Madison Evans, May – The one thing I love the most about archery is the multitude of the photo opportunities. You and your parents can take action shots, posed pictures, and candid photos. But, how do you achieve the perfect, frame worthy picture? In another one of my writing gigs, I was lucky enough to interview National Geographic Photographer and Emmy award winner, Brian Skerry. Here are a couple of ways to up your photography game that I learned from Skerry.
1.Center The Shot… Or Don’t
Similar to how you center your arrows in the target, most photographers keep the main focus in the middle. This can also help with getting everything you want in the shot. Then, later when you are uploading this photo to a social media account or are printing it out to frame, you can crop it to your needs without having to worry about missing the main point. But Skerry also suggests playing with composition. Consider mixing it up. Sometimes you want the subject in the middle, but also get creative and put them in the corner and show other things in the picture.
2.All About Perspective
Here is where you can apply your Language Arts/English knowledge. With photos, and many types of literature, it is all about perspective. When taking a photo, consider the different angles. For example, show not only the team winning the trophy but also have the crowd cheering in the back. Now, the photo will give off a positive and proud feeling to those who look at it. Perspective can additionally be getting different or unusual actions. For example, instead of capturing just the archer shooting, take pictures of them cheering on teammates, whispering on the line, or looking at their 3D cards. Skerry suggests taking a lot of photos since the olden days of expensive film and development are past us.
3.One Photo Can Say 1,000 Words
This is a common phrase used by a lot but it is very true. Skerry suggests letting the camera be a way to tell a story that words cannot. Like the feeling of getting your first 50. Sure, words can tell the story, how you got there and will continue to grow but, only the photo of you beaming at your 50 can show your true emotions and capture every bit of your feelings at the time. Whenever I see a new person on the NASP’s official Instagram page get a 50, you can see the glow of pride in their eyes. It has a vibe that words can only describe so much. So, have your photo tell that story that words cannot. From that first 50 to the roaring crowd of the huge win with your team to the last arrow being shot of the season, you can capture it all from the lens of your camera.
I attended the NASP® 2025 Western National Tournament. My Dad has a fancy camera so NASP® officials let us take pictures of the awards ceremony. I truly enjoyed looking at students through the camera lens and documenting what was likely one of their happiest archery moments. There is something incredibly special about capturing that feeling.
