December 20, 2009. NBA: Shooting Basketball for the first time, and loving it!

Sam Sharpe — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 19:34:00 +0000

December 1, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Bobcats guard Ronald Flip Murray (22) against the Boston Celtics at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

OK, I have just started to shoot NBA, so this is all somewhat new to me. I have never shot a Basketball game until November 25, 2009. It is something that I have always wanted to do, and being a professional sports photographer, it is something that I should do. I have always been a fan of the NBA, growing up in Washington DC, it was all about the Washington Bullets. That’s right, I STILL think of them as the Bullets. So I have a handle on what the sport is all about. I have always said that to really shoot a sport well, you have to understand the sport. I understand basketball, but to say that I was a bit nervus when I went onto the court is somewhat of an understatement. Fortunately for me, my friend Chuck Burton (head of AP in the Carolina Piedmont Region) was there to give me some pointers……………….so I was able to figure the basics out pretty fast. The following Images are a collection of images that are from my “takes” from the first 5 games that I have shot. I really like shooting the sport, I look forward to shooting it and making it another part of my career.

All of the images that I shoot in the Time Warner Cable Arena are at an ISO of 2000, shutter speed 1000, f2.8 or 3.2 depending on the lens I am using. All the following images are shot with my Nikon D300 Camera Body, and either my 300mm f2.8 lens, my 70mm~200mm f2.8 lens, or my 17mm~35mm f2.8 lens.

The image below was shot at the start of the Bobcats-Raptors game. This was the first game that I ever shot. I really liked this shot because of the while banner behind the Team’s hands. I think that really helped break in the background and helped it out. This image was shot with my 300mm lens.

November 25, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Bobcats gather during pre game against the Toronto Raptors at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

This game is really all about the competition at the basket. Most of these images were shot with my 70mm~200mm lens. I really like to catch the player just really driving towards the goal. These can be very cool shots, and to me, it really is the essence of what Basketball is all about. The following images are of guys just driving hard for the goal.

December 15, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Bobcats forward Gerald Wallace (3) goes up for the slam dunk against the New York Knicks at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

Gerald Wallace (3) (in the image above) is real playmaker for the Bobcats. He is like a rocket ship when he heads skyward, real hard to stop.

November 27, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Bobcats forward Gerald Wallace (3) against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

In this next series of Images, I played around with my wide angle lens. This lens is nice because it can produce some very dramatic images. The wide angle, along with moving around under the basket, produced what I thought were some nice moments. I think that I may have been able to do better had I had more experience, but for the most part I was happy with what I got.

December 15, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Bobcats forward Gerald Wallace (3) goes up for the dunk against the New York Knicks at Time Warner Cable Arena. Bobcats win 97 to 84. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe,www.TheSharpeImage.com

November 25, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Bobcats center Tyson Chandler (6) against the Toronto Raptors at Time Warner Cable Arena. Final score Bobcats 116 Raptors 81. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

December 15, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Bobcats forward Gerald Wallace (3) goes for the lay up against the New York Knicks at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

This next image was shot with my 70mm~200mm lens out to 70mm. It is of a 3 point shot, which to me is hard to catch while really telling that it is a 3 point shot. I got lucky with this one……..I think that it works well.

November 27, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) against the Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena. Bobcats win 94 to 87. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

Here is another 3 point shot, but in this one I am pulled closer to 200mm with the 70~200mm lens.

November 27, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers guard Mo Williams (2) takes a shot against Charlotte Bobcat D.J. Augustin against the Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena. Bobcats win 94 to 87. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

One thing that I have found very hard to do, is to get a really good shot at the opposite goal. You are shooting across the court, and the action is naturally going away from you. It is very hard to get “faces” in the image. I think that it works better on the “rebound” image than the actual score. Here are some images that I shot. I know that they do not have the faces in the image, but I still like them from a “pure” competition point of view.

November 25, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Bobcats forward Gerald Wallace (3) against the Toronto Raptors at Time Warner Cable Arena. Final score Bobcats 116 Raptors 81. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.theSharpeImage.com

December 1, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Bobcats forward Gerald Wallace (3) against the Boston Celtics at Time Warner Cable Arena. Celtics win 108 to 90. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

November 27, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) against the Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

This next image is of a rebound. Again, you can’t see the faces of the players, but I love the way Gerald Wallace (3) is just flying through the air to get the ball.

November 27, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Bobcats forward Gerald Wallace (3) gores for the rebound against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Time Warner Cable Arena. Bobcats win 94 to 87. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

In these next 2 images, I caught the player’s reaction to being “called” on something. I really need to pay more attention to the “drama” that goes on in breaks between the action. Editors love these images and therefore they sell. It will be to my advantage to pay more attention. Like I have vowed to really work on my “passing game” in football, this is a priority of mine in basketball. Here are 2 examples of images I caught.

December 1, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Boston Celtics forward center Rasheed Wallace (30) against the Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

December 1, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett (5) against the Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

Catching a dunk is cool, I quickly found that I was wanting to really catch the “intensity” of the game. Basketball is a very fast paced, intense Sport. itis not always about the shot, here are some images that I caught that were pure intensity.

I just really love this next shot, it is just has “competition” written all over it

November 25, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Toronto Raptors forward Pops Mensah-Bonsu (44) against the Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena. Final score Bob cats 116 Raptors 81. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

In this next image, I love the look on Labron’s face. At this point the Bobcats had taken the lead, and I think the Cavaliers were a bit worried.

November 27, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Bobcats forward Gerald Wallace (3) gets ready to shoot against Cavaliers LaBron James while playing the Cleveland Cavaliers at Time Warner Cable Arena. Bobcats win 94 to 87. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe-US PRESSWIRE

Here are some other shots that I thought showed good intensity

December 8, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Chauncey Billups (1) against the Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena. Bobcats win 107 to 95. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

December 1, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Boston Celtics forward sheldon Williams (13) gets rejected by Charlotte Bobcat Stephen Graham (23) against the Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena. Celtics win 108 to 90. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

December 8, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Ty Lawson (3) drives to the basket against the Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena. Bobcats win 107 to 95. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

This game can also be a very physical game. I think that this is a very important “story line” when it comes to shooting Basketball. I am getting better at nailing some of the more “physical” moments, here are some of the better images that I thought that I captured. In this next image of LaBron James, he “tweeked” his ankle good, he was walking around trying to walk it off…………..as you can see from the expression on his face, he was not happy.

November 27, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) hurts his ankle against the Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

In this next shot, Gerald Wallace really got taken out. He was not hurt, but at the moment it was scary.

November 27, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Bobcats forward Gerald Wallace (3) against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

These next 2 shots are from the same series. I posted them both.

December 8, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Chauncey Billups (1) drives against Bobcats Gerald Wallace (3) at Time Warner Cable Arena. Bobcats win 107 to 95. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

I think that I like the one below better.

December 8, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Denver Nuggets guard Chauncey Billups (1) drives against Bobcats Gerald Wallace (3) and Nazr Mohammed (13) at Time Warner Cable Arena. Bobcats win 107 to 95. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

This next shot is of Chris Anderson (11) being blocked by Derrick Brown (4) while going for a rebound. I thought that it was very cool.

December 8, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Bobcats forward Derrick Brown (4) and Chris Anderson (11) of the Denver Nuggets go for the rebound at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

This next imag is of a pure “rejection” at the goal. This is different from the point of view that it is a really good defensive play. I thought that it worked.

In this next shot, I was really struck by the fact that Chris Duhon (1) has his eyes closed in the shot. I am sure he opened them right up the next split second, but I thought that it made for a very dynamic shot.

December 15, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; New York Knicks guard forward Chris Duhon (1) drives past Raymond Felton (20) while playing against the Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena. Bobcats win 97 to 84. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

In this next shot, I was trying something different. I shot Stephen Jackson (1) throwing the ball inbounds. I think that it would have been a better shot had more players been in the frame in front of him, but sometimes you have to take what you can get.

December 8, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Charlotte Bobcats guard forward Stephen Jackson (1) throws the ball inbounds against the Denver Nuggets at Time Warner Cable Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

These next images I would consider portraits. Portraits are very big with Editors, and I really need to post more of them. The one of Chris Anderson is just so “nasty” I love it!

December 8, 2009; Charlotte, NC, USA; Denver Nuggets forward center Chris Anderson (11) against the Charlotte Bobcats at Time Warner Cable Arena. Bobcats win 107 to 95. Mandatory Credit: Sam Sharpe/www.TheSharpeImage.com

What can you say about LaBron other than this…….he is just so good.

Raymond Felton (20) driving to the hoop.

Well, I think that I did OK for my first few times out. Remember, I am used to shooting cars traveling at 180mph, so all of this was new! I like it, and I plan on making it another chapter in my career. Please give me any feedback that you see fit. I am always looking for ways to improve!

Thanks for reading!

Sam

The Sharpe Image » NBA Basketball

December 20, 2009. NBA: Shooting Basketball for the first time, and loving it!