Histograms & Sports Shooting

[Rmclain3]

I've been reading up on the use of the histogram on my Rebel XT. It seems to be a fine tool if you have time to look at and interperate the histogram. But for sports shots I can't see how it can help except to identify a mistake after the picture has been taken. Things on the soccer field or the track happen so fast that I rarely have time to dissect a histogram properly!

I'd like to know if any of you fine sports photographers have any "histogram tips" you could pass on to me please? I already know that I have a slow zoom lens but that's what budgeting does to a household. So aside from my lens limitations I'd appreciate anything you can pass on to me.

[janetg]

i don't use a histogram when shooting sports - i take a reading on the light...see what shutter speeds i can get (and mostly i know that 250 is minimum for the sports i shoot) and go from there - i use exposure compensation when i have to.

what type of sports are you interested in?

[boomerd35]

Just my opinion, but one of the best uses for the histogram in sports is to prevent/limit overexposure. In outdoor sports photography, your exposure can change all the time due to changing cloud conditions and shadows on the playing fields. Some feel you miss too much action if you are constantly checking the histogram. There's a good article that mentions this on sportsshooter.com (article here).

Troy T.

[AjP]

don't think people use histogram much in sports.. chimping is another story :)

[janetg]

i guess for outdoor sports you might you histograms, but not much for indoors...

i love the word chimping..