Recent Sports Articles

GoPro's New WiFi BacPac Commercial Will Make You Smile

GoPro has become one of those companies like Redbull where everything they put out there is pretty cool. It has been fun seeing such a small startup become the industry leaders in tiny HD video cameras. With their new Wifi BacPac, GoPro gives users the ability to control their cameras through tablets like the iPad and smart phones. Unlike previous versions of the Hero, you can now control the shutter, camera modes, and other options with a simple remote. It's pretty amazing to see what this camera has become in just a few years. Rock on GoPro!

Skate Video "Altered Route" Leaves Me Speechless

Skater Kilian Martin sets new standards in the world of skateboarding. Mb! joined forces with Killian and filmmaker Brett Novak to create his newest video "Kilian Martin: Altered Route". Aside from the fact that Killian does things with a skateboard that I have never seen anyone else do ... ever, Brett captures each trick and angle perfectly. I especially love the way Brett juxtaposed the nostalgic clips from the water park back in it's heyday to it's current ghost-townly state. Enjoy!

Sports Beauty- A Slow Mo Compilation by Gregory Villien

Gregory Villien is a true renaissance man when it comes to media. I was not only blown away with his compilation of slow motion sports clips, but after visiting his website, it's clear he's a man of many talents. He's got a collection of his own photography, music, designs, and other projects. This guy dabbles in it all.

Deandre Jordan for Under Armour: Behind the Scenes

Here's a behind the scenes look at sports photographer Kelly Kline's recent shoot for Under Armour. She photographed Deandre Jordan of the LA Clippers for UA's Summer/Fall campaign. Now, it's not exactly instructional, but you'll see a little bit of the setup. Her task was to capture action images based on the sketched out ideas for the campaign. What do you think? Would you rather have a specific direction

How Canada's Paralympics Created Their Amazing Ad

If you surf the web as much as me you've probably seen either the still image or the commercial for Canada's Paralympics. I waited to do a post on this because I was hoping a behind the scenes video would come out and lucky of us, one did. Check out the BTSV here and then view the full post to see the finished video and still image.

[Video] Even Surf Videos Are Beautiful These Days

Matt Kleiner is currently directing RUSTY'S new signature film due out early next year. This short film is made up of just some of the "leftover" clips that the team filmed over a 4 day period while the light and surf was perfect. Man, I wish my leftover clips were this rad! Matt calls this surf short "LIGHT // The Natural Agent That Stimulates Sight". Enjoy!

[BTSV] Filming Skate, Wake, Snow, and Kiteboaring With The Red Epic

Adam Boozer, one of South Carolina's most taleted videographers, is currently working on a project that has the potential to become the most epic kiteboarding video ever filmed. To promote his Kickstarter project Adam filmed a quick promo with what he calls "The Gnar Bar." Adam shot a skateboarder, wakeboarder, snowboarder, and kiteboarder all hitting this oversized pipe with the Red Epic.

[Video] Wingsuit Flying: The Reason That GoPros Were Created

Halvor Angvik and Jeff Nebelkopf created this video with the help of Red Bull and JokkeSommer. The fact that Red Bull sponsored it should tell you all that you need to know: It's absolutely incredible. I've seen some crazy wingsuit stunts before, but

[Video] Brilliant Cinema Reel By Brain Farm

Digital cinema powerhouse, Brain Farm, released its new 2012 reel a few days ago online. As a photographer and someone who isn't heavily involved in video production, it's hard for me to get excited about video reels. But Brain Farm left me wanting more and more of their footage. I was in awe as I watched this reel. Kudos to the whole BF team, and I look forward to seeing you guys take over the world someday. Enjoy!

[BTS Video] Toronto Maple Leafs Photo Shoot

Here's a great behind-the-scenes time lapse video from photographer Finn O'Hara. It's from a photo shoot he did for the Toronto Maple Leaf hockey team. They set up on the ice and it was an 18-hour production. You'll see the ginormous maple leaf backdrop, measuring 55 ft by 85 ft. Fantastic work from our neighbors to the north!

[Behind The Scenes] Michael Burnett Explains How To Photograph Skateboarders

So many behind the scenes videos we come across are nothing more than boring, overly glamorized music videos. Skateboard photographer Michael Burnett's latest video is anything but boring. Anyone who has photographed extreme or counter culture sports know that there are certain rules to be broken...and certain rules that must be followed. Michael goes through a ton of great skateboard photographs and explains what makes some stand out while others get lost in the mix. So grab your fisheye lens, a few speedlights on stands, and put yourself in harm's way!

[BTSV] Photoshoot With Hockey Legend Trevor Linden

Photographer Dave Hamilton takes us behind the scenes on his latest shoot with hockey legend, Trevor Linden. This video is very informative and well produced - including a lighting diagram for each of the different setups. Aiming to get that perfect cover shot for Vancouver View Magazine's April 2012 issue, Dave was able to get some nice shots using his Canon 5D Mark II.

[BTS Video] Dean Bradshaw Lights And Composites A Variety Of Athletes

Commercial photographer Dean Bradshaw provides us with a unique perspective of his recent photo shoot for "Startrac". The shoot involved a handful of athletes being shot while mock competing in their individual sports. The athletes were shot in a controlled environment and then composited into different backgrounds in post.

[BTS Video] Todd Jones Shoots X Games Athletes at 1,000 FPS with Phantom HD Gold

Who doesn’t love watching the X Games? Those athletes are crazy. Just as captivating, though, is this behind-the-scenes two-part video on The Northface and X Games Baldface commercial. Director Todd Jones pulls out all the stops in this two part BTS documentary, breaking out a Phantom HD Gold, a helicopter, and building one really enormous jump.

[Video] The 5d Mark III and The Jaw-Dropping, Head-Scratching Sport of Radball

Canon France has just released what has got to be the most interesting promo video for a new camera in some time. Not only do we get a sneak peek at the video quality and capabilities of the 5d Mark III, but we also get a look into the sport of Radball: something I can only describe as "soccer meeting BMX meeting Urban Outfitters."

[Video] Joe McNally Tests The New PW3's Range

Last week Pocket Wizard released all the specs for their new PocketWizard Plus III Transceivers. Along with the specs being released, so have a bunch of BTS videos and reviews. Our friends over at the McNally camp did their own testing on many of the features on the new PW3 as well. [Pre-order your PW3 here]. Enjoy!

[Video] Jeb Corliss Runs into a Mountain in a Wingsuit

A relatively new 'sky sport' out there makes use of a wing suit. Want one yourself? You'll first have to log at least 200 sky-diving jumps just to buy one. Here, via Gizmodo, Jeb Corliss jumps on a beautiful day, but cuts it just a little too close... Luckily, for those that have the stomach for it, we have a first-person view thanks to a helmet-mounted GoPro.
Behind The Scenes With Sports Illustrated

Back before I ever picked up a camera, I always enjoyed looking through the pages of Sports Illustrated. I was never the rabid sports fanatic many of my friends were growing up, but I definitely loved the close game, the epic play, the milestone achievement, and of course the human emotion that came with obtaining greatness. So when one of our readers, freelance sports photographer Tyler Kaufman, offered a chance to see how the photographers of Sports Illustrated covered the biggest game in college football, you know I happily obliged. It also didn't hurt that my college days were spent on...

[BTS Video] The 2012 D1 Combine Class

In this video, Photographer Tyler Oxendine takes us behind the scenes on his shoot for the 2012 D1 Combine Class. In the first lighting setup, he's using two Alienbee B800's with a PLM Umbrella and a yellow gel attached. In the second setup, Tyler dropped down to using just one of the Alienbee B800's with a PLM Umbrella. In his third and final setup, he used a simple Canon 580ex speedlight inside of a Photoflex LiteDome.
[BTSV] Behind The Scenes At The Winter X-Games

In this behind the scenes video from Vimeo (say that five times fast!), we get a look at the wide variety of gear that is used to capture the action at Winter X. From freelance photographers and videographers to full-scale production efforts, this video has a little bit of everything. See the video, which displays a staggering amount of gear, in the full post.
[FS Spotlight] Surfing Photography: Chris Burkard On Protecting Your Gear, Catching the Moment, and Drunk Boat Captains

Chris Burkard spends his days traveling to some of the planet’s most magnificent beaches, where he navigates all sorts of technical complications in search of the perfect surfing shot. Despite obstacles such as drunk Chilean boat captains, salt water corrosion, and even being thrown in a Russian prison, Burkard continually manages to capture the moment, the beauty of the landscape, and create timeless photographs. The Surfer magazine staff photographer has traveled the globe, won the Red Bull illume photo competition, and released photo book The California Surf Project... and he’s only 25 years old. Fstoppers catches up with the globe-trotting youngster to ask about his gear, craziest stories, and the technical aspects of shooting in the water. Hear Chris talk about his work in the video below, and then read the full FS Spotlight interview.
[FS Spotlight] UFC Photographer Joshua Hedges Pulls No Punches

Few photographers can nonchalantly say, “Yeah, I’ve had blood splashed on my camera.” But for sports photographer Joshua Hedges, 12 year veteran of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, it’s just another day in the office. The West Texas native has been become known for his mixed martial arts photography, and his work has been featured in Sports Illustrated, ESPN The Magazine, USA Today, Time magazine, The New York Times, and The LA Times. Fstoppers catches up with Hedges to hear about his favorite fight, why shooting the UFC is different from other sports, and staying focused while two guys pummel each other. Check out the full FS Spotlight interview!
[BTS Video] 49ers Photographer Michael Zagaris Breaks Down A Game Winning Play

A few days ago we showed you what it's like to be a Sport Illustrated Editor. The NFL Conference Championship games are about kick off in a few hours so it seems fitting to bring you San Francisco 49ers team photographer Michael Zagaris as he talks about capturing the two key plays of the '9ers Division Championship game. Enjoy!
[Video] ‘Park Life’ A Doc On Climbing, Life, And Filmmaking

The filmmakers at Louder Than 11 shot this documentary in Yosemite Valley and have made it freely available for anyone. While most of this visually-rich film shows bouldering, it’s all about the stories of the climbers, including the filmmakers themselves, who talk about balancing their passions for climbing and filmmaking. This has arguably some of the best graphics and editing I’ve seen in a rock climbing video. Shot on an AF100.
[Sports] Sports Illustrated Director Of Photography Steve Fine Talks Photo Editing

If you are a sports fan, you are going to love this interview. Grover over at Photoshelter recently interviewed Sports Illustrated Director of Photography Steve Fine. Steve's job is to pick out the absolute best "super selects" from a handful of sports photographers and publish those photos in record time (sometimes within hours). I recently met Steve and what I found interesting about his job is not only the insane amount of work that goes into finding the absolute cream of the crop photos but also how important Steve's eye has to be to tell the story of each game in only a handful of frames. With SI, their photo team winds up with dozens if not hundreds of great images but only a very select few can be published to represent the final theme of the game. The following interview is pretty long but definitely worth checking out, especially if you are interested in knowing how sports photography or wired images are used to create the magazines we see on newsstands daily. Enjoy!
[Video] The Biggest Surf Competition Ever, Filmed On The Phantom

"The French Navy labeled this day a double code red prohibiting and threatening to arrest anyone that entered the water. Kelly Slater described the day by saying "witnessing this was a draining feeling being terrified for other people's lives all day long, it's life or death. Letting go of that rope one time can change your life and not many people will ever experience that in their life.""
[Video] Stunning Nikon D4 Release Video

Check out this beautifully shot video made by Corey Rich of Lake Tahoe, CA. The video shows off not only the incredible capabilities of the Nikon D4 (be sure to watch it in HD and full screen), but also offers inspiring footage of three athletes in action: Alex Honnold, a free-solo climber, Dane Jackson, kayaker, and Rebecca Rusch, an ultra-endurance athlete. The final product combines both time lapse footage and video footage, which according to Corey was recorded directly to CF, and all of the interview audio came directly off the camera. Now that I mention it, you might want to grab your headphones while you watch this video.
[Failure] Skycam Falls From Sky During Football Game

If you've watched an american football game, you've seen those cool shots from high up in the air. They come from a camera called the Skycam which was actually invented by the same people who designed the Steadicam used in movie productions. It's basically a remote camera controlled by four computer driven suspension cables. But what happens when everything goes wrong and the camera comes crashing to the ground? Well that's exactly what happened during the 2011 Insight College Bowl Game featuring Iowa and Oklahoma. Luckily the camera missed landing on any of the players but it sure did come close. Check out the full post to see a behind the scenes video on how the Skycam works.
[Video] Glow In The Dark Surfboards Make For Awesome Night Video

Hey guys, my name is Lauren and I'm the newest addition to the Fstoppers team. Having lived in Charleston for a while, I have many friends who are huge surfers. This campaign video is super creative and it has really sparked my imagination. Even if you're not the least bit interested in surfing, the use of these portable neon lights can be used for all sorts of photo projects. This glow-in-the-dark surf session was part of the cider company Strongbow’s “Welcome to Summer” campaign. Click the full post to watch a second video explaining how they used Electroluminescent wire (EL Wire) to light up their suits and boards. Maybe this will spark some imagination for those of you who still need to create a video for our Behind the Scenes Contest.