I think all sports have their challenges. As some have pointed out, Bowling (on the surface) seems very difficult but the lighting is horrible and it's just not a terribly interesting game to watch. I shot a kid's birthday party at a bowling alley for a friend of mine last year (can't find the photos or I'd post a few). Luckily, they were on one of the end lanes and I walked down the aisle and shot from down the alley so I was able to get some (sort of) interesting shots because I was able to get the kids' faces as they approached the lane. If not shooting from there I wouldn't want to shoot bowling.
I shoot a LOT of MMA and it can be difficult at times. Many times the lighting is horrible to non-existant:
Other times it's excellent:
However, this is the same challenge (lighting) you have with ANY indoor sport.
Grappling is a little better as many times they allow you to use flash:
But you really have to understand it. I happen to compete in grappling tournaments so I know what's going on at them. I also am very involved with MMA so I also understand what's happening. So it's a little easier for someone like me to predict what's going to happen to be in a better position to capture a good shot. However, anyone can learn this by observing enough. Unfortunately, we don't have any control over the lighting...
For outdoor sports, there are plenty of challenges as John pointed out. Busy backgrounds are tough to get away from in many cases:
Lighting can also be tough if it's in bright sunlight or shooting at night. So it's also tough at times.
Team sports in general can be difficult for all of the reasons listed already.
I still think sports photography (in general) is one of the toughest types of photography. Add to that it's so tough to make money shooting it and it REALLY gets tough. Much easier (for most photogs) to earn money shooting portraits or weddings than it is to shoot MMA or something like that.
However, sports photography is what I enjoy most so I keep at it and make a few bucks here and there.
I shot watersports, skiing, wakeboarding, tubing from the boat the other day. I gotta say that was much more challenging than I thought it would be. With the boat bouncing, spray coming up, etc my keeper rate was not very high. Now, perfectly flat water would be a different story. Or a shallow course where you could stand in the water. But facing backwards in a bouncing boat,light levels changing, it's a challenge.
Something you haven't listed is knowledge of a sport. If you don't understand and can't follow a game, it will be difficult to photograph well.
As far as skydiving goes, if you're an accomplished skydiver then it's just look and bite for the shot
DITTO! I shoot endurance horse riding events...without a knowledge of that sport, I'd end up taking photos of people WALKING instead of competing for example. You also need to know what type of photos the customers are looking for. I can't sell anything that isn't a tried and true example of what the event should look like while competing. As a customer, I wouldn't want to wade through a zillion bad photos to perhaps find the ONE photo that would be passable.
I don't have a strong opinion on which sports are the hardest, as for me it depends entirely on how well I know the sport. I shoot most of the major pro team sports, and I find baseball the easiest (even though I don't know much about it and don't really like it). I'd think pro soccer would be one of the hardest, and it certainly keeps me on my guard, but I know the game quite well so am good at anticipating. Football is a challenge for the reason someone else pointed out: there may be only a few epic plays in the entire game.
For me, the harder challenge is to figure out what the photoeditors at the major papers want. I will often send in a set that contain a few really good shots, only to see one of the more mediocre ones appear in print. They especially like those shots of players having a temper tantrum, as I guess those sell the best. For my part, those antics degrade the game and I hate to even cover them, but of course I do.
I often see photos in major papers that I think are poor to horrible, and so I check out the shooter's website. In every case, there are loads of wonderful shots there; it's just that the photoeditor did not choose to use them.
Skimming this bumpified thread, I'd agree with the poster who raised volleyball as a challenge. It's pretty fast, and impossible to capture the faces of players of two different teams.
However, the nastiest sport to shoot - in my experience - is box lacrosse. Very high-speed action, and the game is invariably played indoors, in hockey rinks that are made dingier than winter by removing the nice, white, ice and replacing it with bland, grey concrete: bye-bye about a stop and a half, right off the top. And lacrosse sticks move right fast.
Newspaper photogs specialize in drive-by shootings.
Forum for Canadian shooters: www.canphoto.net
I started photography by shooting rodeo, most of the time it is very difficult. A day time rodeo isn't as challenging, but when you combine a dusty "arena" with portable generator lights, the night time shows get tough. Don't forget about having to bail over a 6 foot fence with a bull a step behind you without destroying your camera:cry
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I shoot a LOT of MMA and it can be difficult at times. Many times the lighting is horrible to non-existant:
Other times it's excellent:
However, this is the same challenge (lighting) you have with ANY indoor sport.
Grappling is a little better as many times they allow you to use flash:
But you really have to understand it. I happen to compete in grappling tournaments so I know what's going on at them. I also am very involved with MMA so I also understand what's happening. So it's a little easier for someone like me to predict what's going to happen to be in a better position to capture a good shot. However, anyone can learn this by observing enough. Unfortunately, we don't have any control over the lighting...
For outdoor sports, there are plenty of challenges as John pointed out. Busy backgrounds are tough to get away from in many cases:
Lighting can also be tough if it's in bright sunlight or shooting at night. So it's also tough at times.
Team sports in general can be difficult for all of the reasons listed already.
I still think sports photography (in general) is one of the toughest types of photography. Add to that it's so tough to make money shooting it and it REALLY gets tough. Much easier (for most photogs) to earn money shooting portraits or weddings than it is to shoot MMA or something like that.
However, sports photography is what I enjoy most so I keep at it and make a few bucks here and there.
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DITTO! I shoot endurance horse riding events...without a knowledge of that sport, I'd end up taking photos of people WALKING instead of competing for example. You also need to know what type of photos the customers are looking for. I can't sell anything that isn't a tried and true example of what the event should look like while competing. As a customer, I wouldn't want to wade through a zillion bad photos to perhaps find the ONE photo that would be passable.
Justus Photography
www.lindasherrill.com
For me, the harder challenge is to figure out what the photoeditors at the major papers want. I will often send in a set that contain a few really good shots, only to see one of the more mediocre ones appear in print. They especially like those shots of players having a temper tantrum, as I guess those sell the best. For my part, those antics degrade the game and I hate to even cover them, but of course I do.
I often see photos in major papers that I think are poor to horrible, and so I check out the shooter's website. In every case, there are loads of wonderful shots there; it's just that the photoeditor did not choose to use them.
However, the nastiest sport to shoot - in my experience - is box lacrosse. Very high-speed action, and the game is invariably played indoors, in hockey rinks that are made dingier than winter by removing the nice, white, ice and replacing it with bland, grey concrete: bye-bye about a stop and a half, right off the top. And lacrosse sticks move right fast.
Forum for Canadian shooters: www.canphoto.net
CBS Sports MaxPreps Shooter
http://DalbyPhoto.com