NYC Marathon Photography: Settings, Lenses and Positioning

Runners are slower than a bat swing and faster than most people expect. This guide covers the settings, lenses and positions that give you sharp faces and readable bibs on the NYC Marathon course, including the awkward light around the bridges.

Start with shutter speed

Set 1/1000 s as your default for runners coming toward you or crossing your frame. It freezes arms and feet and keeps bib numbers crisp. For mid-pack runners jogging straight at the lens, 1/500 s is usually enough, which saves ISO when the light drops. If you want a little deliberate blur in the legs, try 1/250 s while panning with the runner and accept a lower keeper rate. Shoot short bursts of three to five frames, because stride phase decides whether a frame works more than any other variable.

Aperture, ISO and autofocus

Aperture: f/2.8 to f/4 separates a runner from a busy crowd while keeping the face and bib sharp. Stop down to f/5.6 for groups.
ISO: use auto ISO with a minimum shutter speed of 1/1000 s and a ceiling you trust, so exposure moves with the light instead of your shutter speed. Test your own camera at 3200 and 6400 before race day.
Autofocus: continuous AF with a tracking or zone mode. If you use back-button focus, keep it. Pre-focus on a spot in the road where you expect the runner to be.
File format: RAW if you can afford the storage, since it rescues shadows under bridges and trees. JPEG plus a fast card is fine if you are shooting thousands.

Lenses worth carrying

70-200mm f/2.8: the default for most of the course. It reaches across a closed avenue and still lets you work in tight spaces.
24-70mm or a 35mm prime: for crowd context, signs and families on First Avenue.
85mm f/1.8: a light option for portraits of runners in quieter stretches such as the Bronx.
100-400mm: only if you plan to stay in one spot with room behind you. It is heavy for five hours on foot.

One body and one lens is a perfectly good plan. Switching lenses in a packed crowd costs you runners.

Where to stand on the course

Shoot off axis. Stand 15 to 30 degrees to the side of the runner's path, not dead on, so the bib is visible and arms do not hide it.
Pick the outside of a gentle curve. Runners drift toward the inside line, which gives you a clear approach and a bit more time.
Check your background. Barriers, porta-potties and parked vehicles ruin frames. Move a few feet until the background is crowd, trees or buildings.
Check the sun. Find which side of the street the sun crosses before you commit. Faces lit from the side look better than faces in flat shade.
Stay out of the course. Never step into the road. Work from the spectator side and let the runners come to you.

For spot-by-spot suggestions, see our NYC Marathon course guide for photographers. For general action settings, see How to Freeze the Action: Camera Settings for Fast-Paced NYC Sports.

Handling bridge light

Spectators are not permitted on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, and the Queensboro Bridge is a closed stretch of course, so you will be working at the ends of the bridges, not on them. The one that matters for photographers is the Queensboro. Runners cross it in shade with no crowd, then drop onto First Avenue at 59th Street into brighter light and a wall of noise.

Expect a swing of a stop or two between shaded and sunlit stretches. Meter for the face, not the sky.
Use spot or center-weighted metering on a runner's face. If you shoot manual, set exposure for the lit side and re-check when a cloud passes.
Raise exposure compensation slightly when runners are backlit against a bright avenue.
Low November sun is a gift and a problem. Sunrise is around 6:26 a.m. and sunset a little before 5 p.m., so long shadows cross the avenues all day. Dappled light under trees on Lafayette Avenue and Fifth Avenue is the hardest to expose for.

Handling the crowd

Arrive early. First Avenue and the Central Park finish area are the busiest and fill first, and finish-area access is controlled.
Carry less. A small bag, a wrist strap and a spare battery in an inside pocket (cold drains batteries) beat a full kit you cannot use.
Pick one spot and work it. Chasing a better view across a packed sidewalk costs more frames than it earns.
Be considerate. Do not block the sidewalk behind you, and keep your elbows in. Spectators who like you are better backgrounds.
Use the official race app to time your runner. Cell service can be patchy near the finish, so save the plan before you leave home.

Shoot with the sale in mind

If you plan to sell, a few habits pay off later. Keep bibs legible, note the street and the time when you arrive at each spot, and shoot continuously through a wave rather than only at peaks, because buyers search by place and time. Before you list anything, email NYRR's media office. NYRR works with official imagery partners and has announced an exclusive commercial imagery provider, so ask what applies to race-day photos you plan to sell.

When you are ready, upload the set to Surf Snaps as a gallery tagged by sport, place and date. Runners can then search for the race and find their photos without knowing your name. Joining and uploading are free, there is no storage bill, and the Surf Snaps fee of up to 10% only applies when a photo sells and can be passed on to the customer.

NYC Marathon Photography FAQ

What shutter speed should I use for marathon runners?

Start at 1/1000 s. Drop to 1/500 s for jogging mid-pack runners coming straight at you, and use 1/250 s only for deliberate panning shots.

What is the best lens for the NYC Marathon?

A 70-200mm f/2.8 covers most of the course. Add a 24-70mm or 35mm prime if you want crowd context on First Avenue.

How do I handle the shift from shade to sun at the Queensboro Bridge exit?

Meter on the runner's face, use spot metering, shoot RAW, and be ready to adjust exposure compensation as runners move from shaded bridge to bright avenue.

Can I use a tripod or monopod on the course?

Plan on neither. Crowds are dense and a tripod blocks other spectators. Use a strap and hold the camera steady.

How do I get my photos in front of runners?

Upload them to Surf Snaps, where runners search by sport, place and date.