Arenacross

ZerodogZerodog Registered Users Posts: 1,480 Major grins
edited March 7, 2013 in Sports
As some of you know, arenacross is indoor MX. Usually in a horribly lit horse arena. I shot one a couple weekends ago and decided to give my Einsteins a workout to provide some more light. I used 4 of them, one in each corner of the arena. 3 were set up to bounce off of the wall, 1 was set up as a direct flash shooting diagonal across the arena. This proved to be an interesting light. By the end of the weekend I was really using it to add punch in certain areas of the track. My goal was to #1 stop action, #2 blend the ambient light, #3 not be annoying with the lights. I used my SB900 to fill under helmets and to control the Einsteins with my PocketWizards. In the end I learned a lot about using lights in such a big area. It was amazing the output of them using longthrow reflectors. I was mostly around 1/8 power. Sometimes down to 1/128. It all was dependent on where I was on the track.

I have shot arenacross in the past with only using on camera flash and 12,800iso of my D3s. These I think yeilded some more consistent shots and overall better color and detail. Still far worse than outside or even a well lit stadium for something like supercross.

Grabbed some random stuff off my site. What do you think?

1.
p1452463686-4.jpg


2.
p1452467304-4.jpg

3.
p1452481662-4.jpg

4. This kid looks so small in these whoops!
p1452461756-5.jpg

5.
p1452478350-4.jpg

6.
p1452484316-4.jpg

Comments

  • Mike JMike J Registered Users Posts: 1,029 Major grins
    edited February 26, 2013
    I think you accomplished your three goals quite nicely. The strobes really do make the colors pop. I would love to see a BTS shot of your setup...
    Mike J

    Comments and constructive criticism always welcome.
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  • mercphotomercphoto Registered Users Posts: 4,550 Major grins
    edited February 26, 2013
    Nicely done. The strobes I think worked out very well.
    Bill Jurasz - Mercury Photography - Cedar Park, TX
    A former sports shooter
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  • ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,949 moderator
    edited February 27, 2013
    Nicely done!
    Moderator Journeys/Sports/Big Picture :: Need some help with dgrin?
  • ZerodogZerodog Registered Users Posts: 1,480 Major grins
    edited February 27, 2013
    Thanks guys. I think I really like strobes. It is whole new deal shooting with them. 1/250 is hard to wrap your mind around at first.
  • LRussoPhotoLRussoPhoto Registered Users Posts: 458 Major grins
    edited March 3, 2013
    Very nice, not sure I understood but was the sb900 mounted on camera?
    D300s D90
    Nikon 18-105mm,Nikon 18-200mm,Sigma 24-70mm f2.8, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8

    http://LouRusso.SmugMug.com
  • ZerodogZerodog Registered Users Posts: 1,480 Major grins
    edited March 3, 2013
    Yes sb900 on camera. I use it to control my strobes and as a fill for under helmets.
  • LRussoPhotoLRussoPhoto Registered Users Posts: 458 Major grins
    edited March 5, 2013
    Thought so, just wanted to make sure.
    D300s D90
    Nikon 18-105mm,Nikon 18-200mm,Sigma 24-70mm f2.8, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8

    http://LouRusso.SmugMug.com
  • IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited March 6, 2013
    These are really well exposed. I'm surprised you didn't get more ghosting at the exposure settings you used. ISO6400, f/4ish, 1/250th. The ambient must have been near dark???
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
  • jmphotocraftjmphotocraft Registered Users Posts: 2,987 Major grins
    edited March 6, 2013
    Am I the only one who thinks the flash was too hot in all but 5 and 2? I've looked at these on 3 different machines. They just scream flash to me. 5 is great.
    -Jack

    An "accurate" reproduction of a scene and a good photograph are often two different things.
  • ZerodogZerodog Registered Users Posts: 1,480 Major grins
    edited March 7, 2013
    Yes icebear it was very dark. But I also only used a splash of flash. Keeping the power 1/8 or less. I did get some ghosting. But once I got the light up enough, not so much.

    Jm, I don't think too flashed at all. That was the look I was after. But it isn't a straight on deer in headlights flash from on camera flash. #1 for example was from day 2 on the track. I moved the light so it bounced off a wall directly left of the riders. It gave a more intense light than the day before. I like it much more. #5 needs just a tad more light IMO.
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