Varsity Football in the dark

jimqjr · September 11, 2010

I know that Football with bad lighting is what it is but can anyone tell me how they get the great photos? I push the limits of my camera and end up with a few like the one posted that I think is pretty good though I want more....is it possible? If so what camera settings are you using? ISO, F/Stop, Shutter Speed? that's all I need. I am not looking for 5X7 photo good I would like to see 13X19 at least. Thanks for your help and insight. This is the first game of my second season shooting Football and it makes me crazy. I am not a photoshop user over my head. I use noise ninja and lightroom 2 make some adjustments in Lightroom first I crop, then Tone Curve (highlights, Lights, darks, and shadows) then I ad some Vibrance and saturation back in maybe a little more noise reduction from lightroom and call it good.

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GadgetRick · September 11, 2010

What equipment are you shooting with?

rockcanyonphotos · September 11, 2010

looks like he is using a Canon 1D Mark IV (or 5d mII), with a 300mm f/2.8. Shooting in Shutter priority mode, ISO6400, 1/800 ss and EBV of +0.33 with spot metering.

I see a few options:
1) You can use a flash to freeze your action (allowing you to drop your ISO, get better lighting under the helmet and eliminate WB issues)
2) switch to manual mode, bump up your ISO, allowing you to increase your shutter speed. (chk out Hockeytown74's photos at "http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=177822"

regards, Kevin

johng · September 11, 2010

Yep. If you're not happy with high ISO natural light results then use external flash to add more light:

jimqjr · September 11, 2010

rockcanyonphotos wrote: »

looks like he is using a Canon 1D Mark IV (or 5d mII), with a 300mm f/2.8. Shooting in Shutter priority mode, ISO6400, 1/800 ss and EBV of +0.33 with spot metering.

I see a few options:
1) You can use a flash to freeze your action (allowing you to drop your ISO, get better lighting under the helmet and eliminate WB issues)
2) switch to manual mode, bump up your ISO, allowing you to increase your shutter speed. (chk out Hockeytown74's photos at "http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=177822"

regards, Kevin

Hello Kevin,
You are good 1D Mark 111 so I am out of ISO at 6400 ISO that was the best I could and 800 shutter speed. I will need to try the flash I guess just a long way to try to get light. Its dark not like College level here. I noticed that Northern Cal football compared to the South or East the lighting at the high school level anyway is much better.
Would you white balance I do in the gyms but don't in the dark

jimqjr · September 11, 2010

Thanks John
Can you give me an idea of you setting for that shot. I don't think I good get that much light out of a 580EXII .
The general feel for what I am hearing is that I am at my limits.
Thanks for the help and the direction.

johng · September 11, 2010

jimqjr wrote: »

I don't think I good get that much light out of a 580EXII .
The general feel for what I am hearing is that I am at my limits.
Thanks for the help and the direction.

Why not? That was the flash I used. It's more than capable of providing enough light for 300mm range (40 yards or less).

Of course you want to use external battery pack so you get faster recycle times.

jimqjr · September 11, 2010

johng wrote: »

Why not? That was the flash I used. It's more than capable of providing enough light for 300mm range (40 yards or less).

Of course you want to use external battery pack so you get faster recycle times.

Okay,
Talk to me John
I really would like to learn and I have alot of Football to shot this year.
I have never really used my flash for anything.
Can you give me an idea of setting I know that all places are different but the basics are the same.
Also what battery pack would you recommend?
Thanks for your help and insight.

Graham Cracker · September 13, 2010

jimqjr wrote: »

Okay,
Talk to me John
I really would like to learn and I have alot of Football to shot this year.
I have never really used my flash for anything.
Can you give me an idea of setting I know that all places are different but the basics are the same.
Also what battery pack would you recommend?
Thanks for your help and insight.

Jim, I went through all of this last year with all of these guys and I finally am close, though I learn something new each week. See this thread as it helped me a bunch. http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=109535 it basically will get you started with all your questions. I have mounted it up on a bracket and below. Trade off on both for me right now. Overhead I tend to get a few more "red eyes or Zombie eyes. Down below the field I usually shoot on has a lot of slope and I tend to get excessive shadows on the grass - like stalagmites in a cave but no red eyes. Good luck PAtrick
PS I have a 580EXII and it works great across the field especially with the 300mm 2.8 You will need a battery pack, I bought Canon pack

tjk60 · September 13, 2010

Flashed football

1

2 My son at noseguard:

3

4

5

6

jimqjr · September 13, 2010

Thanks for the info Tim.
I guess I need to figure something out like that.
I see money tied to a monopod.

photodad1 · September 13, 2010

Nice photos.

tjk60 · September 13, 2010

jimqjr wrote: »

Thanks for the info Tim.
I guess I need to figure something out like that.
I see money tied to a monopod.

Yeah, you can get away with a single flashgun tethered with a cord and a bogen superclamp.

I no longer used the SD8a battery packs but I do have 3 pocketwizards and two clamps and two speedlights....

John Hayes · September 15, 2010

tjk60 wrote: »

Flashed football

Those are great..I got to try flash.

Scott293 · September 15, 2010

tjk60 wrote: »

Flashed football

1

2 My son at noseguard:

3

4

5

6

The flash are great on still photos do you have any action with the flash. I have success with basketball bouncing the flash off a wall or ceiling. But football I tried the SB-800 on my monopod and hate the limit on shots. With a quick pass play I feel i loose the shot and get frustrated.

tjk60 · September 16, 2010

Sure:

Scott293 · September 16, 2010

tjk60 wrote: »

Sure:

Very nice I do like These but maby it's just me and don't have the patience. I feel I just miss a lot on pass plays and it drives me crazy!!
But I do like the ones you posted:D

rockcanyonphotos · September 16, 2010

Scott293 wrote: »

Very nice I do like These but maby it's just me and don't have the patience. I feel I just miss a lot on pass plays and it drives me crazy!!
But I do like the ones you posted:D

It has been my experience that I miss a lot of short pass plays anyway with a 300mm prime. At the HS level the passes are just too fast and short to be able to acquire the target, regardless of flash, before the pass is complete. However, anything 15yds and over I have found very little difference in being able to snag a pass play with a flash, in some cases I even find that the AF assist fm the flash gives me a better shot at acquiring the shot.

That being said, I certainly would prefer to be able to grab a pass play without a flash, when the available lighting permits, just so I can get multiple shots of the event, not just one.

regards, Kevin

donek · September 18, 2010

jimqjr wrote: »

Thanks for the info Tim.
I guess I need to figure something out like that.
I see money tied to a monopod.

I haven't been here much this year, but I thought I'd add a photo of my homebake version of the monopod setup. Lead Acid Batteries are lead acid batteries wether you pay $20 or $200.

full res version
http://donek.smugmug.com/Other/flash-experiments/6016134_Z8jeE#997611862_8HACf-O-LB

Varsity Football in the dark

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