Shooting HS Football Look for Competition

Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 4000, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000

Here are four photos from the same play. Which one would you choose to use if you were the editor for a publication?

Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 5000, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000

The runner is now further down the field.

Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 4000, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000

I think the first two are better than the last one because you can see the other team just missing tackles. This gives you a sense of competition.

Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 3600, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000

Now this last photo is the runner actually scoring. Is this as important as creating the tension of the actual play? You can say in the caption he scored.

Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000

Here the defensive player is reaching for the ball and it makes you wonder will he go down?

Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/1250

Now this photo you pretty much know the guy is going down. So not as much tension.

Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/800

Here this runner is going out of bounds. Not even the team is all that concerned in this photo. Not that much tension.

Nikon D4, Sigma 120-300mm ƒ/2.8 DG OS HSM | S, Sigma TC-2001 2x, ISO 12800, ƒ/5.6, 1/2000

Notice the difference here where the offensive player may get by and the defensive team on the sidelines is wondering as well with all those expressions.

Now you can't make this happen, but you can position yourself to get more possibilities when it happens. I like to shoot from the endzone to capture more expressions and people running towards the goal which is where I am. The players look like they are running in the direction of the audience.