back again C&C

soccerc

I've been lurking but not posting for the past few weeks. Didn't get out to snap much but here are a few I like as keepers from recent games.

City-Exile

I like the celebration shot, even if it does look like a moment in a bad West End musical.

AnCatDubh

I like numbers 3 & 4 best. nothing that you could do but 3 may have worked better from somewhere further to your right. (ok. I know that might be an impossibility - its not like you can say 'oh, would you mind just holding it there for a moment') I love the moment caught though. number 4 catches some nice action. where did you position yourself for numbers three / four? there are some darn fine sports shooters that 'lurk' around this forum that may have advice in this respect. good luck with the shooting.

soccerc

AnCatDubh wrote:

I like numbers 3 & 4 best. nothing that you could do but 3 may have worked better from somewhere further to your right. (ok. I know that might be an impossibility - its not like you can say 'oh, would you mind just holding it there for a moment') I love the moment caught though. number 4 catches some nice action. where did you position yourself for numbers three / four? there are some darn fine sports shooters that 'lurk' around this forum that may have advice in this respect. good luck with the shooting.

Thanks


That's the thing with sports snapping, it's a moment in time caught with no second chances.

I tend to move around the pitch.

I posted no 2 as I saw the two static spectators as almost inanimate against the players as the await the ball to reach them.

Valentia

Good, crisp, clean shots. I'd try to get a shallower depth of field though. The backgrounds are too distinct and the subjects are not separated enough from them. A wide aperture will sort that out. f2.8 if you have it otherwise f4 at the most.

soccerc

Valentia wrote:

Good, crisp, clean shots. I'd try to get a shallower depth of field though. The backgrounds are too distinct and the subjects are not separated enough from them. A wide aperture will sort that out. f2.8 if you have it otherwise f4 at the most.

Maybe it's me but I found that the wider aperture shots tended to be over exposed even at 1/800 to 1/1000 and an iso of 200.

Again, it's something I'll have to work on but appreciate the c&c

Valentia

thimblefull wrote:

Maybe it's me but I found that the wider aperture shots tended to be over exposed even at 1/800 to 1/1000 and an iso of 200.

Again, it's something I'll have to work on but appreciate the c&c

That shouldn't happen really. Try manual. Set the camera at a wide aperture and take a reading from your hand in the same light that the subjects of your shots are going to be in. This will give you the shutter speed. You could adjust the speed up by one stop ( say it gives 800/sec from the reading set it to 1600/sec). Provided the light doesn't change you can just concentrate then on the composition and focusing. If the light changes take another reading and adjust accordingly. But always try and use the widest aperture you have. Look at any photos in the paper, nearly all of them have the background completely out of focus. Most of us can't afford a 300mm 2.8 lens though some here can

magicbastarder

desaturation is one way of lessening the impact of a distracting background.

Valentia

magicbastarder wrote:

desaturation is one way of lessening the impact of a distracting background.

Yeah? Haven't seen that used much I have to say by the pros. Sounds like it would distract me more.

soccerc

Valentia wrote:

Most of us can't afford a 300mm 2.8 lens though some here can

Ouch:D

Valentia wrote:

Try manual. Set the camera at a wide aperture and take a reading from your hand in the same light that the subjects of your shots are going to be in. This will give you the shutter speed. You could adjust the speed up by one stop ( say it gives 800/sec from the reading set it to 1600/sec). Provided the light doesn't change you can just concentrate then on the composition and focusing. If the light changes take another reading and adjust accordingly.

Generally I use manual settings with a wide open aperture and work the stops up from that until there is a clean shot that is not overexposed.

As I said I am on a learning curve and all c&c is welcomed and hope to accompany/shadow an award winning sports photographer in the coming weeks.

Edit:Just looked at the exif from those shots and noticed I left the framing on single area from a paid job.

Valentia

thimblefull wrote:

Generally I use manual settings with a wide open aperture and work the stops up from that until there is a clean shot that is not overexposed.

Ah! I see. Then don't touch the stops. Change the shutter speed instead.

What do you mean when you say "left the framing on single area"?

soccerc

Valentia wrote:

Ah! I see. Then don't touch the stops. Change the shutter speed instead.

What do you mean when you say "left the framing on single area"?

Nikon I believe call this Dynamic area AF with closest subject priority on the d200 a

leinsterman

Yep Valentia is right ... you need to set the lowest aperture you have and then use ISO to keep the shutter speed to at least 2 times the lens focal length for the light conditions you are encountering (remembering to multiply by your camera's crop factor) ...

The other thing that is useful is knowing the distance to subject when you get your best shots (at narrowest dept of field) ... watch for the action to come into this area ... track your subjects with your AF servo as they approach a fire off a burst once they move into the sweet spot.

I know the experts say use Tv for sport but I find myself using Av so I know the aperture is not changing ...
during daytime with my lens at 400mm this often means ISO needs to be as high as 800 ... though 200-400 is generally OK ... I suppose with M you are getting this but if the light changes in mid shot sequence you won't have time meter to readjust ...

You also need to get a monopod for your long lens ... otherwise you will have increased problems with shake ...

I aslo use a 70-200 on a second camera body for when the action get close to me ...

magicbastarder

Valentia wrote:

Yeah? Haven't seen that used much I have to say by the pros. Sounds like it would distract me more.

they'd use massive lenses to get rid of a distracting background.
if there's anything colourful in the background, it can be distracting. desaturation can help. doesn't work on all shots, mind.

Valentia

magicbastarder wrote:

they'd use massive lenses to get rid of a distracting background.
if there's anything colourful in the background, it can be distracting. desaturation can help. doesn't work on all shots, mind.

Ah, no. You don't need massive lenses to get rid of the background. Where did you get that notion from? You just need a good wide aperture. Yoy need a massive lens if you want to get really close and have a blurred background. Most can get by very well a good 70-200 2.8.

There are loads of photos with OOF backgrounds on my Flickr that were not taken with massive lenses. These two for example which are action shots of sorts.

AnCatDubh

very nice valentia - the subject (bird) completely stands out from the background.

City-Exile

Stop showing off!

Fionn

the first shot looks slightly dark -or maybe it's me or my monitor, just looks like it could do with a bit more exposure.
Yeah i'd agree with the guys about the OOF backgrounds makes the subject stand out much better.
overall good clean shots well done

oh! Danny?

i thought the 70 -200 f2.8 WAS a massive lens!!!

Valentia

Fionn wrote:

the first shot looks slightly dark -or maybe it's me or my monitor,;)

It's your monitor FFS

magicbastarder

Valentia wrote:

Ah, no. You don't need massive lenses to get rid of the background. Where did you get that notion from? You just need a good wide aperture.

i was talking in the context of sport, and the big lenses used there. long lens + wide aperture = massive lens.

City-Exile

Think someone needs a new monitor. I'm browsing the forum on my phone and the images are bright & clear.

soccerc

Very embarrassed:o

I went out today to shoot some pics based on the advice of Leinsterman and Valentia and they still looked poor.

It then hit me that it could be a lens setting (I had done something similar previously) and lo and behold it was my stupidity as I had inadvertently depressed one of ae/af lock buttons.

Thanks to all for the excellent advice and next time (tonight) I'll try and remember to check everything first.:o .