Narrative Sports Photography

Documentation can be a great way to build your portfolio and develop your photography skills as you have to adjust to a range of situations, capturing action, stills and the intimacy and personal development of your subject. Following the footsteps of the summer games, here’s our selection of best sporting images that tell a story from Adobe Stock, and some pointers on how to build your own portfolio of narrative photography.

1. Showcase the journey

We want to see every step of the athlete’s journey: the training, the sweat, the winning and loses, as well as sportsmanship and camaraderie involved. We want content that celebrates the spirit, dedication and sacrifice it takes to succeed as an athlete.

2. Zoom in and out

Action may be the focus of sporting events, but it’s also important to capture details that tell the story of the athelete, or take a step back to explore larger environmental aspects that tell the story of the sport itself.

Oftentimes the focus of a sports photograph is the athlete. Remember that if your image or footage features people who are recognizable, you will need to obtain model release. If you are working with younger models (under 16), please ensure you get written permission (model releases) from both the model and their legal guardian.

4. Develop your style

As will all genres of photography, practice makes perfect. Tell a story, and research all sports, traditional and extremes! The more distinguished your style the more your content will stand out.

5. Don’t forget the details

It’s important to avoid trademark issues when you are submitting sporting images for sale on Adobe Stock. We cannot accept any visible labels or logos on clothing or in the environment. This applies not just to what’s in your image, but also to your keywords.