Padel photography
Padel is a racket sport played in pairs/doubles on an enclosed padel court. The court is surrounded by walls of glass and metallic mash, and is one third of the size of a tennis court. Padel photography typically focuses on capturing action shots of the players during a match, as well portraits or close-ups of the pairs and individual. For photography, the glass walls that surround the court provide excellent opportunities to get some really stunning shots, as the ball is played either before or after the ball bounces off the surrounding glass walls. But unfortunately the walls, especially the glass, also poses challenges, as glass tends to get stained and dirty.
Padel is not a strength dominated sport, like tennis. More important in padel is strategy and match-craft, as points are rather by these than by sheer strength and power. A knowledge about the sport and it’s dynamics and tactics is also beneficial from a sports photography perspective, as with all other sports. Having a good knowledge of the game and the players can help photographers capture the most interesting and meaningful moments.
Good padel photography requires a fast shutter speed and good timing to capture the players' movements, as well as the ability to anticipate the action and be in the right place at the right time. In padel photography, it is also essential to be aware of the lighting conditions in, but also outside, the padel court and adjust their equipment accordingly.
Equipment
In padel photography, much like all other sports photography, equipment plays a big role. To get some nice action shots, cameras with a fast shutter speed, high ISO capabilities (low light performance), high frame rate (burst speed) and good autofocus abilities is preferable. However, it is fully possible to get some spectacular shots with cameras that shoot with lower frame rates, and even with manual focusing. The same goes for lenses, where fast aperture lenses, such as f/1.4 - f/4 are recommended for capturing sharp, clear images. Telephoto lenses, either zooms or primes, with a long focal length between 70mm and 300mm is also essential for capturing action shots from a distance. But again, you can also do good with a cheap 50mm f/1.8 lens if you know what you are doing. So don’t let equipment hold you back.
Cameras
The cameras mostly used for padel photography are DSLR (digital single-lens reflex) or mirrorless cameras, as they allow for quick autofocus and the ability to capture fast-moving action in low light conditions. One feature that stands out in padel photography is autofocus, which refers to a feature in cameras that automatically adjusts the focus of the lens to ensure that the subject being photographed is in sharp focus. Autofocus systems use a variety of methods to determine the distance to the subject, such as phase detection or contrast detection, and adjust the lens accordingly. The AI Servo autofocus mode (on Canon), is something I think is really important in padel photography, and sports photography in general, is a specific type of autofocus technology that is designed to detect and focus on the eyes of a subject. It is designed for fast-moving subjects, and the camera calculates where the subject will be at the moment the shutter fires and focuses the lens accordingly. This focus method has developed in the last few years to a level which is unbelievable. The same goes for frame rates, that is how many frames you can capture per second. With most high-end cameras allowing frame rates from 12 up to 30 per second, you are guaranteed to capture the right shot, even if it does add on to the post-processing workload. I have been shooting padel for a few years, starting with a Canon 1D Mark IV, Canon 5D Mark III and a Canon 1D X. The last year I have used a Canon 1D X Mark III and a Canon R6, which both are superb for padel and sports photography.
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Camera settings
For padel photography, it is typically recommended to use a fast shutter speed to freeze the action. I would recommend shutter speeds of 1/1000 or faster, and have found that between 1/1250 and 1/1600 is enough to freeze the action in padel. If possible, go even faster.
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Use a wide aperture to create a shallow depth of field and separate the subject from the background. Most shots I have taken are between f/1.2 and f/4, and depending on the lens, the sweet spot is somewhere between f/1.8 and f/2.8. This gives you a sharp focus on the players eye, but leaves the background blurred.
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High ISO values are a bit of a must in padel because of the low light situations. I usually shoot everything between ISO 3200 and 6400. With modern cameras, the low light capabilities are great, and noise is rarely an issue. I don’t use any noise reducing in-camera or in post-processing. ISO values are of course different when shooting outside tournaments.
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Use continuous autofocus (AI Servo) mode (eye detection) and high-speed continuous shooting (high-speed burst) mode to increase your chances of getting a sharp image of the player and the ball.
Lenses
Fast lenses are typically recommended for padel photography. This means lenses that have a wide aperture (low f-stop number) which allows for a faster shutter speed and provide better low-light performance. While zoom lenses are more versatile and allows you to quickly adjust the focal length, prime lenses which have a fixed focal length are also great for sports photography and are in some cases sharper than zoom lenses. Prime lenses are generally faster than zoom lenses, meaning they have a wider maximum aperture. The problem with prime lenses in this case is that you'll need to change lenses frequently for different focal lengths. Unless you are shooting with multiple camera bodies.
For padel photography, it is useful to have the different focal lengths covered, from wide-angle lenses (between 16mm and 35mm) and standard angle lenses (~35mm to 55mm) to telephoto lenses (~55mm to 600mm). And if you want a line-up that gets things done, I’d recommend a wide-angle lens like the 16-35mm f/2.8, and a telephoto zoom lens, like the “sports photography classic”, 70-200mm f/2.8. In padel, longer telephoto lenses like 300mm or 400mm rarely bring you any more joy. There are of course a lot of other lenses to choose from, and below are the go-to (prime) lenses I regularly use for padel photography.
Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM
Small, light-weight, fast and affordable. The autofocus on this lens is incredibly fast, and my copy produces tack sharp images wide open (f1.8) when paired with the Canon 1D X Mark III. A super lens for shooting from the middle of the back court behind the glass, as well as from the court entrance and court sides.
Canon EF 200mm f/2.0L IS USM
One of Canons greatest lenses ever, I would say. Focuses extremely fast and accurately. Creates a really blurred background wide open (f2.0). Perfect for shooting volley shots of players at the net from court corners. The only small downside is the weight.
Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM
A lens that I have recently started to use in padel photography. At first I was a bit hesitant to use it, as the autofocus is not as fast as on the Canon EF 85mm f/1.8. But in situations where I want a shot of a player that is on my side of the court and where there is not that much room between the court glass and the back wall for me to position myself, this lens is suitable. And when the focus hits correctly wide open (f1.2) the results are really amazing.
Placement
The padel court itself sets some limitations as to from where you are able shoot the sport. During the game, the players are inside the court, from which they are allowed to run outside to hit balls that bounce out from the court. This means that there are only a few places that are suitable for a photographer. But no worries, from these spots you are able to get some really nice shots. Here are some of my go-to places for padel photography.
Four popular locations for padel photography. Court corners, the middle behind the glass (a bit further back), side glass, and shooting through the court entrance (Note! Only during warm up).
Court corners behind the glass
The court corners, all four of them, are the classic places for shooting padel. From here you are able to get some nice volley shots from the opposite court side with a tele lens (for instance 200mm is good), but also some more wide angle shots (for instance with a 35mm or 50mm lens) of players on your side of the court. So it's no wonder you often see padel photographers sitting in the corners of the court. And yes, sitting, as a lower angle makes the players seem bigger and more "sportsmanlike". The volley shots at the net also gives you a nice compressed and blurred background, which is not easy, as in most padel centers the backgrounds are often messy.
Andrés Britos hitting a volley at the net during the Padel XMAS Games in Padel House, Finland..
Shot from the corner of the court, behind the glass with a Canon 1D X Mark III + Canon EF 200mm f/2.0L IS USM, 1/1600, f2.0, ISO 4000.
David Lozano during the Padel XMAS Games in Padel House, Finland..
Shot from the corner of the court, behind the glass with a Canon R6 + Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM, 1/1600, f1.2, ISO 3200.
Middle of the court behind the glass
The middle of the back court provides a good opportunity to get some shots of the players waiting for the ball to bounce of the back glass, a bit similar to the court corners. The difference is, that when shooting in the middle, the court lights usually offers better lightning conditions, as the players faces are more lit. From this position, depending on how far from the glass/court you are, a medium telephoto lens, for instance 85mm, or a normal lens, like 50mm, is usually the most suitable. Also, a zoom telephoto lens, for instance a 70-200mm, is really great. I usually sit between 2-4 meters from the back court, depending of course what is possible, as in many centers the courts are really tightly fit, and there might not be much room.
Paula Josemaría Martín at the World Padel Tour Exhibition 2022 in Tampere, Finland.
Shot from the back of the middle court, approx. 3 meters behind the glass with a Canon 1D X Mark III + Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM, 1/1250, f1.8, ISO 4000.
Side court behind the glass
The side court provides four good places to get some great action shots of padel. From this angle, the players that play on the court side opposite of you, usually have their face lit when hitting the ball on their side of the court. But also the players on your side of the court have a nicely lit face especially when looking a bit upwards at the ball. When returning the serve, players usually look down, which makes their faces a bit too dark for a good shot. On courts that allow players to run out of the court and hit the ball, there is more space for you to find a good spot. However, be sure you are not inside the "safety zone" where players might run around. In this spot, you can play around with different focal lengths, from wide-angle to tele. I have gotten some nice shots with a 50mm, an 85mm and even a 200mm.
Carolina Navarro Björk at the World Padel Tour Exhibition 2022 in Tampere, Finland.
Shot from the side court behind the glass, approx. 2 meters from the court with a Canon 1D X Mark III + Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM, 1/1250, f1.8, ISO 4000.
Paula Josemaría Martín at the World Padel Tour Exhibition 2022 in Tampere, Finland.
Shot from the side court behind the glass, approx. 2 meters from the court with a Canon 1D X Mark III + Canon EF 200mm f/2.0L IS USM, 1/1250, f2.0, ISO 5000.
Through the court entrance
The court entrance is a good spot to get some close ups of padel players hitting volleys at the net during warm up. Note that this spot is off limits during games where players are allowed to run out of the court to hit balls that bounce out. But during the warm-up it is a suitable spot. The shots you will get here are more of close-up nature, even with quite wide lenses. I usually shoot with a 85mm lens from this spot, sometimes with a 50mm.
Mikko Rouvala at the Finnish Padel Championship 2021 at Open Padel, Finland.
Shot from the court entrance with a Canon 1D X Mark III + Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM, 1/1250, f1.8, ISO 4000.
Other locations
There are of course other locations and spots from where to get nice shots of padel action. Just bear in mind which areas are off limits, and which areas are visible in a live stream, so that you don't stand in front of a camera or in the way of players. Always check with officials or referees if there are any present. You should also not forget the venue, the crowd, the atmosphere, celebrations/jubilee etc. General padel photographies are usually appreciated for storytelling, articles and reports.
World Padel Tour Tampere Padel Exhibition 2022.
Shot from the stands with a Canon 1D X Mark III + Canon EF 16-35mm f/4.0L IS USM, 1/640, f5.6, ISO 4000.
Links to photos and photographers
Want to see more padel photos? Here are some links to resources and photographers on Instagram (will update this now and then, if your name is missing, let me know!):
https://www.worldpadeltour.com/en/photos/
Mariano Pozo (World Padel Tour photographer)
German Pozo (World Padel Tour photographer)
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