Golf Course Photography
Master the art of capturing stunning golf course imagery and tournament photography
Essential Photography Techniques
Equipment Essentials
- • DSLR or mirrorless camera with weather sealing
- • Wide-angle lens (16-35mm) for course landscapes
- • Telephoto lens (70-200mm) for action shots
- • Polarizing filter to reduce glare
- • Tripod for stability and long exposures
- • Extra batteries and memory cards
Camera Settings
- • Shoot in RAW format for maximum editing flexibility
- • Use aperture priority mode (A/Av)
- • f/8-f/11 for landscape shots (optimal sharpness)
- • f/2.8-f/4 for isolating subjects
- • ISO 100-400 for best image quality
- • Continuous autofocus for moving subjects
Composition Mastery
Rule of Thirds
Place key elements like flags, water hazards, or golfers along the thirds lines for dynamic compositions.
Leading Lines
Use cart paths, fairway edges, and sand trap curves to guide the viewer's eye through the image.
Foreground Elements
Include interesting foreground elements like tee markers, flowers, or equipment to add depth.
Golden Hour Magic
Shoot during the first and last hour of sunlight for warm, dramatic lighting.
Tournament Action Photography
Capturing the Swing
- • Position yourself perpendicular to the golfer
- • Use shutter priority mode (1/1000s or faster)
- • Focus on the golfer's hands or club
- • Capture the follow-through for dynamic poses
- • Shoot in burst mode for multiple frames
Crowd and Atmosphere
- • Wide shots showing gallery reactions
- • Close-ups of emotional moments
- • Scoreboards and leaderboard updates
- • Victory celebrations and trophy presentations
- • Behind-the-scenes practice range shots
Post-Processing Workflow
Basic Adjustments
Exposure correction, highlight/shadow recovery, vibrance enhancement, and clarity adjustments.
Color Grading
Enhance the natural greens of the course while maintaining realistic skin tones for golfers.
Local Adjustments
Use masks to brighten faces, enhance sky drama, or draw attention to key subjects.
Professional Photography Business
Getting Started
- • Build portfolio with local course photography
- • Network with golf course management
- • Offer tournament coverage packages
- • Create social media presence
- • Develop relationships with golf publications
Pricing Structure
- • Course marketing photography: $500-2000/day
- • Tournament coverage: $300-1000/event
- • Individual golfer sessions: $150-500
- • Aerial drone photography: Premium rates
- • Licensing for commercial use