Football photography anyone? Sun 14th, Tolka Park

Paulw

Ok, I've been asked to cover a game this Sunday (14th Dec) in Tolka Park, 2pm kickoff. It's a benefit game. More details here.

Anyway, if anyone is interested, please feel free to come along. It might be good experience for anyone interested in trying some sports photography, in Tolka Park.

davenewt

Always wanted to give it a shot, shame I only have a 450D with the kit lens and 50mm 1.4... but no zoom... :-( Wonder if it'd be worth my while having a go anyway?

AnimalRights

Not sure if I can make this as in work later but...would you have to make arrangements ahead of the game top sit at pitchside or can you just turn up on the day with the Cam?

Arciphel

Sounds good, will have to swing over for this.

AnimalRights

Hah! looking at their results/fixtures this season they've actually played a team called Aston Village!

Paulw

davenewt wrote: »

Always wanted to give it a shot, shame I only have a 450D with the kit lens and 50mm 1.4... but no zoom... :-( Wonder if it'd be worth my while having a go anyway?

50mm and kit lens mightn't be of much use, but I could possibly let you borrow a 100-400mm lens for the game?

Paulw

AnimalRights wrote: »

Not sure if I can make this as in work later but...would you have to make arrangements ahead of the game top sit at pitchside or can you just turn up on the day with the Cam?

The only arrangement would be to let me know if you plan to attend. I need to let the club know that I'll be bringing 3-4 other photographers.

They may even get more photographers at this match than Shelbourne normally get for an FAI League game.

davenewt

Paulw wrote: »

50mm and kit lens mightn't be of much use, but I could possibly let you borrow a 100-400mm lens for the game?

Thanks so much for the offer Paul. Need to find out if I'm free on Sunday, hope so... will drop you a note later to let you know for definite. Thanks again!

City-Exile

Beware of harsh winter sun and shadows in Tolka Park.
It's a nightmare of a place to shoot!
Anyone who has never covered sport, but intends to travel to this, make sure you wrap up really warm and bring wet gear.

In football, the game is the most important thing, so don't cause an obstruction and always obey officials.

Tolka Park has a tight pitch, so don't sit on the line that the assistant referee is running.

davenewt

davenewt wrote: »

Need to find out if I'm free on Sunday

Listen to me. Free on Sunday? I'm not even in the country on Sunday. Sorry Paul, but thanks again for the heads up and offer of a lens... some other time maybe!

Back in my box...

Paulw

Not a problem.

Well, if anyone else is interested, they're welcome to come along, and I'll have a few lenses that you can try.

Kazujo

I'd be interested in going. I just upgraded to a 40D so it'll be good to try something new with it.

acquiescefc

I would be keen to try this out(freeze my nuts off).
Might not have the best lenses for this, except 18-200 VR for my D300 or an old cheap 70-300.
Saving up for the 2.8

Paulw

Well, for Tolka, you can get away with 200mm. You're right at the pitch. Your lenses should be fine for it.

The game will give people some experience shooting football from right at pitchside.

Things to bring - warm cloths, hat, gloves, something to sit on (plastic bag or little stool/seat), and your camera gear.

It's not a big game and it's a charity event.

City-Exile

Paul, how about you give people an assignment?
Ask them to get a certain few shots and submit them after the game (Before Monday night).
Just to give the feel of actually covering the game with a purpose.

Borderfox

Sounds good Paul,
if you have room I would love to shoot in a dingy place like Tolka Park

Paulw

City-Exile wrote: »

Paul, how about you give people an assignment?
Ask them to get a certain few shots and submit them after the game (Before Monday night).
Just to give the feel of actually covering the game with a purpose.

Already had that in mind. Depending on how many turn up. Was hoping to have 4 people (myself included). One to take each corner of the pitch, and just cover their quarter of the pitch. That should be good coverage.

You'd also get a good cross cover of the box, and any goal shots.

Obviously gear and experience will differ, but being in the right place to catch a special moment can matter more.

I've a good relationship with the club (they play in the park outside my place), so I go out and watch them (and take photos) any time I can. They're a good bunch of lads, and a laugh.

I'd love to see what results people can get. At the end of the day, there is no pressure on anyone (except me) to get good images. The club are delighted to get more photographers, and may be prepared to buy some prints (no promises though).

Maybe on Monday we can each post 1 or 2 images from the game, and have a boards vote - best photo and I'll buy the winner 2 pints (come on, there's a recession on out there now). Or maybe just have 3 selected boards shooters to judge the images??

AnimalRights

City-Exile wrote: »

Paul, how about you give people an assignment?
Ask them to get a certain few shots and submit them after the game (Before Monday night).
Just to give the feel of actually covering the game with a purpose.

When you say submit I'm not sure what you mean, Pros do have laptops with them, I won't have any laptop with me but I am fairly quick at PPing as when I do gig photos I normally do a fair few in 1 sitting.
Also at this game I will be shooting in predict and not burst so I would imagine that would save me time too.
Also Borderfox is a pro he should be disqualified.

AnimalRights

Paulw wrote: »

Already had that in mind. Depending on how many turn up. Was hoping to have 4 people (myself included). One to take each corner of the pitch, and just cover their quarter of the pitch. That should be good coverage.

Fantastic idea.

Paulw

Borderfox wrote: »

Sounds good Paul,
if you have room I would love to shoot in a dingy place like Tolka Park

Loads of room ... not sure how many photographers Tolka is used to getting (4-5 I'd guess), so for this little charity game, we may have more photographers than Shels are used to seeing.

It's a fun event and can be used by anyone to try their hand at football photography, with no pressure.

Paulw

AnimalRights wrote: »

When you say submit I'm not sure what you mean, Pros do have laptops with them, I won't have any laptop with me but I am fairly quick at PPing as when I do gig photos I normally do a fair few in 1 sitting.
Also at this game I will be shooting in predict and not burst so I would imagine that would save me time too.
Also Borderfox is a pro he should be disqualified.

LOL.

By submit, I gather he means post to flickr/pix sometime Monday. I won't be bringing a laptop with me, and will PP when I get home later that evening.

As for Borderfox being a pro, I'd nearly bet that you've been to more football matches than he. LOL

City-Exile

AnimalRights wrote: »

When you say submit I'm not sure what you mean ...

I mean people go home, pick out their best shots, which are within the brief assigned by Paul and then post them on pix.ie, flickr, or wherever, before Monday night.

It would obviously just be a bit of fun, but we could have a thread here, with a collection of the results. People could then compare and learn from each other.

AnimalRights

Paulw wrote: »

LOL.

By submit, I gather he means post to flickr/pix sometime Monday. I won't be bringing a laptop with me, and will PP when I get home later that evening.

As for Borderfox being a pro, I'd nearly bet that you've been to more football matches than he. LOL

A) Well I had to doublecheck like didn't I?

Good point, I forgot as your website put it ever so well "A knowledge of the game helps"

challengemaster

hmm.. might be a nice way to break in the 5D.. now if only i had more than one battery >_< and eh, knew how to get there :pac:

AnimalRights

Why would you need more than 1 battery?
My 40D battery has never ran out in such a short time, just as well as I only have 1. :pac:

City-Exile

Challengemaster, do you know where Drumcondra is?
Well there's a bridge on the main road out to the airport and it crosses the river Tolka.
The stadium is a short walk from that bridge.
If you can find Fagan's pub, Bertie Ahern's local, then you'll find the ground from there.

challengemaster

City-Exile wrote: »

Challengemaster, do you know where Drumcondra is?
Well there's a bridge on the main road out to the airport and it crosses the river Tolka.
The stadium is a short walk from that bridge.
If you can find Fagan's pub, Bertie Ahern's local, then you'll find the ground from there.

TBH, I've no idea where I'm going once I get into Dublin :pac:

I just tend to wander around and hope I find somewhere that looks familiar.. Next year will be _so_ fun :eek:

Animal Rights wrote:

Why would you need more than 1 battery?
My 40D battery has never ran out in such a short time, just as well as I only have 1.

Tbh, Haven't really a clue how good the 5D batteries are yet.. and I really never like chancing things I did have 6 batteries for my 400D like!

AnimalRights

If you get to the Ilac centre for 1ish I can pick you up and drive from there.
I can pm my phone number.

challengemaster

AnimalRights wrote: »

If you get to the Ilac centre for 1ish I can pick you up and drive from there.
I can pm my phone number.

Cool.

Paulw

1 battery should be plenty, depending on how many photos you plan to take.

Here's Tolka Park on google -

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=53.3674556788,+-6.25185445337&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=30.406222,79.101563&ie=UTF8&ll=53.368863,-6.251864&spn=0.011164,0.038624&z=15&g=53.3674556788,+-6.25185445337&iwloc=addr


Anyone wants to drop me a PM, I'll give them my number, though I doubt there will be any issues getting in. I've already told the club that I'll be bringing a few photographers.

whyulittle

If I could re-iterate one piece of advice already given. Do bring a little fold up stool, or wet gear to sit directly on the ground. Apart from making your shots look better, the advertising hoardings will block you from the wind, and as most of you probably don't have a monopod, it will help not have your arms hanging off you by the end.

Dodgykeeper

The advertising hoardings in Tolka Park are on the wall that surrounds the pitch!

whyulittle

Yeah, where else would they be? The guys are going to be inside the wall, pitchside. Now if the wind (if there is any) is blowing down the pitch into your face, the wall is of no use.

Dodgykeeper

whyulittle wrote: »

the advertising hoardings will block you from the wind, .

Sorry i was under the impression that you were suggesting being behind the hoardings like in Croker, which would be impossible in Tolka as thats the walway in front of stands!

whyulittle

Dodgykeeper wrote: »

Sorry i was under the impression that you were suggesting being behind the hoardings like in Croker, which would be impossible in Tolka as thats the walway in front of stands!

I know.

Dodgykeeper

I have never shot in Tolka and think it would be quite dangerous the gap between sideline and Pitch is very small, I remember nearly being cut in too by Eoin Heary in a sliding tackle and I was on the bench!

acquiescefc

Can i have the corner without the wind!! : )

Followin this thread, i just got day job and year end stuff to do.

Would love the experience, been to Hillsborough many times and never thought of camera angles much to be honest.

Paulw

acquiescefc wrote: »

Can i have the corner without the wind!! : )

Would love the experience, been to Hillsborough many times and never thought of camera angles much to be honest.

I'll have first choice of corners, thank you!!! :eek:

Position is very important. For anyone who's never shot football before, I can give a few pointers.

Again, wrap up warm !!!! And bring something to sit on (plastic bag, all weather trousers, small seat, etc).

Ricky91t

Sounds good hopefully will see some nice shots up here...I'm sure one battery in the 5D will cover the event..I could easily get 400 pics off my 300D...And thats only 3fps too sowith the upgraded technology since then it should be fine...

Borderfox

I have extra batteries for a 5d/40d if anybody wants to use one

challengemaster

Cheers Borderfox, If I run into difficulty I'll ask

soccerc

There are limited spots in Tolka for snapping with only really two good positions.

Of those one is weather dependent in that if Sunday is a sunny day then it is the best spot to photograph from.

As Dodgykeeper said earlier, the pitch is very tight to the wall and bear in mind city- exiles observation of the assistant referee.(May not be in use as the game is a charity event).

If the day is overcast and they don't turn on the floodlights then getting sharp action freeeze images may not be possible above 2.8.

For those not used to sports snapping try not to use auto settings. This is a great opportunity to learn how to use your camera on manual, if confident enough, or aperture priority.

Wrap up well, 90 mins can feel like a long time on a cold day, bring something to sit on and if possible a monopod.

Good luck and I look forward to seeing the results

City-Exile

Paulw wrote: »

I'll have first choice of corners, thank you!!! :eek:

Since you're covering the game, shouldn't you be around the half-way line?
Depends what you're looking for, I guess.

Borderfox

Crap light and freezing my ass off, a walk in the park for me!!

Paulw

City-Exile wrote: »

Since you're covering the game, shouldn't you be around the half-way line?
Depends what you're looking for, I guess.

Well, it's the same club playing both teams - Sat team Vs Sun team. Since I'm covering both normally, I'll just pick a spot and stay there.

Actually, I know where I'll probably sit, but will see on the day.

City-Exile

The halfway line, on the Riverside Stand, facing the Richmond Road Stand?

Paulw

Due to the weather a number of games have been cancelled for the weekend.

No news yet on this Sunday game, but make sure to check the Phoenix Rovers website, just in case it's cancelled.

Hopefully it'll still go ahead.

Paulw

Just had a call, that there will be a 10am pitch inspection tomorrow morning. This morning (due to weather yesterday), the pitch was unplayable. However, at 4pm, it was deemed 50/50 for the game to go ahead tomorrow.

As soon as I hear anything, I'll update.

whyulittle

Weather is supposed to be good tomorrow. Cold but clear.

Kazujo

Hopefully it'll stay dry tonight

Borderfox

Hi Paul,
I wont be able to make it tomorrow, work calls so I must answer. Thanks for organising though and hope it goes ahead. Have fun