Basics of shooting sports???? Help.

[mmcaleer]

Ok, my kids are getting involved in football and I wanted to start shooting some of their games. What are some of the basic setups for shooting sports? I am starting off with:

center sensor focus
Av about f5.6
iso 100 (daytime)
metering: evaluative

Canon 30D with 70-200 f/2.8L

I tried using all sensors for focus but with football it was picking every kid but the one I wanted.

I had read to use spot metering or center weighted but I was blowing out the background.

Am I close?

Thanks.

[Tom]

Switch it to manual.
Figure out what your exposure is and run that.

F/2.8 will help separate your subject from the background.

Go check out G. Newman Lowrance's book on Digital Sports Photography.

[110240]

theres a dance photography course this weekend listed in the workshops page where you could learn to shoot fast moving objects in low light, might be applicable?

[AndrewCCM]

Originally Posted by Thomas Campbell

Switch it to manual.
Figure out what your exposure is and run that.

F/2.8 will help separate your subject from the background.

Go check out G. Newman Lowrance's book on Digital Sports Photography.

Ditto.

I also tend to always shoot raw. I know many sport shooters that don't...but I do. I then can retain some of the blown highlights a bit easier when I post process in Lightroom.

[mmcaleer]

Anyone have any experience with the Canon 100-400L? I can't afford a 300 f/2.8L or 400 f2.8L but the 100-400L I could swing. I know this is going to hurt me with low light but for now most of my stuff would be daylight.

[dminton]

More than any focusing technique, more than any metering style, more than any lens or aperture or shutter speed, more than anything else, one thing will help you take better football photos.


Don't stand up. Shoot on your knees.

[toverman]

Originally Posted by mmcaleer

Anyone have any experience with the Canon 100-400L? I can't afford a 300 f/2.8L or 400 f2.8L but the 100-400L I could swing. I know this is going to hurt me with low light but for now most of my stuff would be daylight.

What about a 1.4x teleconverter for your 70-200? Or maybe the Canon 300 f/4, which is a little more down-to-earth than the f/2.8.

I use the centerpoint for focus and shoot sports (and most everything else) wide open or nearly wide open.

[Shane]

Monopod . . . I shoot a ton of sports and a monopod is a must with the 70-200 (or any long lens that weighs that much). It helps solve "camera-shake" which everyone does with the longer lenses.

Use AI Servo focus, which keeps the focus active to track moving subjects. As long as the center point is on your subject, they will be in focus, even if they move towards you or away from you.

Fast shutter speeds - use at LEAST 1/500, but if you are shooting outdoors in the sun, use 1/800 or faster as you will have plenty of light. It is worth bumping your ISO to ISO 400 as the 30D has no noise at 400, so you can use faster shutter speeds.

Lastly, look at Sports Illustrated or other football related magazines to see the angles at which they are shooting - being in the right place makes a lot of difference when you are trying to shoot football.

Good Luck!

[robert t]

Your setting for daytime could be tweaked a bit. Go closer to 2.8 to blur the background and isolate the action. crank up the ISO (400~800) to let you shoot 500~1500 at 2.8 or 3.5 if you need a little more DOF.

Rule of thumb shoot faster that the focal length of the lens. You can do a lot with a 70-200 2.8 day or night. Daytime shooting is no problem with the 300mm 5.6 lens but you will find night time is a real challenge. Crank up the ISO. Very few fields have adequate lighting you can use a 550 flash to help and add a external battery pack.

What you will be able to do will be up to the coach, school, ISD or the Ref's. The age group will have a lot to with the rules on the field. The ref's start to get a bit picky at the varsity level. Depending on what position your kids play is where you will want to set up. If you can get down on the sideline then go past the first down marker and let the play come to you. If you are shooting line the of course the get closer to the line. If you are down field try and get low. shoot with the other eye open so you don't end up getting nailed if the action is headed your way.

He was watching through the lens 100-400 and didn't realize the player was so close.

[Sonny]

Originally Posted by Shane

Monopod . . . I shoot a ton of sports and a monopod is a must with the 70-200 (or any long lens that weighs that much). It helps solve "camera-shake" which everyone does with the longer lenses.

I'm gonna disagree with that...kinda. A monopod is NOT a must. It might be a must for a Canon 400mm f/2.8, just because that is some heavy glass.

For the past three years during little league football season I've been shooting with a MKII N, 70-200L IS USM and no monopod...for 6-8 hours on Saturdays. This is my own personal style, but I believe shooting on a monopod restricts your movement. Especially when shooting with the 70-200. Mike will be photographing young children. Yes he can stand up and shoot the same type of downward angular photograph from a monopod. What I like to do is kneel, squat, sit, and lay on the ground while photographing these little tikes. I feel it adds a certain stature to the child. It makes them look bigger. Everyone is used to see their "little kids" in pictures but if you get down on their level and photograph them at their height then you'll notice they look more like big ole rugged football players. It's a really great effect.

If Mike is shooting in the day time then 'camera shake' will not be an issue. f/2.8, iso 100, and shutter speeds of 1/1000 - 1/8000 will eliminate any of that. Evening and night time...that is a totally different story.

[hotshot38]

I have the 100-400 IS L and use it for shooting some sports in bright sunlight. By that I mean I usually shoot sail racing....lots of light. I used to shoot with the Sigma 70-200mm 2.8 sometimes with the 2x on it, but now I regret not getting the Canon 100-400L sooner.

Recently I've been shooting some gurlz tackle football practices, again usually in bright sunlight. There have been a couple of overcast days, near the end of the day that I notice I just don't have enough light to make good shots.

I did do a test shoot at a HS football game a few months ago in a fairly well-lit stadium (I live across the street from Blossom in SA) but did not have good results...even pushing 3200 on a 40D.

[mmcaleer]

Originally Posted by Thomas Campbell

Switch it to manual.
Figure out what your exposure is and run that.

F/2.8 will help separate your subject from the background.

Go check out G. Newman Lowrance's book on Digital Sports Photography.

Thomas, thanks for the info. The Allen Library had the Digital Sports Photography book so I picked it up. It has a ton of information in it. I will be putting it to use this weekend.


Robert - that picture is great. Thanks for the camera settings. It seems everyone pushes f2.8. I will give it a try. I didn't realize how fast I needed to shoot (shutter speed) until I started looking at photos and their exposure.

Thanks again.

Mike

[SevenAndMe]

Originally Posted by robert t

.....

He was watching through the lens 100-400 and didn't realize the player was so close.

Why does he have a flash unit mounted on the camera?

[SpeedRacerSlots]

I will ditto the commet here of getting a 1.4x TC for your 70-200L.
A lot less expensive than the lens.
That should give you a lot of flexibility on the field.
Also ditto on the manual camera setting. If you want a good starting place, shoot a few test shots in Av mode, check the settings, flip over to Manual, and adjust slightly from there and you should be good to go.
Also be sure check your AF setting (if you are shooting burst on a field).
Ditto on the higher ISO and aim for a higher shutter speed too.

[robert t]

On the flash I am not sure, it was late in the day and maybe he was anticipating us loosing the light.

There is a thread where there was a discussion on the use of flash. Greg (chimper) uses flash on his. Jason (LSCSN.com) and I both tried using flash and we both tried different mounts. I put mine on a monopod below the camera and had great luck lifting the shadows out of the player’s helmets wear you could see the eyes. Jason was trying a dual mount. I think we both gave it up and went to higher ISO settings.

Oh and ditto on the shoot in manual if not use AV just watch the shutter speed.

That is a good book I need to read it also.

PS. Don the photog in the photo, is still wearing a knee brace and was waiting on a surgery date.