Nowhere to Go

Great defense can make powerful basketball photos.

Colby's Liam O'Connor (0) leaps high to block a shot by Bowdoin's Alex Halpern (3).

The Photo

Basketball season provides many wonderful opportunities to capture both great sports action and sports feature photos, with numerous scoring plays and reactions to each, especially in a close game or battle between rivals.  I usually prioritize the action early in the game, and after getting my action shots, switch my focus (no pun intended) to player actions and facial expressions.

In this New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Men's Basketball contest between Maine cross-state rivals Bowdoin and Colby, Bowdoin was ahead until Colby rallied with under 5 minutes to go in the game, using a tough defense and bulls eye shooting to eventually win the contest 72-62. Throughout Colby's rally, I sat under the basket, capturing game action of Colby players driving to the hoop and frequent rebounding collisions, but also kept an eye on Colby's tight defense at the other end of the court with a long lens. On this play, the Bowdoin player leaped high to shoot, but the taller Colby defender also jumped high to smother the shot.

3 Tips

1. Basketball defensive plays can happen anywhere on the the court -- under the basket, near the sideline, at center court, at the far end of the court, etc., so stay vigilant.
2. Photo opportunities include leaping to block a shot, diving for a loose ball, colliding on a drive to the basket, fighting for a rebound, or something completely different, and you can choose different vantage points that makes each photo more powerful and dramatic.
3. Spectacular feats or action are the best photos, but intense facial expressions can transform a good action photo into a truly great shot.