One year ago today I was watching the Olympics and taking pictures of the TV screen. I noticed how the photographers were equipped.
The stationary photographers on the sidelines on raised platforms have really long (I am talking huge), tripod mounted telephoto lenses on their cameras. That is a situation that were apply to very few of us.
It was the roving infield photographers that caught my eye. I watched several of them swarm Noah Lyles. As nearly as I can tell, most of the photographers in the infield, like this one, have two cameras and two lenses ready to go, and no tripod. This photographer has a camera with a telephoto lens hanging on his right shoulder. The other camera is around his neck with, I am guessing, a wide angle to short telephoto lens.
Me photographing an event in Lamoni Iowa.
As a side note, that’s the same way I do it. For me it is the most natural way to carry two cameras with lenses. The camera hanging from my neck has a 24-105mm lens, and the camera hanging from my right shoulder has a 70-300mm lens (as in this photo) or sometimes a 100-400mm lens. If you are using two cameras with lenses to photograph an event (and you should), I highly recommend you try this way of carrying your cameras. I think you will like it. I learned it years from other photographers.
I just had a conversation this week with a photographer that has a had time keeping up using just one camera. He missed photo while switching lenses. I suggested getting a second camera body. If cost is an issue you can always get a very inexpensive, used/refurbished camera body for a few hundred dollars.
Back in the 80s when I was cutting my teeth as a sports and events photographer for a small town newspaper, I had the opportunity to shoot side by side with a big city newspaper photographer. I watched and learned everything I could. I also got to shoot with an experienced sports photographer and pick up tips from him.
Kacey with my cameras.
I was photographing a fall festival when Kacey, a friend, asked me if my cameras were heavy. I put both of them around her neck. She said “This is uncomfortable!” Of course she was already carrying other stuff. She is not shooting, of course, just checking the weight. Having two camera straps around your neck is a very awkward and inefficient way to take pictures.
Links