Shooting Lacrosse at Night--Help!

FogcityFogcity Registered Users Posts: 108 Major grins
edited April 20, 2012 in Sports
So I got roped into shooting a boys varsity lacrosse game tomorrow night--they have no games during the day and they play on the poorly lit football field, game starts at dusk. Help!

I shoot football on that field, and get okay results with my 300 f/4 and my SB600 speedlight mounted low pointed up at an angle to get faces. Would the same type of shooting apply with lacrosse or is the action so much faster I'll never catch it with my flash? I also have a 70/200 2.8 I can shoot with but I fear that is not long enough. I highly doubt my flash is even going to go far enough to grab anything worthwhile with my 300 :( I am shooting a D700. Oh, and I should mention I know nothing about lacrosse....

Ideas? Where to stand? Should I rent a lens for the evening? Thanks in advance for any help!

Karen

Comments

  • wmstummewmstumme Registered Users Posts: 466 Major grins
    edited April 19, 2012
    Fogcity wrote: »
    ... Oh, and I should mention I know nothing about lacrosse....

    Ideas? Where to stand?

    Karen

    I rarely shoot at night--so I can't give you much advice on that aspect. A 200mm is pretty short for lax. Not sure you'll get too much with that.

    My recommendation for standing is probably about even with one of the restraining lines (at about each of the 30 yard lines) or slightly closer to the goal. That is where most everything will happen. One other thing-watch out for the ball. It is hard , and at the high school level it will be moving pretty quickly and will definately hurt if you get hit.

    Best of luck
    Regards

    Will
    ________________________
    www.willspix.smugmug.com
  • FogcityFogcity Registered Users Posts: 108 Major grins
    edited April 19, 2012
    I have a bad feeling about this....
  • LINYBIMMERLINYBIMMER Registered Users Posts: 23 Big grins
    edited April 19, 2012
    Foggy,
    Take a deep breath. 70-200 2.8 is all you need. Light sucks, so you make up for it with ISO. Put your ISO to 640 or 800, keep your shutter above 500 and your fstop between 2.8 and 4. You'll be fine. Or, you won't be. What's the worst thing that can happen?
  • FogcityFogcity Registered Users Posts: 108 Major grins
    edited April 19, 2012
    The worst thing that could happen, well it's a shoot that I promised for a friend, so it's basically a "saving face" issue-their first experience with my ability to shoot a random sporting request for them. Plus the referrals from that could be very good for me. I go in, do a crappy job, not so great. She's been talking me up for a while. Maybe I rent a 30 2.8 for $50 and that would help? The first hour should have some ambient light, I just don't trust my flashes' ability after that point due to the range/speed.

    I just don't want to shoot crappy pictures AND get killed in the process. ;)
  • LINYBIMMERLINYBIMMER Registered Users Posts: 23 Big grins
    edited April 19, 2012
    Flash without a wall to bounce off? Not sure that will work. Hang in there, rent the 300/2.8 and a 70-200 2.8 and you'll be fine. Think positive....
  • perronefordperroneford Registered Users Posts: 550 Major grins
    edited April 20, 2012
    Well, my first experience shooting Lacrosse was with a fairly new D7000 and a "just got it that day" 80-200. I got about 40 images that I felt were quality. Most of them before the darkness really got bad. The field I was shooting on was REALLY dark. You don't mention what kind of camera you are using, but if you can push ISO 3200 on it, you should be able to get some reasonable images.

    Lacrosse has it's quiet moments. Players moving slowly looking for someone to pass to. Players battling it out at a near stand-still. If you can't get the "action" get "the story". And try to get 200 or so frames before you lose the light. As we used to say at the paper, make sure you come home with SOMETHING printable.
    www.ptfphoto.com
    perroneford@ptfphoto.com
  • zSCOTTzzSCOTTz Registered Users Posts: 169 Major grins
    edited April 20, 2012
    Get all your good shots before it gets dark. I shot Lacrosse for the first time a week ago with a 70-200 2.8 and a 1.4 TC, taking me to 4 on the f stop. I took my pictures from the corner of where the end line meets the sideline. 280mm still wasnt enough reach, I ended up cropping my shots, and they came out pretty good. My game was at 2pm though. Harsh sunlight. 2000 SS f4.0 ISO 640, with a canon mark IV. I shot in raw, and did a bit of adjusting in lightroom 3. I also shot vertical all game. The only times I didnt have to crop, where when they ran around the back of the net, and came right by me.

    1.jpg
  • wmstummewmstumme Registered Users Posts: 466 Major grins
    edited April 20, 2012
    Also, use the warmups as a time to get some shots. Sun should still be good then. If you pay attention to backgrounds and framing, you can usually get some good individual shots which may appear like gametime action. As long as you stay out of the way, you may get a little flexibilty to be on the field and then the 200mm may be more than fine.
    Regards

    Will
    ________________________
    www.willspix.smugmug.com
  • FogcityFogcity Registered Users Posts: 108 Major grins
    edited April 20, 2012
    Thanks for all the great advice! I am going to take this as a learning experience and take all your advice to heart. Definitely getting there early to try and catch something at twilight. I'll post a couple pics and show you what a got, maybe it will be stunning, or make for a nice laugh.....
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