Photographing the 4×100 Meter Relay Exchange
As a high school track and field coach for 35 years I have witnessed many track meets. One of the most exciting events is the 4×100 meter relay. As a coach there are many coaching points that must be learned to prepare 15-18 year old boys for a smooth and flawless exchange. Likewise as a photographer, there are many learning skills for capturing an exchange. There are few books or articles focusing on the art of capturing the moment of the baton being exchanged between two individuals running approximately 10 meters/second.I believe that the aspiring photographers need to study and read from the experts. I certainly do not qualify as an expert in photography or the coaching ranks, but I want to share what I have learned and perhaps one day you will get the photo you want and will think, “wow! now that is what I was trying to capture.” You can study the experts in two very good books. The first I picked up at a used book store: Photographing Sports by Massimo Cappon and Italo Zannier. It was published in 1981 by Rand McNally. The picture in it are vintage sports. This is a true study book of technique with pictures to match. A more recent publication by one of the great sports photographers G. Newman Lowrance titled: Digital Sports Photography was published by Thompson Course Technology in 2005. Mr. Lowrance gives great tips on the major sports of baseball, Tennis and Scoccer. Contributors Andy Hayt and Jon Hayt cover ice hockey and basketball.
So, let’s get right to it. The top two tips for photographing the 4×100 meter exchange is location and background. Trying to determine where the exchange will take place within a 20 meter exchange zone is critical. Most teams try to exchange the baton near the middle of the zone. As a photographer you must determine if you are interested in capturing the approaching runner with baton extended, exact moment of the exchange, or the outgoing runner with baton. Also, you must determine which exchange of the baton you want to capture. You may be trying to get a picture of a specific runner, or you may be just trying for a good sound photo. Normally, the first exchange is the best to capture. Because most incoming runners have not caught up with the runners in the outside lanes on the staggered start. In big meets or invitationals most host schools like to keep the infield clear of competitors and coaches. This is good for backgrounds if photographing from the outside of the track. This is a good option if the exchange you are trying to capture is on the outside of the track. However, lens selection then may become an issue as you may be too close. If the team is on the inside of the track the backgrounds can be cluttered by people hanging around the outside fence. Here are two examples for your consideration:
Cluttered background
Blurred background
This photo is fairly sharp. My goal was to capture the runners and the exchange. I failed on three points, however. The background is distracting. Plus, I have cut-off the limbs of the runners. Using a focal length of 120 mm fills the frame, but the outgoing runner does not have much space to run toward.
Photo number 2: 1/60, f/22, Auto ISO: 800, Focal length 150mm, Lens: Nikon 70-200 f/2.8
In Photo number 2 my goal was to blur the background and focus on the baton exchange itself. The runners cooperated by making a decent exchange and they ran fast enough so the competition on their inside did not edge into the picture.
In future articles I will continue to discuss other considerations of photographing the sprint exchanges and other events in the great sport of track and field.
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