Chiefs vs. 49ers

Stumblebum

Got to see the home game for 49ers in Levi Stadium courtesy of a friend. Sitting in stands on second deck of football game is not the best place to try and capture action, but I tried anyway. Most of the action in the end zone near me got blocked by enthusiastic fans jumping up and down....so could only get stuff that was far away, causing resolution to be pushed......D

Hope to get more chances! All feedback and criticism is cherished:

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johng

Stumblebum wrote: »

Hope to get more chances! All feedback and criticism is cherished:

Honestly, if sports photography is something you are interested in doing, shooting position is critical to making quality images. As you're unlikely to get credentials to shoot from the sideline of an NFL game, try shooting amateur or youth sports where you can get closer to the action and, in the case of football, shoot from ground level so you are shooting UP at your subject.

Think of it this way - let's say you want to practice portrait photography. Would you try waiting for an actor or actress to come out of a store and take a photo from across the street? Or would you use people as your subjects where you had more leeway to do the job properly? Sports isn't a lot different in that regard. The action shot isn't make good because the player(s) are professionals.

lifeinfocus

#12 is fun!

I shot some college football from the stands - got some relatively good shots. What I did was walk down to the end of the stairs and sometimes they let me stay there. Not perfect, but fun.

Also, got a chance to shoot pregame on the field. Lots of fun.

FACT - Face, Action (captured or blurred), Contact (with opponent or object), Toy (ball, stick...) - get 3 our of 4 in the shot and you have winner. 4 out of 4 - sell the prints

Phil

Seefutlung

How did you get a long lens into the stands? Most venues enforce a strict camera code. Very nice exposures ... and your football shots were nice too.

Stumblebum

johng wrote: »

Honestly, if sports photography is something you are interested in doing, shooting position is critical to making quality images. As you're unlikely to get credentials to shoot from the sideline of an NFL game, try shooting amateur or youth sports where you can get closer to the action and, in the case of football, shoot from ground level so you are shooting UP at your subject.

Think of it this way - let's say you want to practice portrait photography. Would you try waiting for an actor or actress to come out of a store and take a photo from across the street? Or would you use people as your subjects where you had more leeway to do the job properly? Sports isn't a lot different in that regard. The action shot isn't make good because the player(s) are professionals.

Thanks John! Agree and great pointers! It was something I had meant to try and thought at least some stuff was share-worthy. Other one I hope to try is monster-trucks.....don't think I will get media pass for that one....also there is Laguna-Seca race-car track near me, and have dreamed forever.....again, they won't be letting me in media room, unless I fake my way into it!

Cheers!

Stumblebum

lifeinfocus wrote: »

#12 is fun!

I shot some college football from the stands - got some relatively good shots. What I did was walk down to the end of the stairs and sometimes they let me stay there. Not perfect, but fun.

Also, got a chance to shoot pregame on the field. Lots of fun.

FACT - Face, Action (captured or blurred), Contact (with opponent or object), Toy (ball, stick...) - get 3 our of 4 in the shot and you have winner. 4 out of 4 - sell the prints

Phil

Thanks Phil! I love Acronyms as it makes it easier to remember! I shall forever hold on to FACT when dealing with action! Hope to get some motor racing shots as I do have a famous track in Laguna-Seca! Love to see your shots! Always appreciate your encouraging words! Cheers!

Stumblebum

Seefutlung wrote: »

How did you get a long lens into the stands? Most venues enforce a strict camera code. Very nice exposures ... and your football sots were nice too.

Exactly!clapbow

Not a bad consolation price I would say!:D

johng

Every sport is different. Monster trucks are larger than people so you don't need to be as close. But you still would want to get a lower perspective. So, splurge on the tickets to get a lower seat. A key take-away is: shooting position is important. A few years back, I wanted to take some photos at a MLB game. I didn't have credentials, but I got a decent seat. It helps that the Cleveland Indians allow large lenses - at least my 100-400 as long as they don't interfere with other people. Close enough to get some shots - but certainly not shots of everything. Football is a lot tougher - seats are just a lot further away from the action. So, it doesn't lend itself well to getting a lot of shots from the stands. But if you have endzone seats you can certainly get some quality shots - if they let you bring in a long enough lens.


For football, even though I attend Browns games I don't bother trying to shoot the action. When I wanted to start shooting football I looked to HS and youth football to provide me my subject matter:



Sometimes you can combine being a fan and photographer - if you are allowed the equipment and you can get and want to spend money on seats. And some sports - like monster trucks - make it a bit easier than others.

But, if you can't get or can't afford seats or lens restrictions won't let you bring in a long enough lens you have to decide what is your goal - shooting football or shooting an NFL team. If the goal is to "shoot an NFL team" you may not be able to achieve your goal. But if it's just to "shoot football" you might. Just some things to think about when buying tickets and planning what to shoot and where

Stumblebum

Thanks John! I like your shots! Different POVs, different light, offers something different. I hope to score some from lower POVs someday! Cheers!

Qarik

good stuff actually. I am surprised how good they turned out knowing where we sat!

Stumblebum

Qarik wrote: »

good stuff actually. I am surprised how good they turned out knowing where we sat!

Thanks Daniel! Once more for this and everything else! Gots to go there again and buy the round of drink to our gangster friends!

Stumblebum

Schmoole wrote: »

exacly thank topic try shooting amateur or youth sports where you can get closer to the action and, in the case of football, shoot from ground level so you are shooting UP at your subject.

Thanks! I look forward to shooting with lower POV and of-course from closer vantage point, if I get the chance. However, i am not certain there are any Golden-POVs. Each offers something different, it is up to us to make most of it. Cheers!

johng

Stumblebum wrote: »

However, i am not certain there are any Golden-POVs. Each offers something different, it is up to us to make most of it. Cheers!

I think there's a reason why the people covering NFL games don't do so from the stands. There are some sports - like volleyball - that lend themselves to shooting from above as well as on the same level - mostly because faces are upward facing. In most cases, shooting the tops of peoples' heads or the backs of them doesn't lead to compelling images.

Also, in your instance, it isn't just about angle it's about distance. Having to heavily crop images definitely degrades final quality. By their nature, football stadiums don't usually have seats that are close to the field outside of endzone seats.

Or, let's look at the situation another way when considering your "Golden POV" statement - if you were given the choice of shooting just off the field or from the stands, would you really choose to shoot from the stands instead?

Stumblebum

johng wrote: »

I think there's a reason why the people covering NFL games don't do so from the stands. There are some sports - like volleyball - that lend themselves to shooting from above as well as on the same level - mostly because faces are upward facing. In most cases, shooting the tops of peoples' heads or the backs of them doesn't lead to compelling images.

Also, in your instance, it isn't just about angle it's about distance. Having to heavily crop images definitely degrades final quality. By their nature, football stadiums don't usually have seats that are close to the field outside of endzone seats.

Or, let's look at the situation another way when considering your "Golden POV" statement - if you were given the choice of shooting just off the field or from the stands, would you really choose to shoot from the stands instead?

Being closer is not the point I made. We have to have subject at reasonable distance.

To say only lower POV will yield good shots, whatever sport it is, I don't buy it. Being higher allowed me to not have to deal with blown out skies, flares, or stands that would appear as noise in back ground, or shots like #7, which can only be useful and have impact from higher POV. Good background, in this case solid green, helps the shots.

The three shots you posted, the top of the bullpen horizontal line on top of the pitcher is not ideal for my taste.....and in the third one, invariably the crowd and fans will come into picture and slightly less appealing to me.....

That doesn't mean I wouldn't want to get closer to action and shoot from lower POV. I would have to work harder to keep back ground cleaner and process to take out distractions from back ground. Sure I can get sweat explosions.....dirt....I can pan and create sensation of movement etc.....lie on the ground and shoot with super wide.....expressions of pain and impact........joy, agony....yeah....

All POVs add different value.......but if someone let me get closer to action, sure I would take that option...and after couple of quarters when I know I got my shots....move to different POV. Unless I was a photo-journalist, then focus is away from 'art' and on 'not missing the moment', then you hang out and hope you get that one impact play that everyone would be talking about next day....so you can keep getting paid.