, and behind the scene folks that make Kelby Training the most professionally done photography and photoshop training I've seen anywhere!!!! Thanks to all of you and keep it coming!!!! You have a fan here!!!
C. McGill

Jul 11 2012

Loved it.
S. Lee

Jul 11 2012

Great course on sports photography, lots of information, but american football! I just don't get it.
D. Gustafson

Jul 11 2012

Another awesome course! I love these "Day with" type of courses. Not saying that the rest are bad, just that it is a very interesting style. Thank you, guys! I learned a lot! P. S. I thought I heard Mr. Kelby say it was the Cougars that won. My high school alma matter is the Niwot Cougars from Niwot, CO. Different schools, but a Cougar is a Cougar, so go Cougars!
R. Rakestraw

Jul 10 2012

Great course - lots of useful information. I would love to see Dave and Scott cover other high school sports such as volleyball and basketball (with strobes).
M. Faulk

Jul 10 2012

Wow! This is one incredible video. As informative and down to earth as any of the classes I've viewed. Dave and Scott, you're the greatest. Thanks for putting this video on. I can't wait for the next one.
A. Cordeiro

Jul 10 2012

As always a great class with David Black. He's amazing.
M. Macke

Jul 10 2012

Wow that was an amazing class!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would love to see a series of other high school sports. The reason to see high school is they usually do not have the most fantastic lighting or backgrounds or room to shoot. Also this is a staple among a lot of photographers.

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Your Instructor

Dave Black

Commercial Sports Photographer

As a freelance photographer for over 30 years Dave's work has primarily centered on the sports industry for such publications as Sports Illustrated, Time, Newsweek and the award winning TV show Sports...VIEW FULL BIO»

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