Bob Atkins, Nikon pro golf photographer...

Professional freelance sports photographer Bob Atkins talks cameras, lenses, and why golf and photography are more alike than you might think...

PA: How long have you been a pro?
BA: Almost 30 years.

What was your first paid-for assignment?
My first assignment was when I was at college. I was paid to photograph car parks by a concretes company. Not very glamorous!

Colour or black & white?
If I'm hanging it on my wall at home then it's black & white. But I love working with colour for the magazines.

What sports have you covered over the years?
Fishing was my first 'sport' when I moved from an advertising studio in Nottingham to Angling Times. Then I moved into outdoor pursuit sports such as golf, running, horse riding, off-road vehicles and that kind of stuff.

How long have you been shooting golf?
I've been shooting golf since 1987, worked on the launch of Today's Golfer. I've photographed The Open about 11 times now.

Is golf a challenge or is it easy?
I find it easy but that's just because I've done if for so long. I don't really enjoy tournament golf quite as much because it's so restrictive. There are so many rules and so many photographers. Personally I prefer doing instructional photography for the magazines. It's action but you can control all aspects of it and be really creative. In particular I love golf landscape photography. Instruction and landscape are my two strongest fields.

Have you got a favourite golfing shot you've taken?
I have a couple of favourite landscapes, one of the 5th hole on Loch Lomond when the light was just fantastic and something similar with the 7th at Pebble Beach in California. Golf landscape really doesn't differ from normal photography - it's just a manicure landscape but you have to work the light just the same.

What kit are you currently using?
Currently I'm using Nikon D2Xs and D200s, and most of my work's done on the 12-24mm, 18-70mm, and 80-200mm zooms. This way I can carry fewer lenses and cover wider range of focal lengths.

Any plans to buy new stuff?
I am getting Nikon D3s, but I like to have two main cameras and one back up so I'm getting a D700 as well. I've always used Nikon since college... they are so robust.

JPEG or RAW?
I do a mixture. For my personal work it's always RAW but some magazines want JPEG and so I shoot it for them. I guess it's JPEG for volume really. In a typical magazine instructional shoot I can do 1500 images!

Are there any similarities between photography and golf?
Definitely! Golfers are always talking about visualising the golf shot and that's also important for photography. I've also thought the best photographers aren't equipment boffins, they are people who can see good pictures in their head first then use the gear to make their ideas come to life. Both disciplines use equipment of course, and we need to select the right lens rather than golf club for the right shot...

Timing is really important in both too. In golf, if you're trying to photograph an impact shot you need great timing to freeze that action at the right moment. Then there's focus. The whole premise of photography is about focusing on the right point and golfers really have to focus on hitting that tiny ball onto the right spot. But none of us can focus all the time on what we're doing, as the brain can't cope. Photographer or golfer, you have to know when to turn on and when to turn it off...

How do you visualise a shot before taking it?
You've got to think quickly. Look at what's in front of you and start thinking how do I make a dramatic and interesting picture here. If it's all in your control it's easier but at a tournament you have to work with what you've got and of course, that's much harder.

Then - after visualising your shot - do you know which lens to use immediately?
Yes, pretty much. I'm asking myself what lens do I need to make this shot work? Do I want to compress perspective or do I shoot wide? If I have the time and the control I'll often try a whole range of lenses to make it work.

What's your favourite lens?
My DX 12-24mm. It's also my most used, except at tournaments where it's anything from 300mm to 600mm.

Have you got a must have accessory in the kit bag?
It's my SB800 flashguns and controller so I can do off-camera flash. That's brilliant for instructional shots.

Do you know when to press the shutter on an action shot or do you just rely on the motor drive to hedge your bets?
It really takes practise. You can't just rely on the motordrive to get the shot of a golfer's swing. In fact, unless you are using a specialist camera, no motordrive is quick enough so you have to watch and get to know the right point to press that shutter. In terms of landscapes it's all down to the light. Time it right and the light will make the shot for you.

Focusing Manual or Autofocus?
It's autofocus for me every time. It's quicker and more accurate.

Take a look at Bob's website and more of his work here.

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