Last night, Sony’s Jason Etzel joined us at Allen’s Camera for a special classroom presentation on shooting sports action—just in time to prepare participants for this weekend’s Sony Day at the Ballpark with the Trenton Thunder.
Jason’s presentation offered a mix of practical tips, gear insights, and real-world stories drawn from his extensive experience shooting everything from hockey and soccer to Olympic ski training runs and baseball. Whether you shoot Canon, Nikon, Fuji —or are trying out Sony gear at Sunday’s event—Jason’s advice was universal and highly applicable
1. Know Your Angles, Know Your Access
Jason emphasized that access matters—but understanding angles matters even more. From pro games to youth sports, you’ll get better shots by anticipating the action and positioning yourself for dynamic, storytelling frames. Whether he’s in the penalty box at a hockey game or using a 600mm lens from the upper deck, Jason looks for “where the story is”—on the ice, behind the scenes, or even in the stands.
2. Gear Doesn’t Make the Shot—But It Helps
Attendees will get to try Sony’s flagship Alpha gear on Sunday, including the A1 and A9 III bodies. Jason explained the advantages of stack sensors (super fast readouts with no distortion), global shutters (zero rolling shutter effect at up to 120 fps), and AI-powered real-time tracking that locks onto faces, eyes, and subjects even during bursts.
For those shooting with APS-C cameras, Jason reminded us that crop sensors offer reach advantages—great for shooting from the stands or along the baselines. Full-frame cameras, on the other hand, deliver more light, better dynamic range, and higher overall image quality. His advice: play with both and see what fits your style.
3. Shutter Speed & Settings Matter
For action, 1/500 sec or faster is a good starting point, especially when shooting at long focal lengths like 400mm or 600mm. He recommended using Shutter Priority mode and keeping ISO flexible to ensure clean shots.
Burst modes (up to 120 fps on Sony’s A9 III) give shooters plenty of frames to choose from—so memory cards should be fast and plentiful. Bonus tip: newer Sony cameras support pre-capture, letting you grab frames before you press the shutter—ideal for baseball swings, bat dogs in motion, and those blink-and-you-miss-it plays.
4. Capture the Moments Between the Moments
Some of Jason’s favorite sports images aren’t game-winning plays—they’re candid shots of nervous players, fans in the stands, or pregame rituals. “I want to shoot the story,” he said. “Sometimes it’s not the play—it’s the emotion right before or after it.”
5. Lens Advice
From super-telephoto primes like the 600mm f/4 to the all-new 200–600mm and 400–800mm zooms, Jason broke down when and where each lens excels. Wide-angle glass is great for capturing atmosphere or low-angle action, while telephoto zooms give you flexibility across the field.
Sony shooters should look for “FE” lenses for full-frame sensor cameras and those with just an E are for APS-C sensor cameras.
6. Real Talk & Relatable Stories
The workshop wasn’t just technical—it was fun. Jason shared plenty of behind-the-scenes moments, like nearly getting run over at a velodrome, accidentally capturing a shanked golf shot that damaged a car, and shooting through strobes at a basketball game using Sony’s A1. These stories brought the lessons to life and showed just how unpredictable (and rewarding) sports photography can be.
Ready to Put It Into Practice!At Trenton Thunder Stadium Sunday, June 29th shooters will have a full hands-on shooting experience with Jason and our team at Allen’s Camera team. We’ll have Sony gear on-site to borrow, expert guidance, field-level access, and—yes—a chance to photograph the bat dogs in action.
