Volleyball Tips

[depack]

I cannot believe it is time for me to start shooting high school sports again. I am going to try and shoot some volleyball pictures but I have never done this. I could really use some advice on what to set the camera at. Thanks

[dhyravy]

It would help to have some info on what camera/lenses/etc you have. Generally though, you will need fast glass (ie f2.8 or faster lens(es) and if it's possible to use flash at all, you would probably need to have it off-camera which requires some type of triggering device. Most HS gyms are dungeons and getting any kind of shutter speed fast enough to prevent motion blur is a challenge to say the least. Many use f1.8 or lower prime lenses such as a 50mm or 85mm in these conditions when no flash is permitted or available.

As far as general camera settings, you'll need to shoot at or near the widest aperture you have, (f2.8 or lower would be best if you have a lens that fast) shutter speed of 1/250 or higher, (I prefer 1/320 to 1/400) and ISO of 800 or higher depending on the lighting. If this all sounds like manual settings, it is. A, S, or P modes give spotty results at best and are not consistent for indoor or night sports so if you haven't played with your manual settings this would be a good time to start.

[depack]

Sorry, I didn't give more information. I have a Nikon D50 and will be using a 80-200mm zoom lens. I doubt if any flash could be used.. Your information was very helpful even though I didn't give you much to go on. I'm writing down the settings so I don't forget in the future. Thanks a lot!!::thumbsup:

[JSPhoto]

depack,

Most likely you cannot use flash for volleyball, but check your state athletic associations website for flash rules and if needed email the commissioner in charge of the specific sport, they will tell you whats allowed and what isn't.

Any time shooting in a gym and you don't have enough light do the following:
1: remove the hood from the lens, that will help some
2: get up higher and shoot down to get light reflecting off the floor
3: in rare occasions you will get your best light if you are right on the floor (I have found one gym like that)

I tried it, a 50mm won't work, unless you prefocus, which doesn't work for VB because of the constant movement.

Since you have a D50 your limited on how high you can go ISO wise. The gyms I shoot in you need anywhere from 800 to 1600 iso and get a shutter of 1/160 to 400.
Most gyms you can use AWB, but some you need to use manual AWB to get the color correct. Some you actually need to have additional WB settings to get the color correct but I do not think the Nikons have the color settings that some have.
Since the Sigma doesn't have the Nikon VR you may need to practice a lot to get a sharp shot at 1/160,,,, it depends on your technique.

JS

[depack]

Thanks for the tips, they are very helpful to me.:thumbsup:
Hopefully, I will get one good picture since this is my first time doing volleyball.

[JSPhoto]

No problem depack, but I am blaming you for tonights assignment, volleyball at the dingiest gym in the county .... thanks!
Oh well, it could be worse, it could be held at the school across the street and then I'd need strobes just to get around the gym :mad2: that place is worse than a dungeon, but fortunately I no longer have to shoot there the "newbies" get that job :thumbsup:

The worst thing shooting at this gym tonight is the lights are so odd that you have to manually adjust the color to get it close.

Good luck with your shoot and show us some of what you get.

JS

[troper]

I too just purchased a new digital camera - Cannon EOS Rebel XTI with EF 70-300 MM f/4-5.6 IS USM lense. I used it tonight at a high school volleyball game and tried lots of combinations in auto mode and P mode. I can really use some help if manual mode is the best option....THANKS

[JSPhoto]

I too just purchased a new digital camera - Cannon EOS Rebel XTI with EF 70-300 MM f/4-5.6 IS USM lense. I used it tonight at a high school volleyball game and tried lots of combinations in auto mode and P mode. I can really use some help if manual mode is the best option....THANKS

Well the first thing you need is an f2.8 lens, the f4 and up lenses are just too slow for indoor use without a flash, and then you won't get the best out of the gear. Most places do not allow flash at volleyball games so thats out. Some will let you use flash but you need the permission of the home school AD or rep if they are not there AND both coaches.

Here is one from tonight taken at f2.8 shutter 1/320 and ISO 1600
Note: I did not reduce the noise in it.

[JSPhoto]

No update tonight...they gave me the WRONG date for the game (:

So now it's tomorrow night.....

JS

[depack]

Oh my, talk about dark gyms!!! I think this is the darkest gym ever. Not only were these my first volleyball pictures, it was so dark I really struggled trying to get any thing to work. I started with my 200mm f2.8 at 1600 ISO and tried to get it to 350-500 shutter. Then I used my 50mm f1.8 that was better but couldn't get close ups. I wasn't sure where to stand to take shots so I ended up standing about 5 rows up behind the bench. If anyone can help me with suggestions or maybe a lens change I would love the help....I am very frustrated, since I thought after last year taking high school pictures I would be somewhat better not worse. I feel like I took big steps backward.:mad2:

[JSPhoto]

lol, that gyms the same as the one I shot at Tuesday, dark! The shot I have below was in a gym thats just as dark, but shot at 1/200....

BUT! I noticed right away you didn't do one thing I told you do, and that would have made a huge difference.... SHUTTER SPEED! You are way off, you need to be around 200 NOT 350 and up. You have to slow the shutter to get more light in.
As for location to stand, I move around, anywhere I won't block the paying spectators, even sitting on the floor near the court, but not too close, and make sure you can get out of the way, you don't want to injure a player or get hurt yourself.
I like shooting from the ends as well, some of my best shots have come from there. Another good spot is by the officials stand, one of your shots shows a nice empty area to lhe left of the officials stand and from there you csn get net action and diving shots on both sides of the court. Yesterday, because of the way the school had things set up I spent part of the time behind the benches, but I had to shoot both teams which made things a bit tougher as well as a lot more work. You can also get higher to get more light and then crop them.

Post processing: Use PS or Elements to get the lighting and colors better. I notice in your shots posted the color is different from each area you shot at. Thats due to the lighting and each time you move you need to adjust the WB for that area.

I don't know if your camera has a histogram but if it does use it to make adjustments, On mine it has a regular histogram and then one showing a color histogram so I can adjust that as well by changing blue, green, magenta or red which really helps at the dungeon I was in.

Hope that helps!
JS

[depack]

Thanks so much for the help JS, there is so much to remember when shooting. I wrote your suggestions down in my notes so next time I should do better.(lol). At 200 though, isn't there going to be a lot of blurriness? If I go to that same gym for basketball, then I get brighter blurry, correct?? I don't have a color histogram so I will just have to practice with changing WB. Thanks for the tips on where to stand. Since it was my first time, I needed help on where to go. I think I was more concerned about the lighting than where I was.
My last question is I have Coral Paint Shop Pro Photo to edit my pictures. Is Elements really that much better?
Thanks again, I'm sure I will be back with lots more questions!!!:idea:

[JSPhoto]

In that gym you will probably have motion blurr, it's OK, you have no choice without using strobes. As you saw in my photos in this thread and the other there isn't too much motion blurr if you time it right. You have more shutter lag and will have to shoot sooner to get the ball on the fingers/hand though.
I stand about 2 to 3 feet off the line so the girls and I both have room to escape if needed.

As for what program is better, I don't know as I havn't used Corel in years.

JS

[dhyravy]

depack,
Looking at your shots, it would help to set a Custom WB. You can do this with an 18% gray card or even a piece of white photo paper. Read up in your manual how to set it. Also, JS is correct that position is relative to the action however if you are shooting down at the players you may get some help from light reflected off of the floor. Another thing that will help is using a little exposure compensation. At least +1 to help keep the shutter speeds decent. Good luck and keep shooting!!

[depack]

Thanks Daniel for the help. I wrote your suggestions down in my notebook and will try them at my next game.

[Sherwood]

Hey guys. Thanks for all the great info. I've been gleaning from the comments and suggestions. I too need to get a faster lens for some of these caves that we shoot in.:aureola:

[daoliv]

I love shooting VB. Working on getting just right. Once I get enough posts I want to show some of my picture for critique.

David

[ruosis]

nice work! the tips are useful! thanks!

[Old Timer]

I rarely shoot VB but I did get a couple this week in the dungeon they call a gym here.

[daoliv]

Here are a couple of more shots.

[DHMN69]

Almost every school in my area has removed the old sodium bulbs and gone fluorescent and that's made a huge improvement for shooting. Tuesday I ended up in what I believe is the last remaining dungeon at a local reservation/tribal high school.

Everywhere else I can get at least 1/500 from ISO 3200 on the 7D and a little work with Neat Image to clean up noise. I didn't put the above mentioned on my website, it was a one time thing there. Tonight was one of the darker gyms with fluorescent bulbs at ISO 4000 instead, tried a bunch of different spots because they had bulbs burned out all over.

One angle I see pictures at a lot that I'd never really tried, but this gym offered a balcony to make an attempt. Would like to have tried more from there but the bleachers are up to a railing up there and it's hard to get people to sit in front!


As for volleyball 'Tips' ... I find the AF-ON is a huge benefit with volleyball, finding the setter and swinging over to the player who's attempting the kill.