I still remember the first time I tried to photograph a basketball game - it was a disaster. The ball became an invisible blur, players' faces melted into unrecognizable smears, and I ended up with exactly zero usable shots from three hours of effort. That painful experience taught me that basketball photography requires more than just pointing and shooting. It demands specific techniques, the right equipment, and an understanding of the game's rhythm. Just last month, I witnessed this mastery firsthand when Fajardo received his award during the Leo Awards held at Novotel in Cubao, Quezon City, an event that kicked off the festivities for the golden season of the league. The photographers covering that event demonstrated exactly what I've learned through years of trial and error - capturing fast-paced basketball moments perfectly is both an art and a science.
When it comes to equipment, I've developed strong preferences based on what actually works in the chaotic environment of a basketball court. You absolutely need a camera that can shoot at least 8-10 frames per second - anything slower and you'll miss those split-second dunks and blocks. I personally use cameras that can handle 12 fps because that extra speed has saved me countless times. For lenses, I'm firmly in the 70-200mm f/2.8 camp. The zoom range gives you flexibility when you can't move around freely, and the f/2.8 aperture is non-negotiable for indoor court lighting. I've tried cheaper lenses and always regretted it - the image quality difference is noticeable, especially when you need to crop later. One pro tip I've discovered: bring two camera bodies if possible. During last year's championship finals, my main camera failed right before overtime, and having a backup saved my assignment. It's an expensive insurance policy, but absolutely worth it for professional work.
The technical settings are where most beginners struggle, and honestly, it took me two full seasons to really master this. I always shoot in manual mode now - it gives me complete control over how motion appears in my images. For most indoor games, I start with these baseline settings: shutter speed at 1/1000s minimum, aperture at f/2.8, and ISO around 3200. Modern cameras handle high ISO much better than they did five years ago, so don't be afraid to push it to 6400 if needed. I'd rather have a slightly noisy sharp image than a clean blurry one. The autofocus settings are equally crucial - I use continuous AF with zone focusing, which lets the camera track moving subjects while giving me some control over which area to prioritize. What revolutionized my basketball photography was learning to use back-button focus, separating the focusing function from the shutter button. This one change probably improved my keeper rate by 30% because I could maintain focus on a player while waiting for the perfect moment to shoot.
Positioning might be the most underrated aspect of basketball photography. I've developed specific spots I prefer based on what story I want to tell. For dynamic action shots, I position myself baseline, about 10-15 feet from the basket at either end. This angle gives you incredible shots of players driving to the hoop, with their faces and the basket both visible. For emotional moments - the celebrations, the frustrations, the timeouts - I move to the sideline near the team benches. The key is anticipating where the action will develop, which comes from understanding basketball strategy. After shooting 127 games over three seasons, I can now predict where the play will go about 70% of the time. This anticipation is what separates good sports photographers from great ones. You're not just reacting to what happens - you're preparing for what's about to happen.
Timing is everything in basketball photography, and I've developed techniques that work specifically for this sport's rhythm. I almost always shoot in short bursts of 3-4 frames rather than holding down the shutter. This conserves memory space and gives me more varied sequences to choose from. The peak action moments I constantly watch for are: the shooter's release at the highest point of their jump, the ball just leaving their fingertips; defensive plays where the blocker's hand makes contact with the ball; and rebounds where players are fully extended. These moments last mere fractions of a second - we're talking 0.1 to 0.3 seconds - so your timing has to be impeccable. I've found that pressing the shutter about half a second before the peak action yields the best results, accounting for human reaction time and shutter lag.
Lighting in basketball venues presents unique challenges that require adaptive strategies. Most courts have inconsistent lighting - brighter near center court and darker near the baselines. I'm constantly checking my exposure as players move through these different light zones. The worst is when there are mixed light sources - some venues combine fluorescent and LED lighting, creating color temperature nightmares. I shoot in RAW format exclusively because it gives me flexibility to correct these issues later. During timeouts and quarter breaks, I quickly review my shots to check for exposure issues rather than waiting until after the game. This on-the-fly adjustment has saved me from entire quarters of poorly exposed images multiple times.
Post-processing is where good basketball photos become great, and I've developed a workflow that maximizes impact while maintaining authenticity. I spend about 2-3 minutes per image on average, which adds up quickly when you shoot 800-1200 photos per game. My non-negotiables are: cropping to improve composition, adjusting exposure to ensure proper brightness, and sharpening to compensate for any slight motion blur. I'm careful not to over-edit - basketball photos should look natural, not like video game screenshots. The trend toward dramatic, overly processed sports photography is something I actively resist. My philosophy is to enhance what's already there rather than creating something artificial.
Looking back at that first failed basketball photography attempt, I realize how much I've grown through dedicated practice and study. The photographers at events like the Leo Awards where Fajardo received his honor demonstrate the pinnacle of this craft - their ability to freeze perfect moments comes from thousands of hours of experience. What I've learned is that great basketball photography combines technical mastery with artistic vision and deep game understanding. The best piece of advice I can offer is to shoot as many games as possible while critically analyzing your results. There's no substitute for court time, both for the players and for those of us documenting their incredible athleticism. The satisfaction of capturing that perfect moment - the game-winning shot, the emotional celebration, the incredible defensive stop - makes all the technical challenges worthwhile.