I was asked to shoot images as the California State Games – Track & Field event and did not pass on the opportunity to get up close and personal with these athletes. Being allowed on the infield is always a treat and this meet featured athletes of all ages. Here’s the equipment I choose to take with me…

I knew I would be on the infield rather than shooting from the stands so I forwent the long lens (500mm) in favor of a more versatile Canon 70-200 zoom. I also knew I would be shooting quick paced action and this lens is a f/2.8 which allows a lot of light. Lots of light means supper fast shutter speeds and I was able to shoot around 1/4000 sec. for much of the day, freezing the action at just the right moments.

Finally, it was choice of camera. I went with my Canon 1dx MarkIII with subject tracking and burst mode. Why? Well to be honest, I wasn’t sure what part of the long jump would look the best. Shooting at 20 frames per second allowed me to capture the entire sequence and then select my favorites in editing. Check out how clear the subject is in these images while the potentially distracting background was dismissed in a blur.

After shooting, it was editing time. I had about 2,000 images (the downside to shooting in burst mode), but the selection process was pretty easy. Every athlete has a peak point that makes for the perfect image: a runner pushing off the toes; a long jumper at the pinnacle of their jump; or the shot leaving the fingers of the athlete. From those selections, it was just a matter of fine tuning the color, straightening the image, and highlighting the athletes.

There is so much action at a track and field meet. Running, leaping, throwing is going on everywhere. Colors, grimaces, pain, and euphoria are all there ready to be captured. I had a blast and look forward to the next time I get invited to shoot a meet.

My gallery for the day can be viewed here: https://www.derekemgephotography.com/calstategames-track-field