1 ACCEPTED SOLUTION
When I was learning photography, I spent a lot of time looking at the images of good photographers and figuring out why they were so good. I also studied the great painters for their composition and lighting. I still do that after over 45 years. Then and now, there are books designed for study in that way. One book to help you engage with this process is "How to Read a Photograph" by Ian Jeffrey.
They not only discuss the technical side of controls and light, but they give examples of images taken along with the settings and why the composition was set as it was. These are invaluable because you can linger over them and really examine them in detail. For example, there are multiple books with the tutorial materials and examples:
"Digital Photography Step by Step" and "Digital Photography Masterclass" both by Tam Ang
"Complete Guide to Digital Photography" by Ian Farrell
There are likely more titles available through your local library.
What you need to do is consider each of the two aspects of photography:
1. The technical side: this is about understanding how light is perceived by us and a camera (there is a difference), and how the camera measures light. Then how we use the controls of the camera, the so-called 'holy trinity' of Shutter speed, ISO and Aperture to get the correct exposure. There are many, many combinations of those three that will give a correctly-exposed image, but each will have a profound effect on the final image.
2. The creative side: understanding how we view images, what attracts us, and how to use various compositional and exposure elements to create images that engage the viewer. These are true whether they are of any genre.
When you have used the resources above for some time and put in a lot of practice on general photography, there are also videos available on shooting sports from Brigham Young University on You Tube. Depending on the sports you engage with, you might want to watch some of those. e.g.
When I was learning photography, I spent a lot of time looking at the images of good photographers and figuring out why they were so good. I also studied the great painters for their composition and lighting. I still do that after over 45 years. Then and now, there are books designed for study in that way. One book to help you engage with this process is "How to Read a Photograph" by Ian Jeffrey.
They not only discuss the technical side of controls and light, but they give examples of images taken along with the settings and why the composition was set as it was. These are invaluable because you can linger over them and really examine them in detail. For example, there are multiple books with the tutorial materials and examples:
"Digital Photography Step by Step" and "Digital Photography Masterclass" both by Tam Ang
"Complete Guide to Digital Photography" by Ian Farrell
There are likely more titles available through your local library.
What you need to do is consider each of the two aspects of photography:
1. The technical side: this is about understanding how light is perceived by us and a camera (there is a difference), and how the camera measures light. Then how we use the controls of the camera, the so-called 'holy trinity' of Shutter speed, ISO and Aperture to get the correct exposure. There are many, many combinations of those three that will give a correctly-exposed image, but each will have a profound effect on the final image.
2. The creative side: understanding how we view images, what attracts us, and how to use various compositional and exposure elements to create images that engage the viewer. These are true whether they are of any genre.
When you have used the resources above for some time and put in a lot of practice on general photography, there are also videos available on shooting sports from Brigham Young University on You Tube. Depending on the sports you engage with, you might want to watch some of those. e.g.
