Hockey Photography Settings: Freeze Fast Action on Ice

Why Hockey Photography is Challenging

Hockey combines three major challenges: extreme speed, poor arena lighting, and unpredictable action. The white ice reflects light differently than other surfaces, and the plexiglass boards can create reflections and focusing issues.

Unlike outdoor sports where you have natural light, hockey arenas typically have mixed artificial lighting that varies dramatically from venue to venue. NHL arenas have excellent lighting, but most amateur rinks are dim and challenging.

Essential Hockey Camera Settings

🏟️ Arena Hockey (Standard Lighting)

🏫 Amateur/Youth Hockey (Dim Lighting)

Key Moments to Capture

1. 🥅 Shots on Goal

Position yourself behind the goal when the play is in your zone. Use burst mode (10+ fps) and start shooting when a player winds up for a shot. The puck-on-stick contact, goalie's save attempt, and net bulge are all money shots.

2. 🛡️ Body Checks & Contact

Hockey is physical. Hits along the boards create dramatic moments. Use 1/1250s minimum to freeze the impact. The moment of contact shows the intensity and athleticism of the sport.

3. 🧤 Goalie Saves

Goalies make spectacular athletic plays. Position yourself with a clear view of the net. 1/1000s freezes glove saves and pad saves. Watch for rebound opportunities - the scramble after a save often produces great shots.

4. 🎉 Goal Celebrations

After a goal, the team piles on the scorer. Drop to 1/500s - celebrations are slower and you need the light. Capture the emotion, fist pumps, and team camaraderie.

Dealing with the Glass

The plexiglass barrier is a photographer's challenge. Here's how to handle it:

• Shoot perpendicular - Stand square to the glass, not at an angle. This minimizes distortion.
• Get close - Put your lens hood right against the glass. This eliminates most reflections.
• Use a rubber hood - Prevents scratching the glass and blocks more light leaks.
• Avoid flash - Flash creates massive reflections. Use available light only.
• Clean spot - Find a section of glass without scratches. Players' sticks mark it up quickly.

Lens Choice for Hockey

Hockey's contained rink makes lens selection easier than outdoor sports:

• 70-200mm f/2.8 - The workhorse lens. Perfect for most positions. Fast aperture crucial for low light.
• 300mm f/2.8 or f/4 - Reach the far end of the ice. Pro photographers' choice for opposite-end action.
• 24-70mm f/2.8 - Tight shots near the boards, warm-ups, and bench reactions.

Positioning Strategy

📍 Best Shooting Locations

In order of priority:

1. Behind the net - Catch saves, shots, and net-front scrambles. Face-on to goalie.
2. Corner glass - See into the zone, capture both scoring chances and physicality.
3. Blue line - Wider view of zone entry/exit. Good for transition plays.
4. Center ice (elevated) - If you can get height, great for context shots showing full ice.

Avoid center ice at glass level - You'll only see jersey numbers and backs.

Focus Techniques

Zone AF is Essential

Hockey players dart across your frame unpredictably. Single-point focus won't cut it. Use zone AF or 3D tracking to follow fast-moving subjects.

Set your camera to:

• Continuous AF (AI Servo/AF-C) - Tracks moving subjects
• Zone or Group AF - Covers the action area without hunting
• High burst rate - 10+ fps gives you multiple frames to choose from
• Back-button focus - Separates focus from shutter for better control

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Forgetting to adjust white balance - Yellow-tinted ice looks amateur. Custom WB is essential.
• Shooting center ice at glass level - Reposition to corners for better angles.
• Using small aperture - You need every bit of light. Shoot wide open (f/2.8-f/4).
• Not pre-focusing - Focus on where the action will be, not where it is now.
• Ignoring the benches - Coaches' reactions and bench celebrations tell great stories.

Post-Processing Quick Wins

In Lightroom or your RAW editor:

• Fix white balance first - The ice should be white, not yellow or blue
• Add contrast +15-20 to make players pop against the ice
• Increase clarity +10-15 for that crisp, sharp look
• Noise reduction - You'll need it at high ISO. Don't overdo it.
• Slight vignette draws eyes to the action
• Crop to 16:9 or 3:2 - horizontal format suits hockey's wide ice

Pre-Game Checklist

1. Scout arena 30 minutes early - find glass without scratches/netting
2. Set custom white balance using the ice before players come out
3. Test shots during warm-ups - dial in exposure
4. Switch to burst mode (High continuous)
5. Set RAW format for maximum editing flexibility
6. Set Auto ISO with 6400 max (amateur rinks) or 3200 max (pro venues)
7. Back-button focus enabled
8. Have backup batteries and memory cards ready

The Bottom Line

Hockey photography rewards fast shutter speeds, wide apertures, and smart positioning. The game moves incredibly fast, but patterns emerge - where breakouts develop, where scoring chances happen, where contact occurs.

Start with 1/1000s, f/2.8, ISO 3200 as your baseline. Adjust based on your arena's lighting. Most importantly, anticipate the play - shoot where the puck is going, not where it is.

The fastest game on earth deserves fast photography. Get out there and freeze it.