The Digital Photography Book

Two Eyes and a Ball

There’s a saying in the sports photography business about what makes a good, solid sports shot, and that is that a great shot needs “two eyes and a ball.” Of course, we’re talking about sports that actually use a ball, so tennis, football, rugby, baseball, basketball, beach volleyball, softball, water polo, and so on. If you’re shooting hockey, then it’s “two eyes and a puck.” You get the idea. So, you need to see the athlete’s eyes in the shot, and you need to see them holding, running, hitting—doing something with the ball in the frame. This alone won’t make a great sports shot, but it’s kind of the starting place—the building ...