NFL Tips

Get there early:

I like to arrive about 3 and 1/2 hours early when possible. The past few years I've been shooting about 27-35 games over the course of the entire season. Aside from my normal places like Cincinnati, Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Indianapolis, I'll end up in places like San Diego and Dallas where I rarely go and don't know the area that well nor the stadium. I need to get there early in case of traffic, to stake out a good work space and most importantly to make sure I have a stable internet connection. (As of the end of the 2005-2006 season, just about every NFL stadium has Wi-Fi in the darkroom so this isn't really an issue anymore.) If I get there 20 minutes before kick off and am scrambling, I'll be off kilter the entire game.

Pack a lot:
Your friends might pick on you, but take everything you own. If you have three bodies, use them. You never know when the quarterback is going to get rushed and end up hurling a hail mary at the last second, right to the guy 2 yards in front of you. If you are fast enough to unmount your 400 and throw a 35 on in time, then you are a better man than I. For the rest of us, take a light body and have it on your neck ready to go. This is commonly referred to as an "Oh Sh**" camera since that is usually what you are muttering to yourself as you stand up and get out of the way of the players flying your direction.

Shoot tight:
Don't be afraid to use a 600 or 800 with football. Once you get the hang of it, you will be pleasantly surprised. I'd suggest if you were planning to use monster glass and never have before, practice first. Take it to a soccer game and practice framing and focusing. The reason I say soccer is because the action is non-stop and you will have more time to practice. Remember, you don't need legs in the photo to make it good. You need faces and emotion.

Backgrounds:
Think not only about where you want to be for the big plays, but how you can shoot that play with the best background with the best light. For me I like to shoot backlit with the camera set to -1/3 stop. This might seem counter intuitive to most people but it works for me. By shooting backlit while kneeling, I can avoid getting the bright grass in the photo and have a nice deep dark seating bowl for a background. If the sunlight is still on the field I'll have nice highlights seperating the players from that, and if I underexpose a little, that seating bowl will be nice and black. It makes for dynamic light when everything works out right.

Angles:
Standing is about the most boring thing you can do. With the higher viewing angle you have a lot of grass in the frame fighting the stands and such for control of the background. By kneeling, you'll not get rid of the grass entirely but you'll help isolate the play a little better. Don't be afraid to lay on your stomach with the camera right on the ground either. I'll to this a lot from the back of the endzone when the play inside the 5 yard line and it really makes for some iconic photos.

Rain gear:
Both for you and your camera. Aquatechs are pretty snazzy. It's price depends on what size lens you have, but will save your lens from needing to be repaired. As for you, Mountain Hardware makes some great four season waterproof shells. They're not too expensive, but you can use it all year-round. I have a non-insulated one that I paid $420 for, but it's meant for skiing or kayaking . . . Both of which I partake.

Knee Pads:
I just love 'em. If you have good knees and can get up and down quickly, think about getting a pair. You can get in front of the standing guys, and since you're lower, it makes the players look a little larger. Besides, some venues such as Ohio State University and I think Lambeau Field require you to kneel. It's either on concrete or grass, and who wants grass stains on their pants? So spend $40 and save your wardrobe for your day job.

Vests:
If you want to look goofy, go for it.

Fanny Packs:
I prefer the fanny pack over the vest for several reasons. I've had problems with lenses bouncing out of my vest while running up and down the sidelines. After two $300 repairs at Nikon and Canon, I switched to the fanny pack. Whatever you do use something besides a big honkin Domke bag. For starters they're horrid on your back. Secondly they tend to whack other photographers you're standing next too at the most inopportune of times.

Etiquette:
If you need to move locations, do it behind the line of photographers. The play might be over, but that doesn't mean other people aren't shooting features, head shots, coaches, the other benches or even the refs. Shooting occurs non stop during the game with enough line of site distractions, don't add to them. On that same note, you know the refs, chain gang, ball boys, stray players and out of bounds coaches are going to get in your way especially if you are situated between the 25 yard lines. If the play goes toward the bench, DO NOT get up and lean out to get the shot. When you do that you typically do it too late because you didn't realize you were going to be blocked, then you get up and get in the way of everyone else down the line to the end zone who might have had a straight shot. You can't get every play of every game, let a few go for everyone else's sake.

Beer:
Post game at some places, like Cleveland Browns Stadium have kegs or coolers of beer for the press. While the 50,000 yahoos that attended the game sit in traffic, sit upstairs, rest your shoulders and enjoy a good days work. Besides, you often need to wait 20 minutes for game notes to be printed anyway.