Photographing the NBA creates timeless, iconic images that become historical. The action is live, quick and unscripted, and there are no re-dos. The photographer either captures the competitiveness and intensity or misses it.
What does it take to be a successful basketball photographer?
With the NBA regular season around the corner, The Athletic chatted with Getty Images photographer Gregory Shamus about capturing the perfect photo.
Do you have to love basketball or the NBA to do your job well? Do you need to know basketball to photograph it?
No, I don’t think you have to love basketball to do the job well. But knowing the inner workings of any sport gives you an advantage when it comes to photography. I played basketball and signed a letter of intent to play in college before switching gears and pursuing photography. This is probably a big reason why I pursued sports as my focus. Sometimes, I can feel or anticipate what may happen on the court a bit more easily than someone who may not have played basketball competitively. However, that does not mean for a second that someone who has never played cannot be an amazing photographer of this sport.
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What is your background? Did you major in photojournalism? Did a hobby turn into a career?
I played basketball in high school on a very good team and played in college at a small school. At the time, photography was just a hobby. But I changed my mind and chose to attend the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, majoring in fine arts photography. At the beginning of my career, I shot high school sports for a local newspaper. I also was an assistant to the Detroit Pistons team photographer, which led to more opportunities to shoot pro sports. I guess my two loves collided and here I am. I have been very fortunate along the way and have met so many talented people in the industry who helped me get to where I am today.
Besides a camera, what other equipment is needed?
Many people think that if you don’t have thousands of dollars invested in gear, you can’t make great photos. That is not true. All you need is a camera body and a 50mm lens and you can make amazing images. You may not be able to turn the same volume as someone with more gear, but you can still do excellent work. One thing you can’t buy that is essential, however, is the ability to anticipate game action and slow it down to capture the pivotal moments.
Ben Simmons of the 76ers dives for a loose ball over Langston Galloway of the Pistons in a 2019 game.In the NBA, the action is fast and furious. Are you focusing on more on-the-ball or off-the-ball action?
When the ball is in play, generally, the camera stays there — unless there’s a matchup of players you are keeping an eye on. The challenge with the Ben Simmons photo was that I was shooting vertical composition down the court and needed to switch to horizontal to capture this frame. Diving onto the floor is always great for pictures, but it does not happen in the NBA regular season as much as during the Olympics, NBA playoffs or NCAA Tournament.
Where do you prefer to work: on the baseline or in the stands? Is one angle better than another?
On the floor is by far the best place to work. The images you see from an elevated position were taken early in the COVID-19 pandemic when we were not allowed to work on the floor.
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What’s the preferred-size lens for shooting under the basket or at the action on the opposite end of the court?
It depends on whether you are inside the baseline or outside by the sideline. Inside, you can get wider horizontal shots with a 24-105mm and shoot tight vertical with a 70-200. Outside, you are kind of stuck with a 70-200. Downcourt is either a 300mm or a 200-400, depending on how good the light is.
Kyle Lowry of the Raptors celebrates with sons, Kameron and Karter, after defeating the Bucks in the Eastern Conference finals in Toronto and advancing to the 2019 NBA Finals.Speaking of angles, this image of Kyle Lowry and his son is powerful and has impact. How did you capture it?
So this is a fun story. When Toronto won the Eastern Conference finals that season, I jumped up from my floor spot and went onto the court. I was told I was not allowed to be on the court and was kind of directed back to the baseline. I saw Kyle running that way so I followed him. He was hugging his family. There was someone in front of me, so I put the camera over my head and shot blind with a wide angle. That was when he lifted his son in the air and looked up into the frame. A bit of luck was involved in making that image. It’s one of my favorites.
Are vertical or horizontal shots preferred?
In general, I think basketball used to be considered more of a vertical sport, just as hockey was thought of as a horizontal sport. But that has changed over the years. We shoot more and more horizontally now for a few reasons. One is because the arenas make beautiful backdrops for wide shots of players flying to the basket. Also, there’s a big demand for images that can be used online. Horizontal imagery is preferred for web page usage, so it is important to remember that when sending in your take.
A remote camera mounted high was used to shoot through the backboard and capture Blake Griffin of the Pistons driving to the basket as Nikola Jokić of the Nuggets defends in February 2019.How do you get those shots through the backboard? What kind of pregame setup is involved?
This image was taken with a remote camera that I triggered from where I was sitting. You need to get there early to set it up — before players start coming onto the court for pregame warmups.
For the remote camera, are you hoping/guessing the players are in the frame and the action works?
You learn quickly how to anticipate players entering remote camera shooting areas. When you first start with remotes, there is a bit of guessing but it turns into anticipating where the action will take place.
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How important is the lighting? Do you have access to strobes in NBA arenas?
Before I took a staff job at Getty Images, I worked for the NBA and always used strobes. It’s a very different style of shooting. With strobes, I would take one frame per second. Without strobes, I can shoot 20 frames per second. With arena lighting 10-15 years ago, strobes made a big difference. With the LED lighting now and how good the cameras are in lower light, strobes are not as important as they used to be.
Jalen Duren of the Pistons poses during the 2022 NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.For portraits, what kind of lighting/setting are you looking for?
Every photographer prefers to light portraits differently. Unless I am shooting for a specific client who tells me they’d like something specific, my style is to ensure the lighting is simple enough that it appeals to a broad client base.
Tony Parker of the Spurs and the Eiffel Tower during the NBA Europe Live Tour in 2006.How do you stay comfortable (NBA courts are uncomfortable)?
Great question. I am a tall guy at 6 foot 7. Sometimes that is an advantage — like when I held the camera over my head to capture the Kyle Lowry image. But for sitting on the floor at NBA games, it is less than advantageous. Comfort was a key part of managing my work at the Olympics in Japan when I shot four games a day for 16 straight days. I sat on a long foam pad that is about 4 inches thick. I placed a floor chair on top of that. That 4 inches makes a big difference. I was the only photographer to bring seating to the Olympics; I have used that combo for several years.
Generally, what’s your shutter speed?
With the newer cameras, I rarely go under 1/1600 of a second. Some of my colleagues at Getty Images are great at shooting with slow shutter speeds. That is not my strength. I consider myself more of a peak action shooter.
Is it always about stopping the action?
No, not always. I think capturing emotion is just as important as stopping action.
Spencer Dinwiddie of the Wizards might have felt some pain for his good defense on Jerami Grant of the Pistons during a game last December.How many times do you press the shutter during a game?
That depends on the game and sometimes the players on the court. I shoot more frames when the LeBrons and Steph Currys are playing. During a regular NBA season game, I might take 1,500 photos. At a Game 7 conference final, more like 5,000.
How many photos do you delete?
I never delete them; I keep them all.
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What is the editing process?
You are always trying to tell the game story in your edit. In that way, this answer may go back to your first question about knowing the game. I try to keep up on milestones and key details, even those about shoes being worn that may be interesting to photograph. My assignment editor will text me during games about a notable pair of shoes someone is wearing.
You’re close to the action. Has a player ever crashed into you? Have you ever been injured?
Yes, for sure. There have been some bumps and bruises, but I’ve never been badly injured. It’s important to keep your radar up. My gear has taken more injuries than I have, knock on wood.
Cristina Ouvina of Spain celebrates after a basket against Canada during the Summer Olympics in Saitama, Japan, in August 2021.You captured foreground and background reactions in this shot. Was this cropped for effect?
To be honest, I did not notice the background reaction until after it was taken. Sometimes, nice backgrounds can be a happy surprise that you don’t notice until after you take the picture. Other times, you compose an image specifically for a background you want to highlight.
What’s the best thing about your job (and the worst)?
The best part is working with a larger photography team at big events with Getty Images. The worst is being away from my family. While I love shooting major sporting events, more often than not, they require travel for multiple days or weeks. It is hard being away from home and missing my kids’ hockey games and swim meets. It’s great to go to new places and see new things. Going to Japan to work my first Olympics was amazing, but the worst part of job travel is time away from my wife and kids. That is never easy.
What’s the approximate worth of all your gear/equipment?
Too much. Well over $60,000.
What makes a great NBA photo?
Emotion. When the game and moment are big enough and the players’ emotions are high, that is what you want to capture. Whether it’s joy or sorrow, both make great frames.
Has an NBA player ever complimented you on a photo you have taken?
No. I think there are so many images taken of these guys that it does not impress them that much.
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What tips do you have for amateur photographers?
You don’t have to shoot an NBA game to make a great basketball image. It can be on a playground or in a high school gym. I photographed Chris Webber when he was in high school and made incredible images of him at the very beginning of his career. Great pictures are everywhere, not just in NBA arenas.
(Top photo of Kevin Durant: All images by Gregory Shamus / Getty Images)
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