Hi there, I'm after some Cricket tips

TassieD

I have just obtained a season media pass for the remainder of the Domestic (State) Cricket season. This will give me on field access during the home games. I am an avid cricket follower but as for photographing it, well thats another thing. Especially from the field. I have a few ideas on shots etc but what, like weddings, are the must haves. If there are any at all.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I am also awaiting the paperwork and pass for the Tennis International in January but am pretty comfortable on the shots that are required for this one.

Seamus

Some tips here

hth

winger

Ok I haven’t shot any cricket but here are some general sport tips.

1) Watch your backgrounds. Nothing will running a photo faster than a great shot and then some fan in the background with a bright orange jacket, big crowds can add a lot to a photos background, but I am going to venture a guess that cricket is not going to be wall to wall with fans.
2) FACES FACES FACES I cant emphasis this enough. No one wants to look at the backside of a bowler. Cricket or candlepin. Faces will reveal to you the games greats moments, happy and sad. They will show you the strength, concentration they will often tell the story.
3) Don’t chimp during the game; borrow your selected media cards of choice from friends if necessary. But you will often find great shots during a game in between moments. Coach with a hand on a players back whispering a play in his ears, a player that is totally not agreeing with the ref’s call, players taking a knee, with their hands on their side, drinking water, discussing strategies while the goalie/ pitcher/ whatever warms up. If you need to at the beginning defiantly check to see if you got things set up right, and if its outdoors you probably want to check every once in a while if the sun goes in or out or depending on other natural light conditions. But again, don’t chimp, you can look at all your photos later J
4) Generally nice and tight. I mean a shot here and there that displays a whole scene is great, but I would think with cricket, nice and tight on the bowler, and the batsmen. Nice and tight on fielding shots.
5) If its outdoors I usually take a knee on the field, I find in general it provides a pleasant prospective and it helps clean up a lot of backgrounds.
6) Have fun and don’t be afraid to experiment. I am not sure what kind of parameters come with the pass, but once you get the shots you are required spend some times experimenting with different spots to shoot from. Sometimes you will come up with junk, sometimes you will get some great shots, sometimes it will help you think of more great ideas. Just don’t let the photography become stale.

These are all just from my experience and mostly school of hard knocks. You may find some of what I say doesn’t work for you, and maybe all of it will, its up to you ultimately to decided what works and what doesn’t work for you. But for those who known me since I first started will probably back me up in that I have come along way. And it’s mostly from shooting a ton and constantly challenging myself to bring it up to the next step and learning all I can in the process.

TassieD

Seamus wrote:

Some tips here

hth

Thanks Seamus for the link.

TassieD

winger wrote:

Ok I haven’t shot any cricket but here are some general sport tips.

1) Watch your backgrounds. Nothing will running a photo faster than a great shot and then some fan in the background with a bright orange jacket, big crowds can add a lot to a photos background, but I am going to venture a guess that cricket is not going to be wall to wall with fans.
2) FACES FACES FACES I cant emphasis this enough. No one wants to look at the backside of a bowler. Cricket or candlepin. Faces will reveal to you the games greats moments, happy and sad. They will show you the strength, concentration they will often tell the story.
3) Don’t chimp during the game; borrow your selected media cards of choice from friends if necessary. But you will often find great shots during a game in between moments. Coach with a hand on a players back whispering a play in his ears, a player that is totally not agreeing with the ref’s call, players taking a knee, with their hands on their side, drinking water, discussing strategies while the goalie/ pitcher/ whatever warms up. If you need to at the beginning defiantly check to see if you got things set up right, and if its outdoors you probably want to check every once in a while if the sun goes in or out or depending on other natural light conditions. But again, don’t chimp, you can look at all your photos later J
4) Generally nice and tight. I mean a shot here and there that displays a whole scene is great, but I would think with cricket, nice and tight on the bowler, and the batsmen. Nice and tight on fielding shots.
5) If its outdoors I usually take a knee on the field, I find in general it provides a pleasant prospective and it helps clean up a lot of backgrounds.
6) Have fun and don’t be afraid to experiment. I am not sure what kind of parameters come with the pass, but once you get the shots you are required spend some times experimenting with different spots to shoot from. Sometimes you will come up with junk, sometimes you will get some great shots, sometimes it will help you think of more great ideas. Just don’t let the photography become stale.

These are all just from my experience and mostly school of hard knocks. You may find some of what I say doesn’t work for you, and maybe all of it will, its up to you ultimately to decided what works and what doesn’t work for you. But for those who known me since I first started will probably back me up in that I have come along way. And it’s mostly from shooting a ton and constantly challenging myself to bring it up to the next step and learning all I can in the process.

Thanks Winger,

Exactly what I was thinking. I have done some searching and come up with what I believe to be the must have shots and as you said will spend some time experimenting (angles etc) after that. Appreciate the time spent and have added your suggestions to my notebook.

hesaias

Crickets don't have lips.

TassieD

hesaias wrote:

Crickets don't have lips.

Sean K

Cricket? Only advice I can think of is caffiene.

TassieD

Sean K wrote:

Cricket? Only advice I can think of is caffiene.

Cheers Sean, will keep that in mind

wxwax

Great stuff, Winger!

gsgary

Hi Tassie i find shooting towards the sun is better than sun behind less shadows on the faces, i use 300F4L + 1.4x back button focus, AI servo manual exposure and prefocus so when you press the shutter buton it dosn't refocus and you can back button focus for action in the out field, what about Monty then should have played him in the first 2 tests
Here's some of mine from this year
http://gsgary.smugmug.com/photos/85135393-M.jpg
http://gsgary.smugmug.com/photos/84173177-M.jpg

TassieD

gsgary wrote:

Hi Tassie i find shooting towards the sun is better than sun behind less shadows on the faces, i use 300F4L + 1.4x back button focus, AI servo manual exposure and prefocus so when you press the shutter buton it dosn't refocus and you can back button focus for action in the out field, what about Monty then should have played him in the first 2 tests
Here's some of mine from this year
http://gsgary.smugmug.com/photos/85135393-M.jpg
http://gsgary.smugmug.com/photos/84173177-M.jpg

Thanks Gary,

Your not wrong about Monty, nice little weapon to be holding out on. I think you guys were trying to lull into a false sense. I am tipping he may be playing in the last two tests as well.

Thanks for the tip, back button focus always confuses me, there are thhree settings and I never remember which one I should be using.

winger

wxwax wrote:

Great stuff, Winger!

Hey I figured if people can benfit from me own "school of hard knocks" approach then sweet!

Next lesson will be starting a business on a side, so look forward to those notes in the comming year.