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HS Girl LAX Under Lights

IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
edited March 18, 2011 in Sports
Shot my first lacrosse game last night. It was also the first time for any sport under the lights of this particular stadium. Nicest lights I've ever shot under. I went for ISO over reach and used the D700 instead of the D300. AND I shot jpeg for the frame rate.

I tried to keep in mind the advice I got from Mike and Will in this thread. Lots to learn. I don't think either of these teams were very good. Most of the play seemed to go up and down the center of the field, and the wings weren't used much. At least they were slow :D. Here are a few for your enjoyment/critique.

1.
1219805625_wrts5-XL.jpg

2. Rats, no faces
1219806345_LxKTi-XL.jpg

3.
1219806461_927K4-L.jpg

4.
1219812187_MvQ24-XL.jpg

5.
1219813635_j2WoP-XL.jpg
John :
Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.

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    wmstummewmstumme Registered Users Posts: 466 Major grins
    edited March 18, 2011
    Real nice work! Lighting looks great.

    Laxpower has these two teams ranked in the top quarter of teams in VA.

    So you really didn't say what you learned in your first time out. What would you tell a glax first timer now?

    My one recommendation is on your first shot. Good picture of the ref, only his face is really visible--but I doubt that was truly your intention. Most times (but not always) on the draw, the girls will be facing opposite directions, parallel to a line drawn through midfield. If you position yourself back down the line towards the restraining line you'll be able to get one of the girl's faces clearly. The ref will back out from the girls before signalling to begin play. Now the ref will sometimes will be on your side; you just have to get yourself at an angle where he/she doesn't continue to block the view of draw/girls as he/she backs out. I put my focal point on one of the two girls, not the sticks holding the ball because as soon as they move, you'll be only focusing at the sidelines behind them. I know because I've screwed up that shot too many times to count.
    Regards

    Will
    ________________________
    www.willspix.smugmug.com
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    zoomerzoomer Registered Users Posts: 3,688 Major grins
    edited March 18, 2011
    Try to stay out of no mans land which is not tight and not wide. SO many amateur sports photographers live there, examples are 1 2 and 3 these would be better as pano's with a little more space. Also vary your angle, get some shots from lower-higher.

    Either go tight or leave some space.

    I like 4 and 5 is the best of the bunch. If the action and drama are there a little blur does not kill the shot.

    Comments are meant as constructive, something to think about for next time.

    All of these shots are ok....but imagine you want something more....like you got on 5.
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/21695902@N06/
    http://500px.com/Shockey
    alloutdoor.smugmug.com
    http://aoboudoirboise.smugmug.com/
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    IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited March 18, 2011
    wmstumme wrote: »
    Laxpower has these two teams ranked in the top quarter of teams in VA.
    Shows you what I know about lacrosse!

    So you really didn't say what you learned in your first time out. What would you tell a glax first timer now?
    Watch more LAX so you get a feel for body positioning and game flow. Other than that, the hints y'all gave me about shooting locations in this thread were really helpful.

    My one recommendation is on your first shot.
    I don't suppose it would surprise you to know that that was the first draw I'd ever seen :D

    I am an unabashed "homer," so tend to concentrate on the McLean (Red) team when I'm shooting their games, no matter the sport. Next game I'll try to concentrate on the defensive end so those girls don't feel left out when I post the galleries.
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
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    IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited March 18, 2011
    zoomer wrote: »
    Also vary your angle, get some shots from lower-higher.
    Do you mean physically up or down, or up or down-field? I like getting on the ground, but I'm a wuss. It was wet last night.

    Either go tight or leave some space.
    Yup. thumb.gif

    I like 4 and 5 is the best of the bunch.
    I agree. Those kinds of physical duels, with the dynamic body angles are what I like. My observation is that those situations tend to happen more if the game is played wide. When they are running up and down the center of the field, it's kinda boring. No paired "comma" shapes.

    Man I wish I had a 300 f2.8.
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
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    IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited March 18, 2011
    While I was shooting, this high school boy approached me and asked what settings I was using. He was shooting for the yearbook. Here I am with a D700 at ISO 6400 and f2.8 glass. What the heck was I supposed to tell this earnest young kid with a D3100 and an 18-55 kit lens?

    I took a reading with my NEW SEKONIC L358 wings.gifbarband told him to crank the ISO to 3200, put it on M ('cause the light ain't gonna change) at 1/160 and wide open and spray & pray at 3 fps. At least he has 14MP to crop from. He should get some that aren't TOO blurry. Hopefully he has a big card. If anybody has any experience with the D3100 at higher ISO than 3200, can you tell me if I should tell him to push it up even more if I see him at the next game? I mean, just what can he do with a 55mm f5.6 lens anyway?
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
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    chrisjohnsonchrisjohnson Registered Users Posts: 771 Major grins
    edited March 18, 2011
    some great shots.
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    IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited March 18, 2011
    I like this one too, though I missed the focus a bit (not much margin at 2.8) and it's noisy.

    1220193669_JvUUR-XL.jpg
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
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    IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited March 18, 2011
    goldenballs wrote: »
    some great shots.
    Thank you Christopher.
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
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    MDalbyMDalby Registered Users Posts: 697 Major grins
    edited March 18, 2011
    Icebear wrote: »
    While I was shooting, this high school boy approached me and asked what settings I was using. He was shooting for the yearbook. Here I am with a D700 at ISO 6400 and f2.8 glass. What the heck was I supposed to tell this earnest young kid with a D3100 and an 18-55 kit lens?

    I took a reading with my NEW SEKONIC L358 wings.gifbarband told him to crank the ISO to 3200, put it on M ('cause the light ain't gonna change) at 1/160 and wide open and spray & pray at 3 fps. At least he has 14MP to crop from. He should get some that aren't TOO blurry. Hopefully he has a big card. If anybody has any experience with the D3100 at higher ISO than 3200, can you tell me if I should tell him to push it up even more if I see him at the next game? I mean, just what can he do with a 55mm f5.6 lens anyway?

    I have the same problem. The high school kids come up to me during football and basketball and ask for my settings and it is just difficult to give advice. The one thing you can't address in PP though is blur. I don't know how many shots he got that are keepers with 1/160. I haven't shot much girls LAX. Maybe there is less action and if the photog pans with the action can avoid some blur.

    The spray and pray may be the best approach.

    Remember, if you give a thousand keyboards to a thousand monkeys, eventually you will get Shakespeare.

    MD
    Nikon D4, 400 2.8 AF-I, 70-200mm 2.8 VR II, 24-70 2.8
    CBS Sports MaxPreps Shooter
    http://DalbyPhoto.com
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    IcebearIcebear Registered Users Posts: 4,015 Major grins
    edited March 18, 2011
    Here's a thought. Next home game I take my little 50mm f1.8 with me and let him use it. Heck, his long is 55, so what's the diff. He shoots at f2 or so and ISO3200, and he's at 1/500 with an effective focal length of 75mm on a 14mp body. He'd think I was freaking Santa Claus! I'm not generous enough to loan him the 85mm 1.4.

    EDIT: RATS! I just realized that the D3100 doesn't support autofocus with the 50mm 1.8. Oh well.
    John :
    Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
    D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
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