MS BBall -- C&C request

adbsgicom

Long-time lurker, first time post on sports. Trying to get some sport shots during this BBall season and haven't really shot sports before. I've been looking and trying to tease out some best practices from this forum, and humbly submit a couple from last night's Boy's game. These were shot at ISO6400 with my 70-200 f/2.8L on a 5Dmk2, Manual Exposure 1/160s @ f/2.8, Servo focus. Processing has been limited to crop and a bit of exposure comp. Nothing else. Shot mostly along the baseline outside the key. Any feedback on cropping or angles would be appreciated. I do not own a monopod, so this was all hand-held. This night was was mostly standing up for shooting. Thanks.

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double_b

I would say to definitely shoot from a lower angle. I know it's harder on the knees but the shots do look better from a lower vantage point. Also do you have a lens faster than 2.8? Like a 35 or 50 1.8? Or even an 85 1.8? Even getting down to f/2 will get you a little faster SS than 1/160. 1/320 would be a good SS to shoot for.

As for framing and composition they look decent. Without knowing if they are cropped already and how much they could be cropped I would say some have the action centered and may look better if the action is moved to the left or right thrid depending on which way the action is headed.

adbsgicom

Thanks. I could use a faster 50 on the crop body, or a 135 f/2 on the full frame (but that would likely be too much length for many of the shots). So the 80 effective on the crop body would help (plus a faster rapid fire as well). Do you find that you need to bounce flash to get really decent shots? Though on the Canon, that would clip the shutter at 1/200, though with a drop in the ISO and letting the flash do more work, perhaps that is a net win?

Next game I'll try the 50/1.8 or 50/2 on the crop body and see what comes of that.

Thanks.

donek

exposure and wb look good, but they need to be much tighter.

double_b

adbsgicom wrote:

Thanks. I could use a faster 50 on the crop body, or a 135 f/2 on the full frame (but that would likely be too much length for many of the shots). So the 80 effective on the crop body would help (plus a faster rapid fire as well). Do you find that you need to bounce flash to get really decent shots? Though on the Canon, that would clip the shutter at 1/200, though with a drop in the ISO and letting the flash do more work, perhaps that is a net win?

Next game I'll try the 50/1.8 or 50/2 on the crop body and see what comes of that.

Thanks.

I haven't used flash for basketball so I can't comment on that. I have a D300 so it is a crop body and I find switching between the 35, 50 and 85 gets everything I need. I use the 85 standing at the corners and walking along the sidelines to get them comign up court. I use the 35 and 50 on the baseline under the basket, mostly the 35 there actually.

Good luck and keep shooting!!

rainbow

Good results for a first time. You should be a quick learner.

Three of the places that I shoot from are under the basket (maybe a 35 mm on my 40D or an 85 mm on my 5D), the baseline near the three point line (5D with 135) or the front row bleachers (5D, 135). Timing of what you are shooting is important to the composition of the shot. #4 & #6 are your best here with the dribbling or the shot. #2 and #3 are fairly boring if you are not their mother. One is well-timed, but just not the right angle. And you can look at #7 and realize that action on the other end is usually quickly deleted as it is far and faces are turned.

I usually shoot RAW because the WB is often difficult and sometimes changes with certain lighting cycles. But this requires more memory and processing. I shoot available light, having rejected on camera flash because of shadows and red or white eyes. Notice, though, that lighting is poor (your ISO 6400, f/2.8, and SS of 1/160 is tough). I often shoot at ISO 1600, f/2.0, and SS of 1/400 if possible -- up ISO to 3200 if SS is slower. If I shoot from the baseline, I usually go with AI Servo, center point. If from the stands, then one shot with center point.

Hope this helps. Keep shooting. It is a fun genre.

adbsgicom

Thanks you, all.
I'll see what comes of the 135 f/2, and I'll put the 50/1.4 on the crop as a backup and see what comes of it. Thankfully, the only increased expectations are my own. The parents have been thrilled with getting anything, but I know I can get so much better.

L40

1/160, f2.8 and at ISO6400. Jeez, that is one really badly lit gym.
My "usual" 1/400, f2.8 @ 3200 is bad enough.

Fwiw and for c&c I tend to agree with previous posters.
It is a really good effort for a first series. Get low - kneeling, sit on a chair or even sitting on the floor. Shoot from the corner or from under the basket (depends on lens choice obviously). Shoot faces and facial expressions. Crop tightly and if hands/feet are cut off, consider cropping to upper body only. I do not like to use a monopod. It feels like it restricts my movement too much when things are happening close by.

Gringriff

Nice captures. I am impressed that you have minimum motion blur with the slow shutter speed. I usually try to keep SS up to 1/400 or more and tend to go way up on the ISO to get there but seeing these I may back off a little.

I agree that you could shoot tighter for more detail on some of these but it is also nice to capture the scene/action with the other players in frame. It may be more appealing to a parent (to buy) if it is framed closely for more detail. But it tells a nice story when you see some of the environment and competition.

I never use flash because I tend to take a series of photos while a player is driving to the basket and my 430 can not keep up. I was taking some middle school shots on Tuesday night and another parent was too. We were along the baseline and she was using on camera flash and the ref asked her to stop using the flash.

I also tend to stand or sit on the bottom row, but on Tuesday I sat right on the floor on either end. It was not as comfortable but I am anxious to see how they look with that angle.

Keep shooting and posting. I know you'll do very well.

Andy

adbsgicom

Thanks. I did go back, and I got these up to 1/200s (this end of the court was just a bit brighter than the other which was 1/160). Still I'm off by a full stop of where I'd ideally be, but at this venue it is pretty limited; I guess I could see what the H1 (12800) ISO setting yields in terms of IQ, but that seems pretty insane. We were in one worse gym where getting 1/125 took f/2.8 and ISO6400.

Bounce is hard since the walls are a horrible yellow that you don't want as your light source, so diffused direct would be my only option. I do have RP xmits for my speedlites, so I have an option at E-TTL metering on the flashes. I could go and play with that during a practice.

Seems like the next game is 135 f/2 with 50 on the crop body and a bunch of advil for the knees.

adbsgicom

Take 2
Thanks again for all of the feedback. We had another home game on Monday, and I shot a mix of 135/f2 and 80/f2 (50 on crop body). I messed up my knee on Sunday, so I was happily sitting near the edge of the three-point line.

1. 135/f2 ISO4000 1/320 [error: focus point not on face]


2. 135/f2.2 (thumb bumped the dial) ISO4000 1/320 [clipped his foot]


3. 50(80)/f2 ISO4000 1/320 [this kid is about 4'10 and this guy is about 6' -- no fear. Ball didn't fall, but he shot both free throws]

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