shoot indoor arena/ extremely bright outside
skips-photography
Registered Users Posts: 28 Big grins
This new years day i have to tackle the task of shooting a indoor arena. I have some examples of last year in June same arena, the problem is obvious i shoot 3 shots at 9 fps that's what my customer like. i have strobes and sb900 but i don't want to resort to that.
Please any help will be appreciated greatly i am using d3s and sigma 70 200mm 2.8.
2nd barrel and you can see how bright it is outside the covered arena the barrel in the back is the 3rd barrel.
here is the 3rd barrel closest to the outside
Please any help will be appreciated greatly i am using d3s and sigma 70 200mm 2.8.
2nd barrel and you can see how bright it is outside the covered arena the barrel in the back is the 3rd barrel.
here is the 3rd barrel closest to the outside
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Comments
You have properly identified the problem. You have a very bright background, and the subject is in a much darker environment. You say that you don't want to use flash, so your only real option is to use an exposure which is proper for the subject, which will completely blow out the background.
You may wish to use manual exposure and shoot some test shots very tight to the subject, in order to properly evaluate exposure. Then choose a looser composition to best show the subject and important surroundings. Choose your shutter speed according to how you wish to control subject blur, then choose your f-stop according to how much DOF you need, and finally choose an appropriate ISO to allow proper exposure for the subject.
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
I set up on #2 barrel, usually 2 strobes on it at different angles, one strobe half way between #3 & home, I catch one shot on the turn & one on the run home.
Some of my shots here.
Fill flash is obviously the way to light up the foreground to match the much brighter outside lighting, but the OP did not want to use that technique. So??
I find the reaction to flash interesting because some folks feel they will disturb the animals, and others, obviously do use strobes. You hear the same issue with folks shooting basketball and football as well. At pro arenas they offer special electronic lighting for their special shooters, but not for the general public - it is their playground and they get to make the rules - that I can understand,
Did you have to get special permission to set up your Einsteins like you described?
If one was allowed, could you set up your Einsteins behind a large kingsize white sheet in a frame to get a softer, more wraparound style of light, or I guess, use a parabolic umbrella like offered by Paul C Buff Inc?
The other choice might be to shoot from the outside of the arena into an area with a wall blocking the more brightly lit background if that option exists.
Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin
Thanks, Jeff
Here are my ideas for you to try.
#1 shoot tighter. Way tighter. Look at pyros shots. This will minimize your background. The blown background is not ideal, but if you fill the frame with your subject it will be much better.
#2 White balance. Use an expodisk to manually set it from the position of your subject looking back at where you are shooting from. If you shoot from around the arena. Go to the center of the arena kneel down and shoot up at the ceiling with an expodisk. Or use a gray card in a few different areas to use as a WB reference for post processing.
#3 If you do not shoot RAW now, shoot RAW from now on for indoor events. Yes it is slower, but for indoors, it is very important to have the leeway for adjustment.
Thanks Zerodog, I currently have three Einsteins and have only used the 7" 80 degree reflectors. I use my cybercommander to control the lights as conditions from the outside lights changes. I have found that my best position for shooting is on the arena floor by the entrance to arena where the horses actually start and end their run, "the alley". I have found that my 70-200 f/2,8L II is my best lens to use and the AF of the 5DmkIII is awesome tracking the subject in the servo mode after some AF adjustments. I shoot at ISO 100, 1/200 in manual mode and have to change the aperture from around f/4 to f/2.8 depending on where I take the shot. The Einsteins stop the action pretty well in the "action mode" and I rarely need to make any temp adjustments to my photos in post.
Do people even notice the strobes?
your images look good what do you do about the first barrel ? and do you take just one shot of each 123 and a run home ?
Skip, thanks for the nice words! I usually don't shoot #1 if I'm indoors, usually just set up on #2 & take one shot there & catch them coming home. Usually have to adjust my aperture between shots, but for the most part I will get two keepers for each run.
I usually set two strobes up firing at #2 and one mid-way down the arena for the run home. I have to adjust them as the sun changes angle coming into the arena from the outside, I had much rather shoot outdoors, but that's not really an option most of the time.
If I'm outside I'll shoot a couple on #1, about 4-5 on #2, and get about 3-4 shots on the run home, but most of this depends on my position and the sun. I like to keep the ISO at 100 and crank up the shutter to about 1/1000th if I can, I had rather shoot at f/2.8 when I can to blur the background.
I have talked to some of the barrel racers and the thing most of them said was if the horse was doing what they were supposed to do they will never even notice it. I try to judge each horse and if I see one that is acting like they are too wired or almost out of control, I wont take the shot, but so far, I haven't had any complaints.
Here is one that I caught after the horse stumbled, I didn't shoot before he was going down. Both the horse & rider was ok.
Fantastic capture of the horse and rider malfunction.
Moderator of the Technique Forum and Finishing School on Dgrin