Sport photography

mentos_007 · Nov 18, 2005

tomorrow I'm going to shoot a footbal match (soccer for Americans

). it is a big game - first league players... team from my city vs one from the capital Warsaw. And because I belong to the photo society and because I know a few people from tv, I have a special pass for photogs and bright orage vest with "FOTO" on back. So I can enter for free and take pics. what's more I can be on the "grass" so around the footbal pich, were other official photogs are.
And here's the problem: I have only my fuji s5000. I am prepared that other photogs will make fun from me, but that's not the point. Should I take my tripod there? Actually the light conditions are very good so I'll be able to take pics on f3.2 (the biggest in my cam) and quite fast time... but I'm not sure if it is fast enough to freeze the players....
when I observed other photogs shooting games, they always have tripods, but I'm not sure if it is comfortable... actually you can move, and move really fast so tripod might be a problem then. on the other hand I'm not sure about light conditions there... what would you suggest?? and of course I don't want to take too much with me...

I will also aprecciate any tips and tricks for such photography, coz I have never taken sport pictures. I read all the posts I found with "sport photography" but all what's there I already know... ... any help???

The Minty one

Digital Matt · Nov 18, 2005

Bring the tripod at least, in case you need it. What is the focal range of the lens on your Fuji? It might be difficult to get good shots if you don't have a long zoom.

santino · Nov 18, 2005

they use tripods because of their tele lenses, long focal lengths require faster shutter speeds (or no shake which tripods can give you) to get crisp images.

mentos_007 · Nov 18, 2005

after all the countings it is about 300mm so it's enough I suppose

Rob · Nov 18, 2005

Monopods are good if you have one as they are more maneuverable and portable than tripods. They're available pretty cheaply.

Rob

mentos_007 · Nov 18, 2005

I have one...

Polygon · Nov 18, 2005

robhesketh said:
Monopods are good if you have one as they are more maneuverable and portable than tripods. They're available pretty cheaply.

Rob

Still difficult to avoid camera shaking especially when whey you need to tilt the cam up or down with the monopod attached.
Or maybe it's just me having way too shaky hands.

mentos_007 · Nov 18, 2005

well I don't have shaky hands... and I don't have a heavy camera

Rob · Nov 18, 2005

Yeah, I wasn't suggesting using one with say...

Marctwo · Nov 18, 2005

If you get to the point where you have to worry about camera shake then you're probably not shooting fast enough for sport anyway.

The pro's you see with tri-pods may well be shooting with much longer focal lengths and very heavy lenses. Most likely they just don't want to stand there holding such a heavy lens in front of there face for 90 minutes.

Jeff Canes · Nov 18, 2005

Try only to shot plays/action nearest to you, maybe with in 20-35 meters, that camera has a good optical zoom, but is a little too sport at full zoom, maybe you could get some arty looking shots

Lensmeister · Nov 18, 2005

Best thing is to sit on the edge of the 6 yard box behind one of the goals ... from here you'll get a lot more action than anywhere else. Also a low vantage point is good too. if sitting on a small stool or box, this will make the player look tall and when a team get a corner you'll be able to make them look like they are really high in the sky.

Don''t foget to look at suporters once the goal is in the net ... alwys hands on heads or in the air.

Mentos ... have a look at some of my shots and you get a idea on where to sit / look.

MONOPODS are essential specially as the lighting tends to go late on. Also a good f/2.8 lens helps too. a nice zoom lens between 70-210 will be enough to get acion i from the halfway line uip to yourself on the touchline.

ASA/ISO wise a good Fuji 800 or 1600 (1600 tens to be grainy) is best it'll freeze action in the lighting. If the floodlights are good then you might get away with a 400 ISO film too.

Also a essential I always got to a game with a notebook and pen. Take a note ofthe players in the photo once you have teken it I tend to use a code e.g. if a read is in red and the others in yellow I write it thus;
R7 header Y4 Y3
or something like that. Wen you get home sometimes the action is on the camera and not in your head, this has happened many ties to me.

Goos luck and I can't wait to see your photos ... Football / Sports are a hard subject and concentration is for the whole 910 minutes and about 30 minutes either side.

OH and don't forget to wrap up warm and gloves too...

Best of luck.

photoboy15 · Nov 18, 2005

If you can handle you camera you dont need a pod. As for where to be, I always stayed by the goal and got low to the ground. More action by the goals and the low angle make the player look larger than life. I alwasy thouhgt it was a litttle more dramatic.
http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=1386340