Although the usual focus of sports is on the field, there are a group of people who are working just as hard on the sidelines. Sports photographers are finding positioning and waiting for just the right moment to snap a photo of the action in the game. One of these photographers is Raj Chavda, who has taken photos for many North sports, college football teams and the Windy City Bulls.
Chavda is in no way new to photography; he has been taking photos for almost 15 years. He started with taking photos of family and things he found interesting. Chavda bought his first camera, and learned how to use it through trial and error. Despite having little experience with photography concepts, he taught himself with hands-on experience.
“I created a lot of bad photos to get to where I’m at now,” said Chavda, “[To] understand the basics of the exposure triangle, [I messed] with those three settings, and figured it out.”
Although Chavda has been taking photos for a long time, it shifted from pure passion to his focus in 2022 when he splurged on his first high-end camera.
“[I thought] even if I don’t make money, I just want to take the best photo I can. I started further practicing and trying different things, and really just learned it,” said Chavda. “Everything’s just second nature when I’m out in the field.”
Chavda is currently taking photos for college football and the Windy City Bulls. These experiences have forced him to learn his cameras inside and out, as they require quick turnarounds. His photos for college football are considered photojournalism which require minimal editing, which means a focus on in-camera proficiency.
“I can only use basic tone adjustments. So it’s really focused. It’s actually forced me into knowing my camera and making sure I get the best photo out of the camera,” said Chavda.
For the Windy City Bulls, it is an even bigger challenge as he is expected to have photos of big plays ready to post within minutes.
“Every quarter, I have to deliver anywhere from five to 15 photos,” said Chavda. “You never really get to watch the game, to enjoy it, because you’re so busy snapping enough photos for ‘what you’re required to get.’”
Chavda has four pieces of advice to any aspiring photographers at North. One, do not underexpose your photos. This means purposefully making your photos appear dark, which is a current trend for aesthetics. Even if it is trendy, it is not what employers are looking for. Two, avoid shots of athletes not in action, even if they are what gets the most likes, it is again not what will get you a job. Three, although overly dramatized low or high angles are good for creative photos, they should not be utilized in every one. Four, and what Chavda says is the most important, networking is the key to success.
You can find Chavda on the sideline of many North sports, where he has taken tons of photos. He began taking photos for his daughter’s basketball games at North in 2024, and has since attended football games, basketball games and wrestling tournaments. His favorite shots, no matter the sport, are midair shots. While he is shooting, Chavda is always willing to talk to anyone, new and familiar photographers alike.
“Every time I go to a game, if I see a new photographer, I have no problem saying hello to them,” said Chavda, “And I’m happy to talk to anybody honestly.”
