Friday night football

[fidgety]

First game of the high school season. Back to poor lighting and high ISOs.

[sgriggs2006]

Chris, as usual, I always follow your night football shots...I am trying new techniques which I believe mirror yours but am still getting used to it...(Manual mode Using 800-1100 ISO, Shutter of around 1/250 and f2.8 w/ a manual flash at usually 1/8)....still am not getting these type-quality shots...would you mind if I posted some for you to look at?
cheers,
sue.

[fidgety]

Chris, as usual, I always follow your night football shots...I am trying new techniques which I believe mirror yours but am still getting used to it...(Manual mode Using 800-1100 ISO, Shutter of around 1/250 and f2.8 w/ a manual flash at usually 1/8)....still am not getting these type-quality shots...would you mind if I posted some for you to look at?
cheers,
sue.

Sure, would love to see them. Also, I've been shooting with my flash at ETTL lately and have been happy with the results.

[sgriggs2006]

Chris, not sure if I should have started a new thread or post these on yours...hope this is ok?
The majority of these are shot w/ the Nikon D700, ISO 1100, SB-900 flash (manual 1/8) and around 1/250 and f2.8 on my 70-200. Any input...they are just not as up to par as yours are....I'm not good enough to manually switch my exposure if the action is right on top of me...More worried w/ getting out of the way... in really studying these, I think they are really blown...I'm using my settings that seem to be good in the middle of the field, but then I really notice that the majority of my good action shots are the ones that are blown...Maybe I need to forget the midfield shots and expose for the action closer to me?
thanks.
sue.

[DHMN69]

Chris, not sure if I should have started a new thread or post these on yours...hope this is ok?

Don't forget to straighten your horizons so they're not running uphill or downhill

There's a flash technique I haven't been able to try yet, where you clamp the flash a couple feet under your camera body on your monopod and the examples of it look really promising while not overly complicated if you have the equipment.

[SmartWombat]

Ah, and that gets the light under the helmet so you can see the eyes?

[fidgety]

Ah, and that gets the light under the helmet so you can see the eyes?

I've read up on putting the flash over or under the camera and from the examples I've seen it looks better raised over the camera versus under.

[SmartWombat]

Certainly more natural, I assume that's why old horror movie (baddie) closeups were lit from below the chin.

[fidgety]

Susna,

You may want to lower your ISO as your just blowing these images out. The settings you are currently using may be alright if the play is further away from you but when you're this close there is too much flash. Try shooting at ISo 800 or bringing your flash down even more. Also, I think you need to steady your camera a bit more as you're getting shake and that's blurring your images. At 1/250 and with flash you should be able to stop the action sufficiently so that you don't get any blurring.

[sgriggs2006]

Ok, so that blurring is coming from ME vs. my settings? Ok, now THAT I can work on...I just couldn't figure out what was going on w/ that...THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!

And, I will lower the ISO...I was trying to get into the habit on Friday night to flip my fstop up a stop (to 3.2) as the action was coming towards me...Easy enough to do w/ my front wheel....but I wasn't doing such a good job.

I think you are right..Since my action shot keepers tend to be close to me, I need to dial down my exposure a bit to get those shots accurately exposed , instead of the midfield shots that I invariably don't like anyway....

THANKS!!

[fidgety]

You're going to have a difficult time getting good snaps at midfield with a 80-200 lens but since you're setting your camera and flash for midfield action, when it gets close to you it gets overexposed. When shooting nighttime football you're going to have to constantly keep changing your settings depending on where the action is, color of uniforms, etc. Keep experimenting and definitely keep your camera still.

[DHMN69]

Ok, so that blurring is coming from ME vs. my settings? Ok, now THAT I can work on...I just couldn't figure out what was going on w/ that...THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!

THANKS!!

Are you using a monopod? It'll help the shake/steadiness situation, especially as the game gets into the later quarters vs if you've been carrying the camera handheld and will have tired arms etc.

[sgriggs2006]

I have shied away from using a monopod, but am going to take it to this weeks games...you guys have made a believer out of me!
THANKS!!!!!!!
s

[DHMN69]

A monopod makes it a lot easier moving the equipment around... just *NEVER* use a tripod when shooting on the field.. that can lead to big trouble (lack of mobility) if the play comes your way.

[sgriggs2006]

Actually the perception of lack of mobility w/ the mono was what was keeping me from trying it....I've only used the mono for wildlife shots, and sometimes I trip myself up w/ that!! This weeks game will be a good one to practice on...Thanks for everyone's help!!
sue

[DHMN69]

I shoot with BOTH eyes open too... especially when the offense is on the hashmark closest my sideline.. anything to keep myself from getting run over

[fidgety]

Actually the perception of lack of mobility w/ the mono was what was keeping me from trying it....I've only used the mono for wildlife shots, and sometimes I trip myself up w/ that!! This weeks game will be a good one to practice on...Thanks for everyone's help!!
sue

I personally don't think you need a monopod with a 80-200 lense and that it will hinder mobility. You mentioned earlier that when the play is coming at you you have had a tendency to get nervous about getting run over (don't worry, we all fear that) so you might not be keeping your camera and lense stable since you're getting ready to bail.Try cradling the lens by keeping your left hand underneath it and tucking your left elbow into your rib cage.
Also, are the team(s) you are covering a team where you have a son playing or it's your home team? It may seem goofy but I think there are some shooters covering these types of games that have a tendency to get a tad nervous since they are cheering for the team they are shooting and that excitement causes them to be a bit jittery when they are shooting. That theory may be baloney but I'd bet that was the case in the slightly blurry snaps of homer-shooters I've seen over the years. This may seem even more goofy but when shooting don't get caught up in the excitement of the game. Take some deep breaths, concentrate on the action and anticpate what may happen next and look to get the best shots you can. Hope that helps.

[DHMN69]

I use the monopod because of the added weight of of the flash myself... carrying the camera around for an entire game WITH that extra makes a difference at least to me..

[sgriggs2006]

Chris, you are too funny....I forget sometimes that I"m looking at the action through my 200mm of the lens, and think "I'm about to get crammed" and then I pull the camera down and they are still ages away from me.
Also, your comment about the hometeam jitters is a good one, but alas, not applicable to me...Its so funny. I am SO intent on the photography side of things that sometimes I forget the score, or who has the ball at the snap. I definitely don't get too worked up about the game unless someone gets hurt....then its prayer time until they get off the field.
And, I think that I do get tired lugging that D700 w the lens and that flash....And, my orthopedic dr. would probably appreciate the reduced stress on my neck...but that is a post for another time. Its not that I hang anything on my neck, but C-7 and fascia/muscles has some terrible pain after a night of shooting football....
cheers,
sue.

[fidgety]

Chris, you are too funny....I forget sometimes that I"m looking at the action through my 200mm of the lens, and think "I'm about to get crammed" and then I pull the camera down and they are still ages away from me.
Also, your comment about the hometeam jitters is a good one, but alas, not applicable to me...Its so funny. I am SO intent on the photography side of things that sometimes I forget the score, or who has the ball at the snap. I definitely don't get too worked up about the game unless someone gets hurt....then its prayer time until they get off the field.
And, I think that I do get tired lugging that D700 w the lens and that flash....And, my orthopedic dr. would probably appreciate the reduced stress on my neck...but that is a post for another time. Its not that I hang anything on my neck, but C-7 and fascia/muscles has some terrible pain after a night of shooting football....
cheers,
sue.

I've never put a camera around my neck as I don't want to get the neck cramps you mention. If I'm using one camera with a 70-200 on it I wrap the strap around my wrist a cpouple of times for stability them let it hang from my side with my arns down so they can get some rest between plays. I then bring it up with both hands to avoid straining one arm.

If I'm shooting with the 300 and a 70-200 I keep the 300 on a monopod and let the 70-200 hang on my shoulder. That way if a play comes close I can spin the 300 around and let it rest over my left shoulder and then bring the 70-200 up to get the shot. It can be a tricky to get used to but it works for me.

Besides, if your neck gets sore that's what your significant other is for - to rub your neck every night!