Make Sports Photography Look Amazing with the Best Indoor Sports Photography Settings

There is no denying that when you are talking about indoor sports photography, things can be a bit overwhelming, to begin with. However, what you must understand is that as a photographer, it is almost entirely up to you to be certain that everything that you are doing about this type of photography is being done the right way.

You see, you are going to need some appropriate gear if you are looking to go with indoor sports photography because it really is not something that can be taken lightly. Everything ranging from the gear to use and other things are important because you can easily mess things up and we are trying to avoid that.

With that said, we are going to start exploring indoor sports photography settings. So, let’s not waste time and have a look.

Best Indoor Sports Photography Settings to Make Your Images Stand Out 

Now that we are done handling the formalities, we can get down to the business and going to look at all the other things that you need to take care of. This is not at all complicated and should not be confusing for anyone. Still, I am going to tell you the best settings.

One thing that is worth noting that indoor sports photography should have settings that are different from outdoor sports photography because the latter has way more natural and artificial light available to you in all cases.

With that out of the way, let’s get down to our tips, shall we?

1- A Faster Shutter Speed

I have explained time and again just what exactly shutter speed is and instead of repeating the same, I am going to tell you that you should always increase your shutter speed when you are going for indoor sports photography. Now, I do understand if you do have all the reasons to slow down the shutter speed because you are looking to allow more light coming in the sensor but it will only create issues as your pictures will come out looking blurry.

Sports photography is all about capturing the action and in order to capture the action, you will need to have a faster shutter speed. 

2- Increasing the ISO

Now, the first thing that you need to understand is that whenever you are going for indoor sports photography, you will have to increase the ISO. I am fully aware of the fact that higher ISO is never anyone’s best friend but you have to keep in mind that increasing the ISO will allow you to have access to more light, and that will result in cleaner photos, too. Therefore, it is necessary that you have kept that in mind.

Thankfully, most modern cameras can easily handle a higher ISO without producing a lot of digital noise, so we cannot really find faults here. If you have any of the more modern cameras, then surely you can increase the ISO without any issues.

3- Keeping the Aperture Open

Another tip that I am going to leave everyone with is that it is important, very important to ensure that the aperture is as wide as possible. The reason behind that is rather simple; you will be in situations where the lighting conditions might vary, and in such situations, you are going to need as much light as possible.

So, if you are looking to be sure that you are getting the best shots indoor, then lower the aperture and makes sure that it is as wide as it can possibly be.

4- Burst Mode is an Excellent Way of Going Forward

Whenever you are in the process of taking some stunning indoor pictures, you have to understand that you might need to use burst mode. Now, by default, burst mode is turned on most of the cameras but if your camera has this setting turned off, you can go ahead and turn it on, and you will be good to go. Just check through the settings and you are good to go.

The reason why I am suggesting that burst mode is turned on is rather simple. This will help you in ensuring that you are capturing numerous frames at the same time, allowing you to later go ahead and pick the one image that you think is the best one. It is not as difficult as you might think and works every single time.

5- Shooting in JPEG

I know this is not going to make much sense to you but when you are trying to perfect your sports photography, you should know that shooting in JPEG is the way to go. Why? Well, the thing that you should keep in mind is that when you are talking about sports photography, you will have to shoot in JPEG. Why? Well, it is going to take lesser space but it will also result in pictures coming out a lot faster.

The downside is that you might not have the same freedom when it comes to photo editing but it will save you from any hassle that might otherwise ruin your overall experience.

6- Don’t Use Flash

Flash is only going to cause more distraction that is just going to ruin the overall experience. I would highly advise against using flash. Instead, try and see if you can stick to the means of natural photography as that is just going to sweeten the whole deal a lot more. It does take some mastery, but you will be able to perfect it in no time as long as you are doing it the right way.

Important Tips for Indoor Sports Photography 

Now that I am done talking to you about all the settings that you should be using when it comes indoor sports photography. Worry not, it might seem like an overwhelming and difficult thing but in reality, it is a lot easier than you might think. So, let’s get started.

1- Arriving Early is Advised

Handling indoor sports photography properly can be tricky and therefore, you have to be sure that you are doing it the right way. There are times when you aren’t sure how to handle things and how to not. If you are looking for some tips, I would highly advise that you are arriving at the venue earlier than anyone else. Why? Well, you will need to secure a position for yourself where you can take pictures with ease and without any issues.

2- Finding the Right Spot

Another thing that I would highly advise is that when you are trying to take the best indoor sports photography, you should always look into finding the right spot. After all, if you are not finding the right spot, you will not be able to take the pictures that you are looking into.

That is why arriving early is a lot more important than you might think. Just so you can scout out the place and find the spot that is good for your pictures. It is not going to be that difficult and will only take some time. 

3- Always be Focused

One more tip that I am going to give to you is that whenever you are in the process of taking pictures, especially when it comes to sports photography. You would want to be certain that you are fully aware of the sports and you are always attentive. 

You will be able to take some amazing shots as long as you are taking care of your attention span when taking pictures.

4- Studying the Sports

The last tip that I am going to give you is that you should always study the sports when you are taking pictures at a sports event. You need to be sure that you are aware of the sports and in some cases, you should also be able to figure out the next move by the player. I do understand that all of this sounds technical but it is something that works well and allows for some excellent shots.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Conclusion 

One simply cannot deny the fact that indoor photography, regardless of the type, can be difficult. There are a lot of limitations that are imposed in such situations and if you are not experienced enough, things tend to get out of hand, as well.

That is why we have spent some time allowing ourselves to develop all the necessary information about indoor photography that you must look into. If you are looking to take some stunning shots, this is the guide for you.