A Few Hockey Shots

Bryce Wilson · December 11, 2011

Rented the Nikon 70-200 2.8 VR II for a week. GOD I LOVE THIS LENS. Here are a few shots form a Jr. A Hockey game.

1.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/60399337@N06/6492510975/" title="Hockey Action by Bryce Wilson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7153/6492510975_f299bbfb15_o.jpg" width="840" height="600" alt="Hockey Action"></a>

2.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/60399337@N06/6492511477/" title="Hockey Action by Bryce Wilson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7150/6492511477_bb5444c1e4_o.jpg" width="800" height="640" alt="Hockey Action"></a>

3.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/60399337@N06/6492511389/" title="Hockey Action by Bryce Wilson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7147/6492511389_d47b95836c_o.jpg" width="800" height="640" alt="Hockey Action"></a>

4.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/60399337@N06/6492511175/" title="Hockey Action by Bryce Wilson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7013/6492511175_bc71252046_o.jpg" width="800" height="640" alt="Hockey Action"></a>

5.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/60399337@N06/6492511095/" title="Hockey Action by Bryce Wilson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7169/6492511095_6717b4300c_o.jpg" width="800" height="640" alt="Hockey Action"></a>

6.
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/60399337@N06/6492511271/" title="Hockey Action by Bryce Wilson, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7010/6492511271_ce403395c6_o.jpg" width="800" height="640" alt="Hockey Action"></a>

Comments and suggestions always welcomed!

jhefti · December 11, 2011

You did a great job with the composition, timing, color and exposure. This is not easy in hockey, where the light is usually terrible and the action is really fast. Not sure I have anything to add ITO constructive criticism. Good job!

Bryce Wilson · December 13, 2011

jhefti wrote: »

You did a great job with the composition, timing, color and exposure. This is not easy in hockey, where the light is usually terrible and the action is really fast. Not sure I have anything to add ITO constructive criticism. Good job!

Thanks for the Kudos!

Having played the sport, it makes it a bit easier to anticipate the action, but the lens gets most of the credit for the good shots.

aktse · December 13, 2011

In general, well done!

You have good timing and captured some outstanding moments. I think #5 is my fav of the bunch.

You might want to check the white balance with the dropper. On my non-calibrated monitor, the white balance is fine, but on my calibrated monitor, it's coming across as slightly off.

jhefti · December 13, 2011

Playing the sport helps immensely! I have a fellow sports shooter friend who commented one evening when we were shooting a pro soccer game that I seldom have my camera pointed at the action, though I seem to get it all. I replied that I point my camera where the action is going to be, because I can read the game. This knowledge shows in your shots!

...and regarding WB, this is extremely difficult to get *exactly* right in these lighting conditions. I think you did a great job on this, but other eyes may have a different opinion. However, I would be careful of using the dropper tool on anything but a calibrated card, as objects that appear white in the shot may not be. I usually do the WB to get the colors I recognize (like skin tones) to look correct. However, this can cause some artifacts. At the end of the day, stadium and indoor lighting just sucks vis-a-vis WB.

BradfordBenn · December 13, 2011

I agree with Aktse. Good shots and timing. Overall the pics have a yellow tint to me, I think you can clean that up easy enough with the white balance.

aktse · December 15, 2011

jhefti wrote: »

...and regarding WB, this is extremely difficult to get *exactly* right in these lighting conditions. I think you did a great job on this, but other eyes may have a different opinion. However, I would be careful of using the dropper tool on anything but a calibrated card, as objects that appear white in the shot may not be. I usually do the WB to get the colors I recognize (like skin tones) to look correct. However, this can cause some artifacts. At the end of the day, stadium and indoor lighting just sucks vis-a-vis WB.

I should have more clear – I’m not suggesting using the eye drop to set the white balance but to check the RGB values in the images. I find that the whites in hockey frames (ice, clean white jerseys and new white helmets) are approximately in the 240s, 240s, 240s range like the color of dirty white/snow

I don’t think the WB in images in this thread is off by much; the good news is that it is consistent and can be easily adjusted if desired. In the end, it’s a matter of preference. I just think the blue channel needs to be tweaked at a minimum to get rid of the yellowed tones (think the color of aged lace). My guess? i think the blue channels are in the 230s.

The very good news is that the hardest part is done right – good exposure, great action, faces, puck, etc.

Moving Pictures · December 27, 2011

Manual white balance ..
I've shot hockey for a fair while, and was one of the first to go digital in my neck of the woods. White balance for hockey is a PITA.

For that reason, I generally set a manual white balance on the ice surface, and then lock the camera into 1/3 or 2/3 over-exposure and work with a centre-weighted metering.

lifeinfocus · December 27, 2011

Moving Pictures wrote: »

I've shot hockey for a fair while, and was one of the first to go digital in my neck of the woods. White balance for hockey is a PITA.

For that reason, I generally set a manual white balance on the ice surface, and then lock the camera into 1/3 or 2/3 over-exposure and work with a centre-weighted metering.

Ditto. I use the same settings and it works well.