Capturing Chaos: Shooting Allen Eagle Basketball in a Packed Gym

Capturing Chaos: Shooting Allen Eagle Basketball in a Packed Gym

You ever get yourself wedged under a basketball hoop in a room packed tighter than a can of sardines? That was me last weekend, shooting the Allen Eagle basketball team at a tournament in Duncanville. Game days in Allen are always a blast, but this gym where we were was super crowded – so many teams were here to play, and like most gyms, the lighting was not designed with photographers in mind!

That Classic Gym Lighting Struggle

If you’ve spent any time snapping photos in Texas high school gyms, you’ll know what I mean: flat, yellowish light that just wants to wash out every good moment you catch. Add in a wild red and yellow floor, and suddenly you’re working with a color palette that feels more like a carnival than a championship basketball game. Fun for the fans, not so much for your photos.

Picking a Lens

I got to the gym and realized I’d barely have elbow room, let alone space to swing a long lens. And since I had never been to this gym before, I was coming in blind.  Also, to complicate matters even more, they had a “clear bag” policy.  That means no camera bags allowed.  I had to use a clear, plastic “purse” that I had purchased on Amazon a while back for such situations.  Not at all a safe bag for my camera equipment, but there really isn’t another option (at least not that I’ve found).

Normally, I love to pull out my 50 or 85mm for the action at a basketball game, but the sidelines were so close I literally couldn’t fit the hoop and players in the frame. I had to switch to my 28-70mm—honestly, not my favorite for sports. In fact, out of all my lenses, it’s my least favorite.  It’s heavy, and you don’t get that awesome crisp subject with a nice blurry background, but you play the hand you’re dealt, right?

Finding the Shot in a Gym Full of Surprises

I parked myself just off to the side of the basket, you know the spot – the one where the refs run down the court and stop right in front of your lens almost every single time?  But there wasn’t any room to move around, so I just hoped to get some good shots.   Players were flying, parents were yelling, and my toes narrowly escaped a couple of near-miss dunks.  I like to catch the hoop in the frame when I can, so I really had to get creative with angles—lots of ducking, weaving, and, yes, a little bit of praying the autofocus would keep up.

Are the colors and lighting a little wild? Absolutely. But sometimes, you’ve just gotta lean into the chaos and the grainy pictures.  Despite the crazy colors and tricky light, there’s so much motion and energy. And isn’t that what basketball—and good photography—is all about?

Tips for Shooting High School Sports in Tiny Gyms

• Be Prepared to Improvise: The space, the lighting, the colors—you can only control so much. Have a flexible lens and expect the unexpected.
• Get Low and Move Fast: Don’t be afraid to squat down and find unique angles. Sometimes, the best shot is the one everyone else overlooks.
• Don’t Stress About Perfection: Sports are messy and so are the photos sometimes. Focus on capturing energy and emotion—those are what your kids and clients will treasure.
• Don’t Forget the Sidelines and the In-Between Moments:  Sometimes the best moments happen during time-outs or on the sidelines.  Be sure to watch for those.
• Edit with Intention: I do a little extra work in Lightroom for gym games—boost the contrast, cool down those yellows, and let the real action shine through.

Wrapping Up

Shooting basketball in a packed gym isn’t a walk in the park, but it’s a wild, fun challenge. You might not get every shot perfect, but you’ll walk away with photos full of life, grit, and a little bit of gym-floor drama. If you’re thinking about booking me for your athlete or just want to chat about how to get better sports pics yourself, you know where to find me.  Right over here at Paula Mason Photography.

If you need some new sports memories or want to chat more about photography, reach out to me! I’m always here for tips, sessions, or just some good old sports talk. Keep taking pictures, and have fun out there!

Until next time…