June 5, 2024
Curating Memories: How to Capture Content of Your Child’s Sports Moments
From wobbles to blurs on the ice, capture your kiddo’s epic moments with your smartphone.
Sports photographer taking a photo of a youth hockey player using a DSLR camera.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. At Canlan Sports, we want to help you share your 6am morning practices and weekly game stories.
Where do we start?
Well, we know your kid is having a blast playing sports. So, you of course want to capture and save those precious moments. Maybe you want to send photo albums to family members who can’t attend games. Perhaps you love posting on social media to show off your little superstars. Your kids might even want cool action shots to show their friends at school, or you’re collecting an entire digital archive for them to share in any social conversation. Whatever the reason, each moment holds a story worth capturing.
Okay, now raise your hand if you feel super overwhelmed by it all 👋
“Why are my photos always blurry? What settings should I be using? Is my phone enough… should I invest in a professional camera? Am I ridiculous for caring about this so much? WHAT IS UP WITH ARENA LIGHTING?!” 🤯
These are the questions that haunt us 😅 And no, you are not ridiculous. There’s nothing wrong with wanting great photos and videos of your kids enjoying the game they love. And guess what? With today’s smartphones, professional-quality sports photography is right at your fingertips! Your phone can do more than just receive endless texts/emojis from your kids.
[pause for mantra: 🧘 “We love our kids, it’s all for them”]. 😮💨
Our pocket-sized devices have advanced cameras that capture high-speed action in stunning clarity. This makes it easier than ever for any parent to become a part-time sports photographer. The trick is knowing how to best utilize photography fundamentals to make the most out of your shots. That’s where we come in to help you out! We’ve created a series of articles with practical tips and creative tricks to help you capture these memories like a pro. No need for bulky cameras or complicated settings—just your smartphone, a good spot around the rink, and a sense of anticipation.
We love a quick win to start off, so in this article, we’ll walk you through key features your smartphone camera already has. We’ll show you how to use them to elevate your shots immediately.
Preparing to Capture the Moment 📸
Before heading to the rink, take a moment to explore your smartphone’s camera. Get to know the features available in the camera app. For instance, ‘Burst mode’ allows you to take several photos in quick succession by holding down the shutter button. This is perfect for capturing fast-moving action on the ice. To find burst mode or continuous shooting, look for an icon with multiple overlapping frames in your camera app or check the settings menu. If your phone has a ‘Sports mode’ or fast action settings, try them out at home to see how they affect your photos.
TRY THIS: While your kid is practicing their slap shots against your newly painted garage 🫠, ask them to run or move quickly to simulate game action and snap some pics. This practice will help you get comfortable with capturing motion.
Another useful feature for capturing sports content is ‘Live Mode‘. Essentially, this camera tool records 1.5 seconds before and after you take a picture. This mode creates a short sequence of movements, allowing you to pick the best frame from several options. Live Mode can be super useful for capturing hockey moments, especially because action can change drastically and unexpectedly within fractions of a second.
TRY THIS: At their next game, try using Live Mode during a face-off or a fast break toward the goal. This will give you a range of images from the player winding up for a shot to the follow-through, ensuring you capture the peak action moment.
Did you know you can turn a photo into a video clip?? 🎥
Since your camera records the moments before and after you take a picture in Live Mode on an iPhone & motion photo on an android you can export your shots into a video clip. Why is this such a cool feature you ask? If you’ve ever struggled to decide whether to capture a photo or video of your kid scoring a goal or making a great save, now you can do both simultaneously! Plus, you can easily repurpose your photos into video content for platforms like Instagram Reels or TikTok.
Enhance your storytelling capabilities with Burst Mode and Live Mode now! By capturing a few seconds of action, these camera features allow you to tell a story with your photo. Whether it’s the anticipation of a pivotal face-off or the celebration after a goal, you have the freedom to choose the perfect frame to tell the story of the moment. If you are curious about other camera features, check out these tutorial videos we’ve curated for iPhone and Samsung smartphones.
Did you find this helpful?
We have so much more to share on this topic and want to discuss it all. Stay tuned to our website for more articles with easy tips and tricks for capturing your child’s hockey moments and in the meantime, check out our social channels to find more helpful tricks!
