Friday Night Under The Lights

FrankieAng

Here are a few from Friday Night, everything was perfect about the evening except the lighting...but isn't that the case with most high schools? All images shot with a Nikon D2H and Nikkor 300mm f/2.8. Constructive criticism is always welcomed and appreciated. Thanks for looking and offering your thoughts.









Check out the guy who's upside down...

System

i think they look great... ..looks like the team in blue need to invest in some new football judging from the second shot..unless you caught that shot on a kick return .. usually kick the older balls...

FrankieAng

Thanks Curtis, not sure if that was a kick rturn or not. That's the down side of shooting a game, my face is in the camera and I miss the highlights of the game.

dbaker1221

those are terrific shots

FrankieAng

Thanks very much fror checking out my images.

brandofamily

FrankieAng wrote:

Thanks very much fror checking out my images.

how are you positioning yourself in an effort to get these shots? I am forever trying and missing... Never seems to get shots like these...
D2h w/ 70-200 is my combo...

Rene`

Great shots Frank.
Great shots Frank! I tried again Friday nite too. You can see mine at http://www.memoriesbyrene.com/Football%202006-07 Please feel free to leave some comments. Looks like I could learn a few things from you.

Rene`

FrankieAng wrote:

Here are a few from Friday Night, everything was perfect about the evening except the lighting...but isn't that the case with most high schools? All images shot with a Nikon D2H and Nikkor 300mm f/2.8. Constructive criticism is always welcomed and appreciated. Thanks for looking and offering your thoughts.









Check out the guy who's upside down...

FrankieAng

brandofamily wrote:

how are you positioning yourself in an effort to get these shots? I am forever trying and missing... Never seems to get shots like these...
D2h w/ 70-200 is my combo...

I can't say that I am doing anything special, I try to stay on the defense side of the play if the team that I am covering is on offense. Vice versa if they are on defense. I shoot from a kneeling position using a monopod. I struggle to get a decent number of keepers when shooting ambient lighting under high school stadium lighting. I found myself shooting in manual mode rather than aperture priority and the results were better. I shot these with a 300mm f/2.8, but find that shooting from the endzone requires using another body with 70-200mm f/2.8 and flash so faces are recognizable.

johng

Really great shots. Nicely done!

FrankieAng

johng wrote:

Really great shots. Nicely done!

Thanks John...much appreciated.

Seefutlung

Nicely done. I appreciate the tightness of the photos. The lighting seems good. In case I missed the info what were you shooting and what were your settings? Once again... good job.

Gary

FrankieAng

Thanks Gary, your comments are much appreciated. I shot these with a Nikon D2H and 300mm f/2.8 lens without flash. I shot in Aperture Priority, 1/250 sec., f/2.8, -.3 eV and matrix metering.

CalexPhoto

Great pictures, FrankieAng! Just real curious, Is it OK to use flash for these shots? I've often wondered if it might interfere with the outcome of the game or if they may boot you out for doing it?

Seefutlung

CalexPhoto wrote:

Great pictures, FrankieAng! Just real curious, Is it OK to use flash for these shots? I've often wondered if it might interfere with the outcome of the game or if they may boot you out for doing it?

Calex, I hope FrankieAng doesn't mind me jumping in here ... as a former news photog, I strongly recommend not using a flash for the very reason you mentioned. We, photogs, are there to document not participate and flash usage MAY interfere with the play. HS field typically have rotten lighting often requiring ISO 3200 ... but it is what it is. I have never seen a photog from a major new organization use a camera mounted flash as their principal light source for a sporting event. Additionally, flash make the shot look unnatural.

Others have different opinions ... remember that just because one can does not mean that one should. I cannot recall a professional news photog thinking that "the shot" is more important than the game.

Gary

PS- Example of ISO 3200 (w/ no noise reduction applied):
71622524-L.jpg

CalexPhoto

Seefutlung wrote:

Calex, I hope FrankieAng doesn't mind me jumping in here ... as a former news photog, I strongly recommend not using a flash for the very reason you mentioned. We, photogs, are there to document not participate and flash usage MAY interfere with the play. HS field typically have rotten lighting often requiring ISO 3200 ... but it is what it is. I have never seen a photog from a major new organization use a camera mounted flash as their principal light source for a sporting event. Additionally, flash make the shot look unnatural.

Others have different opinions ... remember that just because one can does not mean that one should. I cannot recall a professional news photog thinking that "the shot" is more important than the game.

Gary

PS- Example of ISO 3200 (w/ no noise reduction applied):
71622524-L.jpg

Thanks Gary for that information, I really appreciate it. I had just started getting into HS Football photography recently, as a favor for a friend, but have always wanted to do it professionaly.
So just wanted to learn as much as I can, to expand and polish up my skills.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Lionel

FrankieAng

CalexPhoto wrote:

Great pictures, FrankieAng! Just real curious, Is it OK to use flash for these shots? I've often wondered if it might interfere with the outcome of the game or if they may boot you out for doing it?

Thanks LT...Flash photography is approved at the two high schools that I shoot at. I have not used a flash yet this year and shy away from shooting a flash directly toward the players if I am shooting from the endzone. I try to use good common sense so I don't impair someone's vision. I have a great reputation and rapport with each of these schools and don't want to injury these relationships for a few pictures. Very good question and hope others will find it interesting.

FrankieAng

Seefutlung wrote:

Calex, I hope FrankieAng doesn't mind me jumping in here ... as a former news photog, I strongly recommend not using a flash for the very reason you mentioned. We, photogs, are there to document not participate and flash usage MAY interfere with the play. HS field typically have rotten lighting often requiring ISO 3200 ... but it is what it is. I have never seen a photog from a major new organization use a camera mounted flash as their principal light source for a sporting event. Additionally, flash make the shot look unnatural.

Others have different opinions ... remember that just because one can does not mean that one should. I cannot recall a professional news photog thinking that "the shot" is more important than the game.

Gary

PS- Example of ISO 3200 (w/ no noise reduction applied):
71622524-L.jpg

Thanks for jumping in Gary, we all appreciate your thoughts on this matter. I agree 100% that flash photography isn't the answer for outdoor sports action photography if the lighting is terrible. Yes, it may allow you to get a shot, but the quality of that shot will most likely look strange/un-natural.