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I have mixed feelings on SportsShooter. I think the intention is excellent, and I have a feeling it was probably a better resource for professionals years ago when access was more restrictive. Now membership is more open to hobbyists, but a lot of the old timers haven't accepted that and think it should still be all about the crusty old pros. Still, I've learned a bunch from the boards, and from attending the SportsShooter Academy, and I pick up jobs from the classifieds every now and again so my $25 annually is generally worth it. Enough  , more photos!As much as I've shot field hockey, I still don't understand the drat sport at all. So many whistles!      Full post: http://www.ryanmkelly.com/blog/2011/9/8/first-field-hockey.html
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Sep 8, 2011 19:00
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BobTheCow posted:As much as I've shot field hockey, I still don't understand the drat sport at all. So many whistles! I think AIIAZNSK8ER put it very well in the last thread when he said the point was to put girls in short skirts and make them bend over for an hour.
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Sep 8, 2011 19:08
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I love shooting race cars. One Way Woooosh (click image for bigger) I just do it for fun, and I only get the chance once or twice a year, but I think it's great to be able to take cool photos of cars regardless of the type of camera or lens that you have. If you have a fast lens, you'll have no problem getting crisp and clean shots of cars going fast, from any angle. If you have a slow lens, you can still take neat longerish-exposure shots to pan and blur the background, or in the example above, make the car look like it's going too fast for your camera. You can also still get sharp shots with a slower lens if you shoot a car (mostly) head-on, since there's not that much lateral movement on the car's part to spoil sharpness. Street races are the best places to take pictures of race cars. You can get frighteningly close to the cars, and find all sorts of nooks and crannies and high places to take pictures from. This makes it possible to get quality photos from at least somewhere on the track, at some time during the day, no matter the gear you're equipped with. Oh, and a word about the above photo. I must have taken 60 or so shots to try to get the timing right. (I wasn't using a tripod, I just rested my camera on a concrete pillar.) When I was about ready to wrap up processing, I realized I still had a use for the shots I mistimed: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_zBT2hj_qw It took longer than I expected, but it was still a fun way to turn a bunch of bad shots into something neat.
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Sep 8, 2011 21:02
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S-s-s-s-s-s-season opener.      Saturday is UT vs OSU at the Horseshoe. Should be fun stuff.
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Sep 8, 2011 23:16
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dakana posted:S-s-s-s-s-s-season opener. This rules right here.
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Sep 9, 2011 01:30
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WindyMan posted:
This works well. Sometimes it's all about the photos you didn't mean to take.
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Sep 9, 2011 03:22
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How do you guys manage to get such sharp photos of players? I have been trying to photograph some ultimate frisbee, which isn't exactly a super fast sport, and even at 1/3200 or 1/1600 I am getting some really lovely shots. I can't tell if it's out of focus or motion blur or what, but how do you nail focus wide open so often? I am super jealous.
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Sep 9, 2011 04:38
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dakana posted:S-s-s-s-s-s-season opener. Awesome shot man, I love this one. What post did you do?
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Sep 9, 2011 04:53
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CarrotFlowers posted:How do you guys manage to get such sharp photos of players? I have been trying to photograph some ultimate frisbee, which isn't exactly a super fast sport, and even at 1/3200 or 1/1600 I am getting some really lovely shots. I can't tell if it's out of focus or motion blur or what, but how do you nail focus wide open so often? At those shutter speeds, it's not motion blur that's the problem, that's plenty fast enough to stop motion. Either your lens autofocus is too slow to keep up with a running player, or you're simply missing focus to begin with. Can you shoot a stationary subject wide open and get a sharp image? If so, but sharpness goes to poo poo with a moving subject, the likely culprit is autofocus speed.
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Sep 9, 2011 05:00
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BobTheCow posted:At those shutter speeds, it's not motion blur that's the problem, that's plenty fast enough to stop motion. Either your lens autofocus is too slow to keep up with a running player, or you're simply missing focus to begin with. Yeah, I can get sharp photos pretty much any other time. I've got a 70-200 f/4 IS, so AF speed shouldn't be an issue, right? What focus program do you use? I have tried both AF servo with all focus points, which I understand is what I'm supposed to use for moving subjects, but I find it focuses on the wrong thing a lot, so I switched to AF one shot with center focusing...as I type this, I can see that's probably the source of all of my problems. Do you use AF servo? Do you find you have problems with it focusing on the wrong things? Like sometimes it'll focus on the player on the wrong team, and that's frustrating.
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Sep 9, 2011 05:11
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DJExile posted:This rules right here. Auditore posted:Awesome shot man, I love this one. What post did you do? Thanks! Post was just a bit of Lightroom -- recovery, fill light, contrast, crop, noise reduction, and output sharpening. Here it is straight out of the camera (other than resized) 
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Sep 9, 2011 06:03
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CarrotFlowers posted:Yeah, I can get sharp photos pretty much any other time. I've got a 70-200 f/4 IS, so AF speed shouldn't be an issue, right? Yeah that lens should be able to keep up. Definitely shoot AF servo. It sounds like you're focusing on the wrong subject as everybody's moving around, which is the sort of thing that just takes practice to understand and correct. Depending on your body, the center focus point may be more sensitive/accurate than others, so while you're learning, you may want to use the center point, AF servo, and really pay attention to that red dot, making sure it's right on top of your intended subject. (Also, and this is getting pretty nitpicky, certain bodies have a menu adjustment for something like "AF sensitivity" or "tracking." You could try messing with that and turning sensitivity down if you think you're having the problem of nailing focus but then having it jump to the wrong subject during movement.) e: Also, silly question, but you're holding down your focus button the whole time you try to track a moving subject with AF servo, right? This is why I use back-button focus. I've gotten used to separating focusing from pressing the shutter, so I know I can follow focus and just hit the shutter when I need to. But that's a total personal preference call. BobTheCow fucked around with this message at 13:49 on Sep 9, 2011 |
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Sep 9, 2011 13:47
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BobTheCow posted:Yeah that lens should be able to keep up. Definitely shoot AF servo. It sounds like you're focusing on the wrong subject as everybody's moving around, which is the sort of thing that just takes practice to understand and correct. Okay. Next week I'll switch to AF servo and use the center focus point, see how that goes. And yeah, I have my focus set to the shutter, so I hold it down halfway the whole time until I'm ready to take the picture. I've tried back button focus before, I liked it, but I switched back to shutter focus for some reason that I forget now. I might try to go back and see what that gets me in terms of making my life easier. So you just press it once, it'll track that subject, then hit the shutter? Or do you have to hold it down as well? Thanks for the tips!
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Sep 9, 2011 16:35
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Hold down the button to focus the whole time.
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Sep 9, 2011 16:58
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BobTheCow posted:Hold down the button to focus the whole time. I tried it before, and quickly gave it up. My hand felt way too awkward trying to hold it like that and hit the shutter at the same time, and I felt like I had no control over the dials. Do I just not know how to hold it properly?
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Sep 9, 2011 20:07
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Sevn posted:I tried it before, and quickly gave it up. My hand felt way too awkward trying to hold it like that and hit the shutter at the same time, and I felt like I had no control over the dials. That's why I don't advocate back-button focus for everybody, it's just a personal preference thing. For me, it feels comfortable now, and it's not like you're adjusting settings at the same moment you're focusing, preparing for a shot, anyway.
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Sep 9, 2011 20:44
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BobTheCow posted:That's why I don't advocate back-button focus for everybody, it's just a personal preference thing. For me, it feels comfortable now, and it's not like you're adjusting settings at the same moment you're focusing, preparing for a shot, anyway. I should give it another chance, I was a little quick to ditch it last time. I would love to see a picture of how your hand, or anybody else for that matter, rests on the camera, on the back button and shutter. Edit: There have been a few instances where I have tweaked dials while I had one eye in the viewfinder. Not saying it happens every time I get ready to shoot a picture, but there has definitely been a time or two I wanted to tweak it just a bit before shooting. Sevn fucked around with this message at 20:50 on Sep 9, 2011 |
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Sep 9, 2011 20:48
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I shouldn't be surprised, but it's pretty difficult to take a photo of myself essentially taking a photo. Does this help?   
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Sep 9, 2011 21:37
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My Rockets came within 16 yards of beating Ohio State at home. They would have been the first team from Ohio to beat OSU at home in some 80 years or so. I'm drat proud of our team, but also pretty upset at the refs. The penalties were 14 to 2, with some veeeeery questionable calls that were absolutely clutch for OSU. Anyway, I rented a 2x TC for the 300mm f/2.8. I didn't anticipate that shooting at an effective 900mm would present a unique problem: the heatwaves coming off of the field at a distance distorted and softened otherwise in-focus images. Whoops. Still fun.       
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Sep 11, 2011 22:44
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BobTheCow posted:I shouldn't be surprised, but it's pretty difficult to take a photo of myself essentially taking a photo. Yep. I think the problem I was having was two-fold. First I was trying to on a small body, so my hand didn't have much room. Second problem was I broke my hand not too long ago, and that position would cause it to cramp up. Just tried it again on my D7000, which has a much bigger frame than my old camera. Feels much better, thanks!
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Sep 11, 2011 23:26
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dakana posted:My buddy at WSPD said "if I was coach I would take that whole team into Savage Arena and pelt them with flags for 20 minutes"
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Sep 12, 2011 00:04
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DJExile posted:My buddy at WSPD said "if I was coach I would take that whole team into Savage Arena and pelt them with flags for 20 minutes" It's unreal. Sloppy penalties literally cost us one of the biggest upsets of the team's decade.
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Sep 12, 2011 02:22
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Haha, noticed this today. On the right is a photo on Sports Illustrated's website. On the left is mine.
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Sep 13, 2011 01:21
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dakana posted:Haha, noticed this today. On the right is a photo on Sports Illustrated's website. On the left is mine. Looks like his shot is about a second or two before your shot. Did you freak at first thinking it was yours?
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Sep 13, 2011 14:04
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I'd swear the two shots were taken within a couple tenths of a second of each other.. the SI photographer was just further up the field and got a different perspective.
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Sep 13, 2011 14:14
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I might be shooting a hockey game on Sunday, which might even be a regular paying gig. Problem is, I have never shot a hockey game, this is just an opportunity that fell into my lap and I don't want to turn it down. Any and all advice would be much appreciated! (I was told I might also have unrestricted access to anywhere, including benches) I have a D7000, 50mm 1.8, 35mm 1.8, 18-55 kit lens, cheap 55-200 (with VR) and 20mm 2.8. One of the hockey players told me they have a big camera with a big lens that can take many pictures (his words) that the stadium lets the photographer use, but who knows what that might be. Sevn fucked around with this message at 14:37 on Sep 13, 2011 |
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Sep 13, 2011 14:34
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What type of arena is it? Is it a well lit professional deal, or a dinky local rink? Because if it's a dinky local rink, be prepared to have nowhere near enough light to freeze action. You're going to be cranking up your ISO.
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Sep 13, 2011 15:12
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xzzy posted:What type of arena is it? Is it a well lit professional deal, or a dinky local rink? What lens do you suggest? It is in Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, so it might not be too small. It is definitely not pro hockey, but being in the largest city here, and one of the only pro stadiums, I think the lighting MIGHT be ok.
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Sep 13, 2011 15:35
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Hockey rinks are pretty small.. set up in the corner and your 200mm could easily capture action at the other end of the rink. However, when the action gets close, you'll want the wider angle stuff. So I'd probably lean towards the 18-55 and 55-200. Maybe take the 35mm 1.8 lense if lighting turns out to be an issue?
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Sep 13, 2011 16:14
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xzzy posted:Hockey rinks are pretty small.. set up in the corner and your 200mm could easily capture action at the other end of the rink. However, when the action gets close, you'll want the wider angle stuff. Well, I have been looking at photos from their stuff, and if the camera they loan out is the one that took all the pictures from their website, it is a 1dsmkII...... with an L lens, 70-200 2.8 I believe. Found that stadium too, looks pretty drat well lit. Here's to hoping this is my golden opportunity  Edit: There is a pretty great chance that I found the wrong user in my haphazard search of Flickr, but my D7000 should suffice either way, and will give me reason to upgrade to a 70-300 at least. Sevn fucked around with this message at 16:35 on Sep 13, 2011 |
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Sep 13, 2011 16:30
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Yeah, that sounds like a heap of fun. I know there's some guys in here that photograph a lot of hockey, I'm sure they'll turn up and chime in before long. I've only ever been able to photograph from the bleachers, getting to the benches would be good times.
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Sep 13, 2011 16:36
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xzzy posted:Yeah, that sounds like a heap of fun. I know there's some guys in here that photograph a lot of hockey, I'm sure they'll turn up and chime in before long. You rang?  Short version: Using anything slower than f/4 is pretty much useless. If it's a decently lit rink, that will help in spades. Do anything you can to get in the corner. Ideally, the glass will have portals cut into them made just for photographers. Shooting from the bench gets you some faceoffs, any shots of the coaches, and not a lot else, since action in either zone will involve players looking away from you. Plus benches are obviously crowded. I'd leave the 20mm at home, and maybe the 35 as well. If lighting is that bad, neither of those will get you anywhere near the action anyways. The 18-55 is probably also useless unless you want a wide shot somewhere. You'll probably want center or spot metering as hockey rinks are surrounded by dark seats and shadowed areas that won't help the player stand out. I've got a much bigger hockey write-up in the OP if that helps too. E: Almost forgot, W/B off the ice or (ideally) a white jersey. Auto will not work.
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Sep 13, 2011 16:50
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DJExile posted:You rang? Thanks! I will find your original post, does it have info about the 70-300 for Nikon? A little slow but can't I just push the ISO up on the D7000? It seems to handle it like a champ.
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Sep 13, 2011 17:03
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Sevn posted:Thanks! I will find your original post, does it have info about the 70-300 for Nikon? A little slow but can't I just push the ISO up on the D7000? It seems to handle it like a champ. Pushing ISO will help shutter speed (you're going to want whatever gives you 1/320 at the very least), but it won't help your focus speed, which is critical in hockey. I shoot Olympus so I can't really tell you about Nikon's 70-300, sorry 
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Sep 13, 2011 17:08
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DJExile posted:Pushing ISO will help shutter speed (you're going to want whatever gives you 1/320 at the very least), but it won't help your focus speed, which is critical in hockey. I shoot Olympus so I can't really tell you about Nikon's 70-300, sorry Thanks, your advice is definitely helpful. My D7000 focuses pretty quick with my 55-200, and the 70-300 will be a step up. I think if I start getting paid, I will buy it for sure, or I might do it anyways because I can always use it at the motorcycle track.
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Sep 13, 2011 17:25
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The Nikon 70-300 focuses really fast. It should work well.
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Sep 13, 2011 19:24
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a foolish pianist posted:The Nikon 70-300 focuses really fast. It should work well. If this is the case then yeah, that will help. The tough thing is you're just not going to be certain on a few things until you actually get there to find out what the lighting, positioning, etc, will be like for you. I'd arrive as early as you can and get some shots while teams are warming up. That'll help you figure out settings pretty quick.
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Sep 13, 2011 19:42
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DJExile posted:If this is the case then yeah, that will help. The tough thing is you're just not going to be certain on a few things until you actually get there to find out what the lighting, positioning, etc, will be like for you. I'd arrive as early as you can and get some shots while teams are warming up. That'll help you figure out settings pretty quick. As always, thanks for the advice! If what my friend told me is anything to go by, he said I would have control to go anywhere I wanted. I think I will take a few of my lenses this weekend and get a feel for it, try to meet the people who do the hiring, and then see if I need to jump on the 70-300 as soon as possible. Thanks for the advice guys, I hope to post some pictures after this next weekend.
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Sep 13, 2011 19:58
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Sevn posted:As always, thanks for the advice! If what my friend told me is anything to go by, he said I would have control to go anywhere I wanted. I think I will take a few of my lenses this weekend and get a feel for it, try to meet the people who do the hiring, and then see if I need to jump on the 70-300 as soon as possible. Ask if they have portals cut in the glass at the corners, because you do not want to try shooting through plexiglass.
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Sep 13, 2011 21:20
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DJExile posted:Ask if they have portals cut in the glass at the corners, because you do not want to try shooting through plexiglass. I have been looking at shots from the rink, and it looks like there is because their shots are pretty clear. He also said I could go to the 2nd tier and shot from there if I wanted, not sure how good that would be though.
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Sep 13, 2011 22:11
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