Bad Call, Ref!

Reactions of players on the bench can give you some of the best photos of a basketball game.

  

Bowdoin College basketball player Kate Kerrigan (5) scowls after a foul call against her team, before the Bowdoin women defeated rival Colby College

The Photo

Basketball players frequently show a range of reactions, and players on the bench are even more emotional as they intently cheer for and support their teammates on the court. Thus, some of the best pictures from basketball games will be emotional expressions from passionate reactions by players watching from the bench.  To capture these, stand close to the bench, perhaps under the nearby basket or on the sideline, and focus on the bench players with a long lens.

Even though Bowdoin was heavily favored in this women’s basketball game against intrastate rival Colby, both teams played with great intensity and emotions ran high throughout the contest. After one play, Bowdoin was called for a foul on a Colby drive to the hoop, and players on the Bowdoin bench couldn’t believe it, so they all jumped up and shared their displeasure with the officials. Most Bowdoin players quickly sat back down, but one remained standing and scowled at the referees the entire time Colby shot their free throws.

3 Tips

1.     Basketball players on the bench can often strong reactions, emotions and facial expressions, even more than players competing on the court.

2.     Position yourself with a long lens, and focus more on the bench players than the game action.

3.     Close games, intense rivalries, and numerous foul calls will often provoke the strongest reactions and expressions.

Tongue Wagging

Basketball provides some of the best sports photos because you can get close ups of the players’ faces and reactions.

Bowdoin's Rachel Norton (12) wags her tongue like Michael Jordan as she races down court in a women’s basketball win over Colby College.

The Photo

Basketball is one of the very best sports to photograph. You are physically close to the players and they don’t wear any head gear, which enables you to get close up pictures of both the action and players’ faces.  Too often, basketball action photos look the same -- jumps, leaps, dribbles, rebounds – but highlighting facial expressions can transform routine hoop action into a memorable image.  However, no need to limit yourself to basketball action pix.  Watch players on the bench as they react to the game, and follow coaches guiding the players or attempting to influence referees. 

For this photo, I was sitting under the basket at the opposite end of the court, as a Bowdoin player received a long inbounds pass and quickly dribbled up court.  When she immediately stuck her tongue out, I thought it was a great photo, but she was too far away. To my happy surprise, she kept her tongue out for the entire time as she dribbled straight toward me to the basket, so I photographed her repeatedly, giving me a sequence of great shots. I thought of Michael Jordan’s tendency to stick out his tongue out, but I don’t believe he ever had it hanging out for as long as this player did.

3 Tips

1)    Seize the opportunity to shoot close-ups of basketball players’ faces

2)    Watch players on the court and on the bench

3)    Remember that coaches arguing with referees are also strong photo ops