Most photography education starts with the camera. What to buy. What settings to use. Which app fixes the blur.
Zoom With Our Feet starts somewhere else entirely.
I’m TMac — a photographer, a teacher, and a 20-year veteran of sidelines, press boxes, and production trucks. I’ve covered three Olympics, the Masters, MLS soccer and a World Cup. I’ve taught digital media K12 & College students who went on to work in broadcast, journalism, and professional photography. In all my years shooting and teaching, the most important thing I ever learned about making images had nothing to do with gear.
A very good example happened on a soccer sideline. My daughter’s first high school goal.
Prologue — The Moment…
I was on the sideline, eye to the viewfinder, watching the play finish. Daughter’s first high school goal. I nailed it; shot, goalie, ball, focus, exposure — all of it. And then, I lowered the camera to look at the screen. In the photo game, it’s called “chimping.”
That’s when my kid hugged her teammate (and best friend who assisted). A split second. A real moment. An emotional hug. I missed it. Later she asked, “Did you get the hug?” Nope.
Why I Missed It: The Real Problem
Missing a shot isn’t failure. It’s discipline. And most shooters, new and experienced, miss for the same reasons:
1. You Stopped Shooting Too Soon
Most meaningful moments happen after the play, not during it. The sudden jubilation, “jubees.” That emotional human connection IS the story. If you drop your camera the second the action “ends,” you’ll always be one step behind.
2. Your Eyes Took Over
Instinct says “watch your kid.” Technique says “record your kid.” The micro-glance away from the viewfinder is where good photos die.
3. You Didn’t Anticipate the Follow-Up Moment
Sports moments trigger reactions. Reactions trigger emotions. Emotions trigger the photos people actually care about. Shoot the chain, not the event.
How to Anticipate the Shot Before It Happens
Anticipation isn’t psychic ability. It’s observation + discipline + experience.
1. Every sport has predictable sequences:
In soccer, a goal = celebrations.
In basketball, a 3-pointer = celebrations.
In football, a TD = celebrations.
Watch the rhythm. Shoot the reaction. Capture the emotion = Story.
2. Stay in the Viewfinder After the Shot.
Simple rule: count five (Mississippi’s!) slowly in your head (more if needed) after the play ends before lowering your camera. Those seconds are an eternity in sports photography. It’s also where the great images full of emotion live to be captured.
A Drill You Can Run This Weekend (or the Next Game)
The “5-Mississippi — Extra Frames” Drill: Every time the play ends, keep your camera up and start counting. Don’t think. Don’t peek. Don’t watch with your eyes. Shoot 5–6 frames (or more!), every time. In a single game, you’ll capture reactions you’ve never caught before, and your keeper rate will jump immediately.
—TMac
Photographer | Teacher | Coach | Head Zoom Jockey, ZoomWithOurFeet
#Shooton
