Capturing the Action: Sports Photography

The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat are recorded daily by talented photographers around the globe who have elevated sports photography to an art form rather than merely a record of an event.

This course covers the basic principles of how to create dynamic sports photography that goes beyond the standard action image.

Topics include timing, camera settings, lighting, software, and techniques for capturing the emotion and drama of everyday sports.

Guest speakers include Bay Area professional sports photographers who will discuss their experiences covering major sporting events and the tools they use to capture dramatic images.

Students will be assigned to produce action images each week following the five sports photography foundations identified in the course: peak action, clean backgrounds, storytelling moments, backlighting, and unique angles.

Weekly critiques provide opportunities for feedback and discussion.

Outdoor photography sessions include Stanford Athletics events and surfing at Steamer Lane in Santa Cruz.

As a final project, students will produce an online portfolio.

Students should own or have access to a 35 mm digital camera to take full advantage of this course.

Students should expect to pay nominal entry fees to the outdoor venues.

This course includes field trips.

Field trip transportation will be the responsibility of the student.

More details will be provided prior to the first class.