Friday night lights

Clixphoto · September 13, 2010

Here are some shots from small high school Friday night football in the south. What a bunch of fun.

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Thanks for looking. Any advice?

rockcanyonphotos · September 13, 2010

If you could please post what equipment you were using, and your settings, it would help everyone in offering advice.

regards, Kevin

Clixphoto · September 13, 2010

I was shooting with a 50D and 70-200 2.8 at the highest expandable ISO. These shots were taken before I discovered noise reduction in my custom functions. Noise reduction will be on this weekend. I hope to have a monopod soon as well.

johng · September 13, 2010

I would recommend against in-camera noise reduction. It doesn't do a very good job. Instead look at software like Noiseware or Noise Ninja. It will do a much better job.

Graham Cracker · September 13, 2010

johng wrote: »

I would recommend against in-camera noise reduction. It doesn't do a very good job. Instead look at software like Noiseware or Noise Ninja. It will do a much better job.

Wes, nice shots, I don't know how serious you want to get with this, but I use the Noiseware and it really helps, I believe the in camera noise reduction slows down your ability to shoot quickly. IF you really want to get into it look at some of the people on here that use flash. I just started using it last year and the difference is amazing. PArticularly for pictures 7 and 8. It eliminates the shadows and dark faces. Some schools don't allow it but I have not run into it here in South GA. Good luck. John and Kevin are great resources as they have helped me a ton along with a guy in Atlanta named Cecil. Patrick

Clixphoto · September 14, 2010

I'm very serious. My ultimate goal has always been to shoot college and pro sports. I need advice on everything from technical advice to how to make contacts to get access to the big time events. I've done portraits for a while but have just started chasing my ultimate dream a few weeks ago. I have access to another high school game this Friday and look forward to learning more.

Long term I would like to be the greatest sports photographer of all time. Short term I will settle for an SI cover this season.

Graham Cracker · September 14, 2010

Clixphoto wrote: »

I'm very serious. My ultimate goal has always been to shoot college and pro sports. I need advice on everything from technical advice to how to make contacts to get access to the big time events. I've done portraits for a while but have just started chasing my ultimate dream a few weeks ago. I have access to another high school game this Friday and look forward to learning more.

Long term I would like to be the greatest sports photographer of all time. Short term I will settle for an SI cover this season.

Glad to see you have such simple goals.:D:D I have shot football for about 6 years now. LAst year was the first year I moved up to flash and it made a big difference. I'm sure you know more about flash than I did starting out so you will be ahead of me. I just bumped up to the 300mm 2.8 this year and am not getting used to it. I can tel you the "Wells Technique" is great once you get it tweaked correctly, and Kevin, Cecil and Johng have been a huge help to me. I only do it for a hobby so my goals aren't quite as lofty but if I'm going to do it, I want to be good at it. I am happy to share anything I have learned with you but these guys have all taught me all I know. Thanks Patrick
PS: one more thing, just when I think I have everything I need I discover that I need something else. Never ending.

Graham Cracker · September 14, 2010

Graham Cracker wrote: »

Glad to see you have such simple goals.:D:D I have shot football for about 6 years now. LAst year was the first year I moved up to flash and it made a big difference. I'm sure you know more about flash than I did starting out so you will be ahead of me. I just bumped up to the 300mm 2.8 this year and am not getting used to it. I can tel you the "Wells Technique" is great once you get it tweaked correctly, and Kevin, Cecil and Johng have been a huge help to me. I only do it for a hobby so my goals aren't quite as lofty but if I'm going to do it, I want to be good at it. I am happy to share anything I have learned with you but these guys have all taught me all I know. Thanks Patrick
PS: one more thing, just when I think I have everything I need I discover that I need something else. Never ending.

I just found Randy Wells tutorial that I used. HEre is the link. It helped me get started. http://dgrin.smugmug.com/gallery/3737879

KipCox · September 15, 2010

The following was taken with a Canon EF70-200/f2.8L IS and an XSi on a monopod.

Minor noise reduction was done with Noise Ninja (they have noise profiles for most any camera) and touched up in Lightroom 2.7 (e.g. exposure in LR before NN, then brightness, contrast, fill light, clarity and a little saturation).

Exposure: 1/320 sec at f2.8 (underexposed 1 stop but corrected in LR)
Focal length: 90mm
ISO: 1600

Pre Noise Ninja & Lightroom:

Post Ninja & Lightroom:

Oh to have a 7D or better for the added ISO.

David Evertsen · September 15, 2010

Clixphoto wrote: »

I was shooting with a 50D and 70-200 2.8 at the highest expandable ISO. These shots were taken before I discovered noise reduction in my custom functions. Noise reduction will be on this weekend. I hope to have a monopod soon as well.

I use the exact same equipment as you do, I NEVER go above 3200, if I do I rarely post the pictures never use in camera noise reduction. H1 is great but too much noise and when I use that is usually the endzone. Most HS fields light drops off about the 5-10 yard line and dies at the goal line. Flash is the only way to get get rid of the shadows. HI iso just gives me noisy shadows on the front of the jersey. With all the budget cuts the HS I shoot for has lights out on a few poles every game. Makes it hard to get the grass the same color at the edges. Instead of using Noise Ninja I have been shooting Raw, using Lightroom3 and the noise reduction in there is amazing. You lose some sharpness but it works out well for me, popping the brightness and adjusting the noise. I would love a 7d but till I can afford it a 50D works great for me.. Here are a few pics from a recent game at my home stadium. I shot mostly @ 3200 2.8 1/500 or 640 in the middle of the field to avoid the finger blurr except in the endzone and brighten them up in PP.. A couple press photogs came in last year with 7d's and they could shoot right next to me with the same settings using Iso 2000 instead of my 3200 it was amazing..

All 3200ISO 2.8f

1/500 So excited the defender for this pass never even jumped, the opposing teams player went up and got it..School I shoot for rarely passes the ball.

1/500 Lots of black background gives noise but LR did a nice job. It was an incompletion but this kids gives it his all every down. That is why I kept it..

1/400 on the goal line he just got wacked by the defender cant fix lack of light on the players.. (Without a Flash)

KipCox · September 15, 2010

@David - nice shots. The second shot is great - really shows the athleticism of the player and the sport.

David Evertsen · September 16, 2010

KipCox wrote: »

@David - nice shots. The second shot is great - really shows the athleticism of the player and the sport.

Thanks I forgot this picture, ISO 6400 aka 50D H1 2.8f 1/320 in the endzone with LR3 PP, Goal line in this stadium is pretty rough NO light in the north endzone.. Not a great shot not much other than a flash could help..

Clixphoto · September 16, 2010

Thanks for all the feedback. I will shoot tomorrow night at a different school and see how the light compares to last week. I have a farely large shoot saturday so it may be after the weekend before I post.

castnerrm · September 17, 2010

Sharing pics and settings.

I have been shooting local football games for my sons teams(9 - 12 year olds) for a few years now. This year I have a gig shooting for one of the local HS teams. I am very excited about the opportunity, experience and exposure I will be getting. CC welcome.

Details of the following shots:
Camera: 40D, AIservo, CWA metering
Glass: 70-200 f2.8L (non - IS)
ISO: 3200
Shutter: Between 250 and 320th
Post Processing: Aperture for WB, and cropping. Noise Ninja plugin for noise control.

#1

#2 If I can I try to follow the runners eyes(or ball sometimes) and focus on that.

#3 The defender did get just enough of a tip on the ball to disrupt its flight for no catch.

#4

#5 Nice interception!

castnerrm · September 17, 2010

Sharing pics and settings.

I have been shooting local football games for my sons teams(9 - 12 year olds) for a few years now. This year I have a gig shooting for one of the local HS teams. I am very excited about the opportunity, experience and exposure I will be getting. CC welcome.

Details of the following shots:
Camera: 40D, AIservo, CWA metering
Glass: 70-200 f2.8L (non - IS)
ISO: 3200
Shutter: Between 250 and 320th
Post Processing: Aperture for WB, and cropping. Noise Ninja plugin for noise control.

#1

#2 If I can I try to follow the runners eyes(or ball sometimes) and focus on that.

#3 The defender did get just enough of a tip on the ball to disrupt its flight for no catch.

#4

#5 Nice interception!

Big Red · September 17, 2010

Football Flash?
Last Friday I took my first photos of football (both JV and Varsity) for a friend whose sons (#52 and #55) played. As it got darker I tried a flash on my 7d (70-200 2.8) in Manual Mode. I was only able to shoot at 1/250 and could not increase the shutter speed with the flash (580 ex). I claim ignorance on this issue so I am asking for some guidance on this.

Here are some samples of mine.

#1
http://crumpphotography.smugmug.com/Football-2010/St-Vincent-HS/IMG3716/1011125511_NQEeE-L.jpg

#2http://crumpphotography.smugmug.com/Football-2010/St-Vincent-HS/IMG3767/1011165760_9zkmU-L.jpg

#3
http://crumpphotography.smugmug.com/Football-2010/St-Vincent-HS/IMG3802-5/1011178287_aG5Zi-L.jpg

#4
http://crumpphotography.smugmug.com/Football-2010/St-Vincent-HS/IMG4085/1011281170_etNnT-L.jpg

#5
http://crumpphotography.smugmug.com/Football-2010/St-Vincent-HS/IMG4147/1011290718_cPjBx-L.jpg

#6
http://crumpphotography.smugmug.com/Football-2010/St-Vincent-HS/IMG4189/1011302773_iKNMB-L.jpg

#7http://crumpphotography.smugmug.com/Football-2010/St-Vincent-HS/IMG4268/1011311396_dAdNg-L.jpg

Big Red · September 17, 2010

Sorry
I apologize for doing the links wrong. Here we go again,

#1

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

Friday night lights

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