TIME: 7:30pm
DATE: Wed 20th May 2026
VENUE: Kennet Valley Hall
Presenter: Michael Berkeley
Website:https://www.michaelberkeleyphoto.uk/

Getting Started in Sports Photography

The talk that Michael will deliver for us is about how to get started in sports photography and provides examples of what works and what doesn’t.

The first half of the talk sets out the key principles and is illustrated with photographs of football, cricket and basketball.

During the second half, he will cover about four or five sports chosen by the Camera Club that are available locally and therefore easily accessible to club members.

Biography

I have been taking photographs for most of my life.  My Father was an Associate of the Royal Photographic Society and I spent many happy hours with him in his darkroom when I was growing up.  He was my inspiration.

I have been taking photographs more seriously since Autumn 2016 and now specialise in photographing sport and music, but also enjoy travel and street photography.  Based near Salisbury, I am one of the house photographers at The Joiners music venue in Southampton, and have photographed regularly for Hampshire Cricket Club, Salisbury Football Club and Druids Lodge Polo Club. I have photographed almost 40 different sports and am always looking for new opportunities.

For many years I have been a Nikon DSLR user, but in 2020 I sold all my Nikon kit and changed to Sony mirrorless.  I now use two Sony A9IIs and my lenses are the Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 GM II; 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II; 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS; and 400mm f/2.8 GM OSS.  For more about my move to Sony, read my article on “Defecting from Nikon to Sony”.

I am an Associate of the Royal Photographic Society (ARPS); and, while no longer a member, I have been an Associate of both the Society of International School & Events Photographers (ASISEP) and the Society of International Sport & Leisure Photographers (ASISLP).

I have photographed a wide range of sporting events, musical concerts and plays – for clubs, venues and schools.  My images endeavour to portray the atmosphere and emotion of an event, not just record what happens.  The aim is for the viewer to feel as though they were at the event. Having photographed almost 40 sports, I have built up a wealth of experience and I love passing that on to photographers who are new to sports photography or who just want to improve what they are doing.