With the FIFA soccer games of 2010 just around the corner, it makes sense to start preparing yourself now. If you plan to be going home with a camera load of glorious pictures after the event, then best take note of these tips that will help you achieve soccer photos that are above the norm!

File Format
If your camera gives you the option of shooting in different file formats – opt for JPEG. The reason for this is that soccer, like most sports, is a really high speed, fast paced game and the additional time your camera may take to save a RAW of TIFF file could mean the loss of a great photo opportunity.

Zoom
Due to the obvious fact that you can’t be standing on the field with the players, you are going to need a high quality zoom. The difference in your photos is going to be vast if you go into the stadium hoping to capture action shots on a camera that does not support a decent zoom.

shutter-speedShutter Speeds
Fast shutter speeds are a must! As we have already mentioned, soccer is a fast paced game and if you don’t set your shutter speed to a speed that is sufficient to freeze the action you are just going to end up with blurs of players running across your frame.
Off Field
When something exciting happens, don’t forget to take photos of the fans. After all it is the fans that make the event what it is. There are going to be a mix of intense emotions in the stadium around you, try and capture facial expressions and body language.

adsdThe Moment After
Obviously capturing a player score a goal is the idealized photo of any sporting event, BUT, what if you miss that shot? Don’t stress – you have not lost your ideal-photo-moment! The reaction from the rest of the team after the goal is scored is just as triumphant as the actual goal-shot. They will be jumping into the air, t-shirts pulled over their heads, hugging their team mates, shouting and waving their arms around. The knowledge that a goal has just been scored will be obvious in your image.

Snap Away
Remember that you have a digital camera, so just keep snapping! There is no risk of wasting film and you never know - you might actually take your favorite shot of the day unintentionally. It also might be the shot you least expect it to be so DON’T delete any pics off your camera until you have downloaded them to your computer at home.

The Scoreboard
The scoreboard makes a great photo as well. It will tell a story to the viewer along with the rest of your images. Don’t forget to take a few pictures of it.

Burst Shooting
If you know something incredible is about to happen – set your camera to continues shooting mode (burst more or rapid shot). This will help to make sure that you don’t miss the moment of ‘impact’
NOTE: remember to take the camera off burst mode afterwards as you don’t want to be accidentally filling up your memory card with mistake bursts.

athleticsPanning
Panning involves putting your camera on continuous-auto-focus (al Servo) and with the shutter button half pressed – follow the movements of the player your have focused on. The camera will continue to remain focused on him as long as he stays in the frame. When you are ready – press the shutter all the way in. The player will be in sharp focus and the background will be blurred due to your camera movement tracking the player.
NOTE: this is actually a lot harder than it sounds – practice makes perfect!

Anticipation
Sometimes the anticipation of what is about to happen is more exciting that what ends up happening. Take photos of the team with their nerves and excitement evident as they prepare for their next move.

Practice
practice really does make perfect. Make your way to the Saturday soccer game of a club near you and practice your sports photography while they play. You can even take some great shots while the team practices.