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Shooting an Outdoor Volleyball Match
The 2025 IVVA European Veteran Volleyball Championship took place in my hometown of Pescara last May, so I took the opportunity to get the students on the sports photography course I teach at Chieti-Pescara University to practise. Here are some random thoughts about lessons learned. Initially published by 35mmc.com Focal length One of the main challenges of shooting sports such as soccer, basketball and —of course— volleyball, is the choice of the focal length. The IVVA Organising Committee granted us permission to stay in close proximity to the courts. This allowed the use of a 35mm —or so— lens to take ‘scenes’ documenting the whole dynamics of a ‘moment’. In this case,…
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Wonder… Wall
The ball hangs in that fleeting, decisive moment — neither fully blocked nor cleanly smashed — suspended in a fraction of time that speaks volumes about the tension of beach volleyball. I took this with the Nikon D750 paired with Sigma’s 150-600 Contemporary, a combination that offers both reach and flexibility for sports work, though it demands a steady hand and a keen eye to keep subjects sharp. Compositionally, I opted for a tight crop that puts the net and players right into the viewer’s space. There’s no room here for context or the comfort of distance; you’re practically part of the rally. The branding and banners in the background…
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2015 Italian Beach Volley Team – Marco Caminati, Enzo Rossi
Shot this with the Canon 5D Mark II paired to the EF 100-400—reliable combo when you need to stay off court and still frame clean, controlled tension. This isn’t peak action. No sand flying, no bodies mid-air. But it’s still competition—quiet, simmering, focused. Marco Caminati holds the ball like it weighs more than it does. Not physically—psychologically. Shoulders squared, gaze dropped. The light from above slicks off his skin, catching just enough detail in the sweat without turning it into gloss. I didn’t correct the warmth much in post. The yellowish cast from the stadium lighting is honest, and artificial as it looks, that’s what the court gave me. Enzo…
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@ Mediterranean Beach Games 2015 – Italian Beach Volley Female Team – Laura Giombini, Giulia Toti
In beach volleyball, there is no hiding place. The court is small, the sand unforgiving, and every move is laid bare in the sun. This frame captures the Italian National Beach Volleyball Team mid-assault, in that heartbeat where effort and instinct fuse into pure action. The player lunging forward is all tensile strength and precision—shoulders squared, arms extended, eyes locked on the ball as if it were the only thing in existence. Her teammate hovers just behind, reading the play, ready to carry the attack forward. The sand tells its own story—scattered divots from past dives, streaks from sudden stops, a textured record of the match’s ebb and flow. The…
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@ Mediterranean Beach Games 2015 – Italian Beach Volley Team – Marco Caminati (and a primer on sport photography, part 6)
Part 1 – Intro, Before the event, getting your media pass Part 2 – Before the event, having your media pass working for you Part 3 – During the event, get ready for the show Part 4 – During the event, how to choose which event attend to Part 5 – During the event, shooting the game After the event “Enjoying” the field days doesn’t end up the assignment because the selection and post processing part is as important as taking proper pictures. 1 – Selection and post processing Depending by the assignment, you might be required to (select, process and) send your employer the pictures in real time or…
