What Shutter Speed Should I Use?

I was asked on a website the simple question of "what shutter speed do you use" to get such clear, stop action sports photographs.

Here is my answer and a simple tutorial for any up and coming sports photographer.

It's a combo of factors that make for a picture like that or any good sports photograph;

1) Quality of your glass. I use Nikkor lenses. In this case I use a Nikkor 80-200 2.8 lens
2) Of course there's shutter speed. In these pictures I use 1/2000
3) Depth of field is very important. I try to use the lenses optimal preformance aperature for sports (5.6-6.5)
4) ISO. The lower the better. On sunny days I try to stay at 200
5) And finally, focal point. I focus in on the face.

The intangibles are an understanding of the flow of the game, player tendancies, angle of vision and...a little luck!


Posted by Cincinnati and Dayton Sports Photographer Vincent Rush of Monroe, Ohio. For more information (877) 858-6295