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HS Volleyball, no flash
There have been a few recent threads discussing techniques of shooting volleyball (and gymnastics and basketball). I will add to this discussion here by discussing and posting photos from my first HS match last week.
The gym just replaced the huge globes (mercury vapor?) with units that carry four or five fluorescent tubes each. The lighting is much more even and actually allows for decent shutter speeds. Most of my shots are taken from the front row of the bleachers which sit about fifteen feet from the close sideline.
All photos are taken with a Canon 40D, ISO 1600, shot in RAW. For white balance, I clicked on the ball with an eyedropper until I was satisfied, then "select all" and applied this to all 400+ photos. Done! I culled photos and finally posted 139 photos for the team to look at and do as they please.
I used two lenses: the 135L shot at f/2.0, and the 85 f/1.8 shot at f/2.2.
This first shot demonstrates one of the difficulties of shooting across the court from a low position (which I prefer - they look sky high from this vantage) -- other players may be in your line of sight. However, I thought the two other players added to the composition. Note the edge of a face of a third player which is not desired, but with sports it is too much bother to try to crop photos individually for posting.
This second one is taken with me seated near the opposite service line shooting across the net. This spot gave me my best shots as I was able to shoot with faces, hands, and the ball in the frame without difficulty.
Warmups are a good time to get shots of hitting as you have more latitude to move around and can anticipate exactly where the ball is being set.
The next one shows the difficulty of shooting a right handed hitter from the left court. If your timing is good, then the arm obscures the face. But this is the often the preferred hitting side. (This is the one of these photos that was taken with the 85 mm. All others were with the 135mm).
Finally, my heavily cropped "artsy fartsy" shot...
At next week's match, I will take my 5D and 135L to compare.
The gym just replaced the huge globes (mercury vapor?) with units that carry four or five fluorescent tubes each. The lighting is much more even and actually allows for decent shutter speeds. Most of my shots are taken from the front row of the bleachers which sit about fifteen feet from the close sideline.
All photos are taken with a Canon 40D, ISO 1600, shot in RAW. For white balance, I clicked on the ball with an eyedropper until I was satisfied, then "select all" and applied this to all 400+ photos. Done! I culled photos and finally posted 139 photos for the team to look at and do as they please.
I used two lenses: the 135L shot at f/2.0, and the 85 f/1.8 shot at f/2.2.
This first shot demonstrates one of the difficulties of shooting across the court from a low position (which I prefer - they look sky high from this vantage) -- other players may be in your line of sight. However, I thought the two other players added to the composition. Note the edge of a face of a third player which is not desired, but with sports it is too much bother to try to crop photos individually for posting.
This second one is taken with me seated near the opposite service line shooting across the net. This spot gave me my best shots as I was able to shoot with faces, hands, and the ball in the frame without difficulty.
Warmups are a good time to get shots of hitting as you have more latitude to move around and can anticipate exactly where the ball is being set.
The next one shows the difficulty of shooting a right handed hitter from the left court. If your timing is good, then the arm obscures the face. But this is the often the preferred hitting side. (This is the one of these photos that was taken with the 85 mm. All others were with the 135mm).
Finally, my heavily cropped "artsy fartsy" shot...
At next week's match, I will take my 5D and 135L to compare.
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www.seanmartinphoto.com
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it's not the size of the lens that matters... It's how you focus it.
aaaaa.... who am I kidding!
whoever dies with the biggest coolest piece of glass, wins!
Nice pictures and good photography.I am also learn how to make nice photos and I have currently buy Canon 50D.It's pleasure to be a part of your forum. I love to try also what you are discussing here. Thanks!
Thanks for the comments and looking. Enjoy taking pics with your 50D !
www.flickr.com/photos/serrator
I am suprised you had to run the ISO up to 1600 with the f/2.0 lens.
The f/2.0 did a great job keeping the noise out.
I shot my first college vollyball game last week
and it was alot of fun.
I used my AF-S 70-300mm ED VR f4.5-5.6 lens and no flash.
I got alot of noise in several shots because of my lens.
I am going to rent a 2.8 len in October and compair the photos taken with my other lens.
There are some photos on my web site it you want to check them out.
Take Care,
Charles
Aperture Focus Photography
http://aperturefocus.com
The lighting in the gym necessitated the need for ISO 1600, even with f/2. My shutter speeds for this gym was usually 1/400, though with the brighter background it occasionally reached 1/640. I like from 1/400 to 1/800 for volleyball and basketball.
I viewed your volleyball gallery and calculated that your lighting was about two stops brighter. College gyms tend to be better lit and major college and pro arenas are wonderfully lit. Many HS (and middle school) gyms are not lit as well as the one I shot in. Also, your slower shutter speeds (1/160) works okay for wider angle shots, but is probably too slow when shot at a longer lens length.
Enjoy playing with the 2.8 lens, though you realize that you might have to purchase one after trying it.
Thanks for looking and commenting.
Thanks for sharing your equipment info and shooting spots.
For those of you considering shooting volleyball (or basketball) in high school gyms, you should give consideration to buying (or renting) a fast lens, either 2.0 or 1.8.
I shot in a private school dimnasium last week. Manual, 1/400 sec, f/2.0, ISO 6400! If I hadn't had the 1D MK III, and the 135L f/2.0, I would have had to give up and go home.
I'll start a new thread with some examples from a tournament this weekend where I mostly shot at f/2.2 - 2.8 @ 3200.
Mike
My Portfolio
MaxPreps Profile
Canon EOS 1D MK III and 7d; Canon 100 f/2.0; Canon 17-40 f/4; Canon 24-70 f/2.8; Canon 70-200 f/2.8L IS; Canon 300 f/2.8L IS; Canon 1.4x and Sigma 2x; Sigma EF 500 DG Super and Canon 580 EX II.
I look forward to looking at and learning from your thread (I glanced at your site -- some excellent stuff there!).