From the Stands to the Sideline: Intro to Football Photography w/How Lao

Sports Photography is one of the most dynamic and demanding types of photography. Howard Lao, a Portland-based sports photographer, will cover what it's like to photograph some of the best athletes in the world and how to improve the efficiency of your photography skills on and off the field.

This event will consist of 3 parts, depending on the ticket purchased. Please see details below.

Sports Photography 101 Virtual Lecture

October 21st, 2026 7 PM - Pro Photo Supply Retail Store

(~60 minutes speaking / ~20 minutes learning editing/workflow / ~15 minutes Q&A)

The lecture portion will cover the following topics:

• What makes a good image? Howard will discuss this in detail for Football (but also mentions other sports like basketball, soccer, track & field, etc.)
• Behind the scenes of working on game day
• How to find the best angles at events * Camera gear & best settings to use
• Sports Photography etiquette on and off the field
• Editing (Lightroom), workflow (Photo Mechanic discount for attendees), and file storage.

Hands-on Workshop

October 31st, 2026, 12:00 PM - 3:30 PM

Portland State University vs. University of Idaho at Hillsboro Stadium (limit 8 students)
Come experience the Vikings go head-to-head with the Hornets from the sidelines while getting the opportunity to photograph them like a pro. Get those diving passes from turf level. Capture the adrenaline of the snap as the quarterback puts a play in motion.

Get exclusive access, including the sidelines, and be taught in real-time by Howard Lao!

More information about this portion of the class will be provided at the conclusion of Howard's presentation on October 21st.

Hands-on workshop attendees will receive a 25% discount on rental gear from Pro Photo Supply - details for this will be included in your order confirmation email.

Virtual Image Review

November 11th, 2026, 7 PM to 8:15 PM - ONLINE

Attendees from the hands-on workshop will submit 5-10 photos from the workshop to be reviewed via a virtual platform(Google Meet) during a group session. This image review will take 75 minutes and allow participants to discuss what went well and what can be improved on for their next shoot. Howard will also field any of your additional questions during this review session.

ABOUT HOWARD LAO

HOWARD "How" LAO is a freelance award-winning photographer based in the Pacific Northwest, but has covered sports and live events around the world.

He combines his unique background as an NCAA Division 1 athlete with his photography, capturing the essence of athletes and the moments that bring fans closer to the competition.

FREELANCE CLIENTS: Nike, Adidas, TrackTownUSA, Hillsboro Hops, The Oregonian, The Associated Press, Getty Images

EVENTS & NETWORKS: 3x Olympic Trials; 5x World Athletics Championships; 7x NCAA Track & Field Championships; NFL/XFL/NCAA League; Major League Soccer & National Women Soccer League; MiLB Baseball - Hillsboro Hops Team Photographer; Winter Youth Olympics & Pan Continental Curling Championships; NBA, WNBA & NCAA March Madness

See more of Howard's work on his website and on Instagram under his handle @howlaophotography

The in-person workshop part of this event is limited to 8 spots per game with a minimum of 4 registered attendees needed. In the event the minimum isn't met, the session will be canceled and registered attendees will receive full refunds.

All attendees will be required to sign a liability waiver prior to the start of the in-person game coverage.

This event has limited space, as a result, registration is required for each attendee. If you are on the waitlist for this event, you will receive a notification, via email, if a space becomes available for you.

PRICING, FEES & REFUNDS

In the event of a refund, Eventbrite Fees are not refundable. Eventbrite fees are only refunded if an event is canceled.

Refunds are only available within 72 hours of the starting time of an event.

Refunds are unavailable once the event has started.