Total FAILURE! -- My First Attempt at Sports Photography

Last Saturday, my eight-year-old cousin invited to his basketball game. I was purely excited. Not only was I able to watch my cousin play basketball for the first time, but I was also able to try sports photography for the first time. A few minutes before I left for the game, I did my 'homework.' I read dozens of tips online, and I felt like I was ready to shoot some breathtaking photos. 

BUT, the photos turned just the opposite of what I expected. I blame it on both me and my camera. 

First of all,  I had a cheap camera and there were MANY limitations...

The first tip I read on the website was this: "Have a lens or a zoom range that is AT LEAST 200 mm."
Bad news! My Pentax lens had a zoom range from 4.6 mm to 119.6 mm.

Second tip: Shoot in RAW 
Guess what? There's no RAW shooting in my camera

There were other mistakes I made that were mainly my fault. Because the basketball game was in an elementary school, the gym was small. I don't know what was wrong with me, but I thought the gym as big as a high school gymnasium. Because of my super high expectations, I was sorely disappointed when I arrived at the game. There was not enough space for me to sit, and parents were crowded around the gym. I felt awkward moving around the crowded gym taking pictures on my knees. Therefore, stayed where I was and zoomed in, which worsened the quality of the picture. 

The pictures were so bad that I literally gave up in the second quarter of the game. Although I find it quite embarrassing to show my low-quality pictures to the world, I feel the need to. Whether you are a passionate amateur or a well-paid professional, every photographer has a forte and a weakness. For me, nature photography is a strength, while sports photography is definitely a weakness that I plan to work on. But if you are a professional sports photographer, feel free to comment down below and give me some sound advice! 

What are your photography strengths and weaknesses? Comment below, I would love to read your comments!