Images ADDED -- Sports photos - "How to"

[makario]

Hi,

A colleague at work has asked me to take photos of the local footy league that he coaches, and if that wasnt pressure enough, the photos will be displayed on their medal night! The initial plan was to ask the parents to bring along their digital camera and click away. I figured having a DSLR I would be able to help out so I happily voluntered.

Hence I am doing a bit of research as I hv never taken sports photographs before and would like to NOT make a total fool of myself. I hv searched the forums and found information from previous post from rookie2, oneputt etc, here's what I have gathered

Shutter speed min 1/500th
Aperature F4 to F8
ISO depending on the day (the game starts @ 9AM on Sunday in Melb)

My equipment CANON 350D, 17-85 F4-5.6 IS USM and 90-300 F4-5.6 USM, no lens hoods, 6GB (1+1+4) of CF cards. Since the game is this sunday, I am not really looking at buying new equipment, but making do with what I have.

My questions

1) For the lenses above which one should I use and how do I find their sweet spots for aperature

2) AF-S AF-C what is it, do I need to use it....

3) I will be shooting raw, do I bother abt WB or set it to auto

4) Where do I stand, mid field, near the goals... run along the sidelines?

5) Would I need to carry along a tripod, dont have a monopod though...

6) ISO, do I bump it up or keep it at 100/200, I dont want too much of noise as they are looking at projecting the photos on the medal night.

7) Do I set the camera to Aperature/Shutter priority or stick to manual

8 ) I will set the metering to center spot metering, do I need to set AI-SERVO in the parameters?

9) any sample galleries for ideas??

10) anything else I need to be aware of

Since the game is this weekend I dont have much time to practise

I really appreciate any and all help. Thanks in advance.

Cheers
Mak

[Yi-P]

1) For the lenses above which one should I use and how do I find their sweet spots for aperature

Depending on the size of the field, a 85mm can get you plenty of reach if you sit at the edges of midfield. At 100-300mm range can get you more flattering images along with the player/ball.

Since your lenses are at f/5.6 max when zoomed in, you may need to stop them down to f/6.3 or f/8 for sweet spots. Im not familiar with your lenses, but with my Sigma 70-300, I need f/8 - f/11 for sharp pics.

2) AF-S AF-C what is it, do I need to use it....

AF-C for shorter and wide open ends. And manual focus when you seriously need focus speed, slow lenses hunt and miss your pic, specially on a cam body which has limited AF sensors.

3) I will be shooting raw, do I bother abt WB or set it to auto

If then, just leave it on cluody or auto, take a test shot first and leave on the best one.

4) Where do I stand, mid field, near the goals... run along the sidelines?

Usually, near the corners at the goals can catch more action, make sure it is the defending team's goal, they'll all stack up there somehow...
Sidelines can get some good panning shots.

5) Would I need to carry along a tripod, dont have a monopod though...

If I were you, I will, holding a camera and lens for the whole 90+ minutes of a soccer game is not something too pleasurable to do, leaving on some support saves you plenty of muscle stress and muuuch steadier shots.

6) ISO, do I bump it up or keep it at 100/200, I dont want too much of noise as they are looking at projecting the photos on the medal night.

Depends on the day actually, dont be afraid to bump it up if you need it. Its always better to have a sharp but noisy shot than a clean but blurred out one.

7) Do I set the camera to Aperature/Shutter priority or stick to manual

If lighting conditions are stable (no clouds flying in and out above the field) you are able to use manual throughout the game and adjust aperture vs speed according to your needs.
Or why not programmed auto? It does a good job when you need it.

8 ) I will set the metering to center spot metering, do I need to set AI-SERVO in the parameters?

Center averaging should be alright with this IMO. If you get backlights, then a spot meter, much pleasant bright lights, a matrix metering can work.

Have fun in the game, dont forget to get your eye off the viewfinder and enjoy the game with the best lens in the world... your eyes...

[rooboy]

1) You'll be using the telephoto during the match, perhaps the 17-85 during breaks & to get shots of the crowd. Presuming that the 90-300 isn't an expensive lens, it probably won't be great wide open and at 300mm. If there's plenty of light and you can get a shutter speed of 1/500+, then think about stopping it down a bit to improve sharpness. if there's no much light then open it up as required.

2) Continuous focus (AF-C on the Nikons, I think Ai-Servo on the Canons?) over single shot focus. Or you could try trap focusing, which may be a good idea depending on the focus speed of your lens.

3) If you want, just set it to sunny/cloudy/whatever the light is like. Doesn't really matter much if you're shooting RAW.

4) I'd try to move around a bit between quarters so that you get a chance to shoot most players on the team. Most shots of a players face will come from play on the opposite side of the ground from where you are.

5) Tripod will only slow you down, and if you're using shutter speeds around 1/500 you won't need it.

6) Don't be afraid to push the ISO, especially if there isn't much light. I'd consider using ISO400 as a minimum to help keep the shutter speed high. A noisy, sharp shot is always better than a clean blurry one

7) Wouldn't try using manual, imagine if a player runs from shadow into light, things would get messy quickly . If you've got plenty of light, perhaps try setting to Shutter priority (to 1/500 or higher) and letting the aperture roam, but if light is low, try aperture priority and lens wide open.

Spot metering probably isn't the best, if you meter off someone's black shorts or white jumper then it'll throw the whole exposure. Centre weighted average is probably the best bet, along with centre focus point for best performance. Not sure about Ai-servo, I'll leave that one to a Canon user

9) Have a search through Des' recent footy posts (user name losfp), otherwise maybe trawl through afl.com.au to see what types of photos the pros aim for.

10) Have fun! If you get a chance to practise on Saturday or earlier during the week (perhaps at training) it'll help a lot, sport photography is as much about knowing the game and anticipating play as about apertures and shutters etc.

Time for a coffee break

Edit: NO! beaten to it . Yi-P is clearly a quicker typer than me.

[Yi-P]

Edit: NO! beaten to it . Yi-P is clearly a quicker typer than me.

Try boosting typing skill to 85wpm speed

A noisy, sharp shot is always better than a clean blurry one

I'm claiming my copyright here above, you just COPIED my sentence!! lol
Since I wrote that 1 minute ago

[mark]

1) For the lenses above which one should I use and how do I find their sweet spots for aperature

Use the lens that gives you the reach that you need. Perhaps you could take some with each of them. I imagine that some of the action will be close and some of the other action will be all the way over the other side of the field.

2) AF-S AF-C what is it, do I need to use it....

You sure do! AF-S is for focus on still objects and AF-C is for moving objects.

3) I will be shooting raw, do I bother abt WB or set it to auto

I would be inclined to set it for sun, cloud or shade depending on the weather and locationof play. Don't be afraid to change it if the sun if coming and going behind clouds.

4) Where do I stand, mid field, near the goals... run along the sidelines?

I would make this decision based on the position of the sun. I would also move about to make sure that I was close to the action at each end and in the middle. I don't mean constantly following the play. More spend 10 minutes in one place then move. You have all game to get the photos don't be in a hurry. Don't forget to change your settings when you move if you need to.

5) Would I need to carry along a tripod, dont have a monopod though...

Borrow a monopod from someone if you can, otherwise you could strap you tripod legs together and fashion your own. Your photos have a much better chance of being sharp if you take them from a stable platform.

6) ISO, do I bump it up or keep it at 100/200, I dont want too much of noise as they are looking at projecting the photos on the medal night.

Shooting sport you will need to use the ISO that gives you the shutter speed you require. Unless you're looking for the arty blurred motion shots you will need to keep the shutter above 1/500. I shoot surfing with a crappy 70-300G and always try to shoot above 1/640 with my pref being 1/800 - 1/1250. Better to have sharp grainy/noisey pictures than blurry ones. Hey if we had better glass! Well you know the story, but there is always compromise in photography even with good glass.

7) Do I set the camera to Aperature/Shutter priority or stick to manual

Depends how quickly you can sense the light changes if there are any. Me I usually shoot manual using an aperature around f6.3 / f7.1 / f8 depending on light. The reason for this is that the 70-300G is quite soft and also a little slow to focus, using these aperatures kind of gives me a little room to move if the focus on the subject was out slightly. I change shutter speed to deal with minor light changes. Use highlights and the histrogram to check as you are going

8 ) I will set the metering to center spot metering, do I need to set AI-SERVO in the parameters?

I use spot myself too. But I would meter up on a few test subjects prior to the game, perhaps during the warmup and unless the light changed dramatically I would deal with subltle light changes using shutter speed. But that's if your going to shoot manual!

9) any sample galleries for ideas??

Check out my Flickr link below and look at the surfing gallery.

10) anything else I need to be aware of

Not that I can think of. Just have fun and remember that if your doing this a a favour they are going to be most appreciative anyway.
Perhaps during the quarter and half time breaks you could go thru and delete any blurry ones to give yourself more space. Don't forget to get some team huddle and coach shouting at the players shots during the breaks though. And the Oranges, don't forget the oranges.

Hope this helps a you out little, good luck.

And while it was typing beaten to it.

[losfp]

Some sample galleries of my own amateur attempts:

Last weekend, using the 80-200/2.8
http://www.dslrusers.net/viewtopic.php?t=19941

Using the 70-300G (closer in quality to your lens)
http://www.dslrusers.net/viewtopic.php?t=16158
http://www.dslrusers.net/viewtopic.php?t=16628


The others have covered it pretty well, here are some of my general thoughts.

- I like to use manual mode unless the ground is half in shadow, half in bright light - in which case I use shutter priority. Perfect is a bright, overcast day (if such a thing were possible).

- 1/500 as a minimum, 1/1000 or faster if possible. Sacrifice ISO if necessary. Doesn't matter how noise-free your photo is if it's blurry because the shutter speed was too slow.

- A monopod helps, but you can get by if you are sensible with technique.

- Your lens' sweet spot for sharpness is probably around f/8. Stay around that mark unless you can't get a fast enough shutter speed.

- I see you're in Victoria so you're probably talking about Aussie Rules. My favourite positions are either right beside the behind post, or a bit wider in the pocket. Behind the goals allows you to get the best running action shots because players tend to run right at you. In the pocket allows you to get most running shots, but you can then set up, swivel and anticipate a big pack mark when it's bombed 'long to the square'. The wing sucks because the buggers run past, and the only time you can set up for a good shot is for throw-ins, which are boring.

- If you can help it, keep the sun at your back.

Good luck!

[makario]

Thanks Yi-P, Rooboy, Mark and Losfp for your valuable tips... I am really excited about this oppurtunity :):) Going to check my camera settings, charge the batteries etc, this evening...

Cheers
Mak

[xorl]

Provided the lighting conditions are fairly stable (not half in shadow, half out with changing light), I would use manual shutter/aperture and set WB to an appropriate value (sunny, overcast, whatever). Once you set the camera up you don't have to worry about it (metering mode is irrelevant). Also you photos will looks much more consistent as a group without needing lots of effort. The subtle changes that the camera makes with Auto-WB or metering can stand out and look a bit nasty when viewing photos in a group.

If the lighting is changing (sunny -> overcast) or half the pitch is in shade then it becomes a bit more difficult. If forced to use shutter or aperture priority (Canon Tv/Av modes?) you are probably better off using evaluative or centre weighted metering. Personally I rarely use shutter priority since I just select an appropriate aperture in aperture priority mode.

Also, as pointed out above, don't be afraid to bump the ISO up. You should go as high as necessary so you get an appropriate shutter speed - be ruthless. Chances are if you are projecting the image then everyone will be viewing from a distance, so the enlargement is mostly cancelled out. A little noise won't be that objectionable, a blurry image probably will be (unless it's a deliberate decision for effect, eg a panning shot).

You will probably want to stop down a little to improve sharpness, but you may not have too much room to play since a high shutter speed is most important. A large aperture can also reduce depth of field which helps with selective focus.

If you are not familiar with the use AF-C (or whatever the Canon equivalent is), you really should take some time to get some practice focusing on moving objects - coaxing the camera into doing the right thing can be tricky at times.

[ozimax]

Mak,

Sports photogaphy is quite difficult, but you will enjoy yourself. Remember that an object moving directly towards or away from you is the hardest to photograph - (try photographing a dolphin coming towards you some time.)

A DSLR is a primitive contraption compared to the human eye, and focussing the DSLR as such is not easy. Standing side-on to the action and panning with the subject is easier.

Anticipating WHERE the action will come to is also a tricky thing. Take heaps of shots, keep your camera on manual mode and multi-shot setting and see what happens.

Looking forward to seeing your postings!

max

[ozimax]

Mak, I forgot one thing - being in Melbourne, you will need to take extreme cold weather gear and sunscreen to protect from frostbite and sunburn repsectively...

[makario]

Thanks everyone for the insight... I am feeling a mixture of excitement and nervousness.... Will defo post images

Cheers
Mak

[shaunus]

all i can tell you is take advantage of most of the buffer and anticipate where the balls going, dont wait for it

also what grade are you taking shots of, little kids or more senior games, if its little kids they may not mind if you go a little bit out on to the field, just a thought.

[radar]

Mak,

have a look at the link below, lots of info on shooting sports:
http://www.sportsshooter.com/index.html

HTH,

Andre

[rookie2]

lots of great advice as usual for you to absorb Mak.

Having become the serial snapper at my sons footy (AFL) games I've now sent on quite a few to parents for printing, web etc. I even got a few on the club website before they had to be removed because not all parents had consented to them being up (a problem we will ovecome next year)

I'm also getting a selection ready for an awards night so on top of all the info you have been provided probably the only things I could add would be
- let the coaches and maybe even ump know before the game
- use the warm up time to get a few practice shots off - keep reviewing
- use portrait mode if you want to get boots and all
- getting low to ground makes for some interesting shots - especially around the goal square
- check the backgrounds - ugly fences, change rooms, cars can be really distracting.
- get as close as you can - the less you have to crop later the better
- a lot of the best shots are after the ball has gone!!
- don't forget the umpires, trainers, scoreboard, animated parents and coaches - allpart of the club 'package' and all people who love to be recognised on such nights along with the kids...and of course the oranges like Mark said.

have fun with it all

look forward to seeing how you go

cheers

rookie2

[makario]

Thanks Shaunus, Andre and rookie2 for your tips, this is for the younger teams not the seniors and my colleague is one of the coaches for the team. But will defo introduct myself to the umps before the game. I also am looking at taking photos of the huddles.. maybe a team photo at the end... since this is my first shoot ever I will have to play it by ear.

I intend to arrive early to scout around the ground while taking test shots and finding the best position.

Mak

[Murray1006]

Hi Mac,

I've shot quite a bit of sport using the 350D. Mainly Rugby League.
Your main concern will be shutter speed. You need a minimum of 1/500 or better. I would suggest aiming for 1/640. Put the camera in Av, and set it to around f/6.3. Don't set it to anything less than f/5.6, because if you do you aperture will change as you zoom in and out due to your lenses not being constant aperture.
Don't worry about WB as you are shooting RAW. Just put it to auto.
Set the drive to 3 fps so you can take some bursts and have a better chance of catching the shot.
Set the metering to center weighted average. The 350D doesn't have spot metering.
Set the focus point to the center point and put the camera in AI-SERVO.
Use the ISO you need to get the required shutter speed. I'd start at 200 and take a test shot. Increase it to 400 if you need to. Noise is still very acceptable at 400. If it is dark and overcast you may need to go to 800. A little noise is better than a blurry shot. You also have the option to increase the aperture to f/5.6 to get the speed needed. If the light is changing due to clouds be sure to check your setting regularly to maintain the shutter speed.
You should position yourself with the sun at your back. You don't want to be shooting into the sun and if the light is coming from behind it should be on the player’s faces also. Field position would probably be best to one side of the goals, but if you have the time roam around.
I wouldn't bother with a tripod or monopod. Your setup is pretty light and you shouldn't have much trouble carrying it through the game.
I would use the 90-300mm for the majority of the action shots. The lens performs well but tends to get a little soft above 200 so try to stick to the 100 to 200 range. I've tried the 17-85mm and it just doesn't have the reach. It would be a good choice for the huddles and close up shots before and after the game.
Have fun and watch those shutter speeds.

[makario]

Hi Everyone,

Boy did all the advice come in handy... Sunday was great, I had fun inbetween changing from the 17-85 to the 90-300, photos of huddles, action shots and proud parents and kids just having fun. I never knew sports photography could such fun and so .... quick!!! The downside... I had to run along the perimeter to be in the right place for the right photos making sure the sun was to my back.

I took 515 photos over 3 hours, I am in the process of weeding out the bad ones and will post a few on the forum again. I love what I see so far!

Cheers
Mak

[makario]

Thanks everyone for your help and insight into sports photography. After weeding through the 515 images I have 109 keepers which is really excellent, if I should say so myself, considering that this is my first ever sports shoot...

Here are a few images... C&C welcome













http://static.flickr.com/81/220913334_6eb677495a.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/57/220913520_789efb4ff4.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/80/220913825_2f1d056fc9.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/84/220914011_fbb006457c.jpg

http://static.flickr.com/66/220914057_dc573beda8.jpg

As posted in another thread I have been approached for the copyright for my images...

This forum is the best... my images are a testement to what can be achieved based on advice from all members here.

[meicw]

Great photos. Can appreciate your efforts. I have been trying to get some decent shots at our local basketball comp now for a few weeks with very mixed results.
Love the second shot. Controlling the footy with his little finger. Hirdy, eat your heart out !!!

Regards
meicw

[losfp]

Nice work!!! Especially with the modest equipment list you posted before. Very nicely exposed, and pretty well frozen action. You'll have learnt heaps from that outing already I find sports shooting is all about anticipation. If you know where the ball is going, you'll find your job a lot easier (the same applies to full-forwards).

[makario]

Could NOT have done it without the tips from you guys!!

I love the saying "if you see the action, u have missed the moment" needless to say I didnt see much!!! hehehehe :):)

cheers
Mak

[NeoN]

Considering the minimum equipment you had ,you done exceptionally well Makario,You have some good shots there.Perhaps next time you can introduce some Motionnn into some of your shots by using slower shuter speed.Just an idea
Cheers. NeoN
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