Bounced Flash, BBall

[DHMN69]

As I mentioned in the thread I posted of flashed BBall, there's a couple gyms that I've been able to bounce the flash instead of having to have it direct on the players. The one negative in that regard is there's more motion detected at 1/250 than with it aimed at the court. Most are at ISO 1000 F3.5 with the 24-70 F2.8

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[Bob32]

DHMN69,

Congrats on some fine action captured here. I like the facial expression on player #11 in photo #1. These shots done with bounced flash are far far better than the ones previously posted using direct flash.

Some of these photos would benefit from some judicious cropping, like lopping off most of that ref's arm in photo #1 and chopping off player #33 in photo #2.

I notice that in some of the photos the skin tones are enough on the reddish side to call for some helpful corrective action.

Bob

[Old Timer]

Super action and the bounce flash is far superior to the direct flash. Like Bob I think there is a slight reddish cast in a couple that could be handled in PP.

[dhyravy]

The reasons for the color cast and the motion blur are the same. The flash is not the dominant light source. Whether bouncing or direct the flashes should be about 2 or 3 stops over the ambient. Put another way, if you take a shot without the flash it should be very dark. When the flash is the dominant light source it will prevent color casts and also stop the action since it actually acts as pseudo shutter. Small hotshoe flashes generally don't have enough power to bounce in a gym and still provide the main light that you need. Monoblocks are the preferred tool when bouncing and even they are limited by the size of the venue.

Here's a shot using small flashes direct in a large HS gym:

[burnet44]

here is my poor attempt at using flash at basketball
I think maybe I got 2 or 3 good ones maybe

please say what you think
you will not hurt my feelings
It makes me better

thanks

PhotoReflect - First Down Photos

PhotoReflect - First Down Photos

PhotoReflect - First Down Photos

Yea I know got some wall shadows
but are any of em any good
or ecev sellable?

thanks

[RoguePix]

here is my poor attempt at using flash at basketball
I think maybe I got 2 or 3 good ones maybe

please say what you think
you will not hurt my feelings
It makes me better

thanks

PhotoReflect - First Down Photos

PhotoReflect - First Down Photos

PhotoReflect - First Down Photos

Yea I know got some wall shadows
but are any of em any good
or ecev sellable?

thanks

Hi It seems that some of the image cant be clicked. Care to fix it? As for DHMN69, the pictures where? They're great btw

[dhyravy]

@burnet44 - The lighting in the shots I looked at on your site seems to vary quite a bit from one shot to the other. The other thing I would mention is the selection of shots. The 3 main requirements for sports action shots are:
1. Face
2. Ball
3. Action
Avoid backs, butts, other players partially blocking the subject, etc. Wide shots don't really work well either except in certain circumstances. You want to work to get peak action and see the player as much as possible.

As for the lighting technique, I find that "cross lighting" one end of the court from as high up as possible works best. I try to get the flashes just behind the baseline off of each corner at one end and aim them so they cross at the free throw line. This pretty much covers that half of the court and gives pretty even light except deep in the corners.

[DHMN69]

dhyravy no offense, but the shot you posted as an example doesn't avoid backs butts and other players blocking the subject that you mention to burnet44, and really is out of focus, or maybe a really long crop.. and white balance isn't good either.

I posted a thread with some direct flash shots before this thread Some HS Basketball

[fratelli]

looks good to me.