Stadium Lighting Information

[OversighT]

Hey Guys and Gals--
Per dm_tunstall's request I'm setting up this thread as a sticky so y'all sports photographers and put your notes about particular stadium lighting conditions. When posting please include the name of the stadium, number of flood-light groups (if you made note of them), f-stop and shutter speeds of last shoot and whether or not a flash was necessary. Posting a note that the lighting sucks at such-and-such stadium isn't helpful and those posts will be removed.

Any suggestions on how to organize the thread can be directed to me and I'll see what I can do if the thread gets really long (we all know there are a lot of stadiums in Texas).


T.

[dm_tunstall]

Channelview Football Stadium
Camera Used: 1DmkII
ISO shot: 1600
Exposure Data: 1/500th @ f2.8 to 1/320th @ f2.8
Flash data: 1/32nd manual for fill
Light quality: white, very consistant.
Similiar Stadium Lighting: SantaFe, Friendswood
Note:
Sidelines and endzones fell off considerably, over-all a nice stadium for night football photography.

[gabriher]

Boggus Stadium - Harlingen, TX
Camea Used: Nikon D2H
ISO: 1600
F Stop: 2.8
Shutter Speed: 320
No Flash
4 lights

[dminton]

Before my list of stadiums, I'm gonna say this. Most high school stadiums use the exact same light set ups. The same kind of bulbs in the same number in the same places arouns the field. The same crappy sodium vapor floodlights. A base exposure for most of these places is 1/400 , 2.8 @ ISO 1600. This is just from experience that the vast vast majority of places have this set up.

Heres the list -

American Airlines Center - 1/400, 2.8 ISO 800 - The AAC has very even bright and white light. The color cast is barely noticeable on AWB and very easy to correct. There are strobes but that's a whole nother thing cause AP and the DMN use em. Photo Room in the press work area.

LSU, Tiger Stadium - 1/500, 2.8 ISO 1000 - Wow, this place was amazing. Unless shooting the endzone from right behind the uprights, the light very even from end to end. Maybe 1 stop difference between center 50 and sidelines and past the 20s. You must kneel here because the fans have seat right on the edge of the field so you can't block a paying seat. Evyerbody there is really nice and helpful also. Photogs NOT ALLOWED IN PRESS BOX. Dedicated Photo work room w/ Ethernet inside gate 10 on the visitor's side. Steve Franz is a great guy. FYI there is no media parking that I could find out about so I had to park nearly 2 miles away in the Tiger Tailgate area.

UNT, Fouts Field - 1/400, 2.8 ISO 1600 - Fouts was bulit in the 50s and only renovated a few times, and when they filmed "Neccesary Roughness" here, they brought in a lot of light. Same with ESPN earlier this year because it is so dark for a Division I-A NCAA field. It has the same crappy floods as almost every high school stadium in the state. Nearly 3 stop drop off in the endzones shooting down the field. The exposure I gave is at the 50 center and to the 15s and pretty good from sideline to sideline. If shooting across the field, it drops off pretty quick. Color cast varies from Magenta to Yellow to Green. Fouts just got a new field surface the cool astro turf with the rubber pellet fill. The crap gets everywhere. Bring knee pads. No press box elevator. WiFi in the press box, reqiures a login but the SIDs give em out. Parking can be hairy if it's a big game.

Denton HS & Denton Billy Ryan HS, C.H. Collins Athletic Complex - 1/800, 2.8 ISO 1600 - this is the new stadium for Denton ISD and is very similar to Galena Park Stadium in Houston. Same turf as Fouts Field. 8 ft concrete walls behind the sidelines so semi clean backgrounds. Endzones are about 1 stop maybe 1 1/2. Color is very good. VIP parking pass gets you right outside the North Endzone, like 150 feet from the field. Athletic center behind North endzone and open behind south endzone.

Humble HS & Kingwood HS, Turner Stadium - 1/400, 2.8 ISO 1600 - Almost the same lighting as Fouts. Sidelines are notorious for being muddy. When I went to Humble High, in marching band some of us would loose shoes in the mud ON the field, some OFF the field. Humble and Kingwood are two of the biggest 5A schools around and the crowds are always huge. It gets loud.

Lake Dallas HS - 1/400, 2.8 ISO 1600 - Same ol lights as everywhere, but the endzones are well lit, 1 stop difference. Really good place for a small school.

Liberty Christian School Bronco Stadium formerly used by Denton HS - 1/400, 2.8 ISO 1600 - Same old same old lights. Endzones shooting down field are 3 1/2 stops darker. Trees behind the south endzone and a building behind the north. Magenta color cast, especially in the shadows on white uniforms.


More to come - I'm shooting at Coppel HS tonight.

[heinecke]

Brahma Stadium - Hallettsville TX
Camera used: Canon EOS 10D
Lens used: Sigma 70-200 2.8 APO DG
ISO: 1600
Shutter Speeds: 320 - 400 (1 to 1-1/2 stops underexposed)
Flash: none needed
Lighting: very good for a high school stadium; 4 banks of 18 lights; banks are staggered to evenly cover field; one bank on 5 yd line and 15 yd line on each end; the end zones were as bright as the rest of the field; very constant; could not detect any cycling;

[txphotog]

Anyone have info on Reliant Stadium at night? Will be shooting monday night football there next week and would like to know more about it. Also this is my first Nfl shoot anything I should know?

[Kar]

Originally Posted by txphotog

Anyone have info on Reliant Stadium at night? Will be shooting monday night football there next week and would like to know more about it. Also this is my first Nfl shoot anything I should know?

There is no Monday night football for the Texans. It is Sunday, but at night. Bob or Frank should know as I forgot what settings I used last year for the Packers evening game. I am thinking 400-800 iso 500 speed. Obviously with a "L" lens or 2.8

You can PM me if you want more info of the stadium. I have shot there since Texans came to town.

[txphotog]

Youre right last time I looked at the date it thought it was a Monday. Guess my days are running together its been a stressfull month at work with taking a direct blow from Hurricane Rita. I should be able to borrow a mark II and a 300/2.8 so glass isnt a problem.

[brad]

Pennington Field in the HEB (Hurst, Euless, Bedford) ISD is like shooting pictures in a London Fog.. do not attempt this field with anything other than a f/2.8 unless you like shooting everything at 1/180 and ISO1600 with a flash (and still getting underexposed images). This place was a nightmare.

[wadebarker]

Texas A&M University
College Station, TX

Reed Arena (Basketball)
1/500 - f/2.8 - ISO1600 on MkII
G. Rollie White Coliseum (Volleyball)
1/500 - f/2.8 - ISO1250
Kyle Field (night)
1/400 - f/2.8 - ISO1600
Aggie Soccer Stadium (night)
1/400 to 1/500 - f/2.8 - ISO3200

[propellerhead]

Hmmm. Let's see:

North Crowley (Panther Stadium): Artificial turf. ISO 800, 1/320 at f3.2 (Canon 550EX, High-speed sync). So-so parking...if you leave early, no problemo getting out. You wait until the end of the game, and you will wait a while to get outta there. Press box smells like dirty socks.
see: www.northcrowleyfootball.com for sample shots.

Pioneer Stadium (Boswell HS): Artificial turf. ISO 800, 1/320-1/400 at f3.5 to f3.2. Slightly better lighting than Panther Stadium.

Texas Stadium: 1/400 at f3.5...probably could get 1/500 at f2.8, no problem...without flash.

Dragon Stadium (Southlake Carroll): 1/250-1/320 at f2.8, ISO 800. Caveat: Don't plan on much mobility at SLC...they haven't figured out what it means to restrict sideline access. They are absolutely the worst of any team I've covered in the metroplex as far as crowded sidelines. Put ESPN on the sidelines and you have a situation much like a BCS bowl game...elbow to elbow with photographers, interested parents/fans/alums/kids of coaches/kids of parents of players/etc. ad infinitum. Just be careful.

Pirate Stadium (Granbury): Bring your own stadium light towers...you'll need it. One of the worst anywhere. I managed 1/200 at f2.8 and occasionally 1/250th at 2.8 at 1600 ISO. Note: their stadium game clock works MOST of the time, so don't rely on it for notes, if you're reporting on the game. VERY tight sidelines (no track), so don't expect have much room to run. The refs run a tight ship, if you're the visiting team, so don't expect to get up next to the sideline...they observe the yellow-dashed lines at Pirate stadium...on the visitors side (well, that's where the chain gang is, after all).

Weatherford: Grass. Desperately needs a new stadium... Slightly better light than Pirate Stadium. 1/250 at 2.8...reliably at ISO 800.

Birdville ISD Stadium: Good light. Artificial turf. 1/320 at f3.2 to 3.5....sometimes 1/400 at 3.2...ISO 800. Lots of room to maneuver, the concrete overhangs on the visitor side allow you to take shelter from the weather (if it's an issue) or stow your gear away from prying eyes.
Be advised: they charge for parking.

Aledo: Grass fields, low light: 1/250 at 2.8 ISO 800. If you're shooting from the visiting side, you'll get a nice backdrop---the orange crowd of the Bearcat fans filling the home stands. Parking is atrocious. I paid some kid $5 to park in his front yard and hiked to the stadium.

Azle: Same as Aledo. Even the parking.

R.L. Anderson: Don't think this will be an issue in 2006, as they are supposed to be getting a new stadium. I managed 1/250 at f2.8 or 3.2 and 800 or 1600 ISO, depending on where I was on the field. Dark, dark endzones (typical). Parking? Visitors park at the elementary school across the street, but not too bad. They provided students to direct traffic. Easy in and out.

Elk Stadium (Burleson): NICE field. Lots of room and light. I shot at 1/320 anywhere on the field at ISO 800, f 3.2 to f4. LOTS of parking and easy to get to and get out of. One of the nicer setups in the metroplex. Cool press box, too.

TCU's Amon Carter Stadium: Grass field. Between the 20s:ISO 800 1/250 to 1/320 at f3.2 to 3.5. End zones: 1/320 at f2.8. Strictly enforced sidelines. If you shoot on the visitor side (in front of the TCU student section), be ready for obnoxious students razzing the visiting team mercilessly. Also, to shoot on end of the field opposite the scoreboard, you'll be standing/kneeling between the cheerleaders and behind the yellow line. Yes, it's THAT tight. You can't get right on the goal line and shoot down the goal line, unless you're about 3 inches thick because the yellow line ends at the junction of the goal line and the concrete wall, so you're either in the back of the endzone or on the 2 yard line. Very nice press box. Elevator ride is a little dicey, but the food in the press box for media is worth it: Catered by Rosa's Cafe...Beef and chicken fajitas and all the fixin's! Yum!

[jstpeter]

Anyone know anything about Bible Stadium- Leander ISD home field for Cedar Park, Vista Ridge and Leander?

Looks pretty consistent from what I see. Need at least a 2.8 and 1600 ISO minimum

[WTx]

Need at least a 2.8 and 1600 ISO minimum

Along with this what is the feeling for a minimum zoom length? 200 or could you get away with lower at a football game?

[brad]

Originally Posted by WTx

Along with this what is the feeling for a minimum zoom length? 200 or could you get away with lower at a football game?

The style for football shots these days is 3/4 and 1/2 body shots with clear facial expressions... 200 is a little too short unless they are way closer than you want them to be while running full tilt toward you.

[Crashoran]

I find that shooting at 300mm on a 1.6 crop works best on the sidelines. The 1.4xtc works great in the endzone, but can be TOO tight.