Any tips for shooting aquatics?

[Nikanon]

My oldest daughter is a freshman in high school and made the aquatics team. Her first meet is in 2 weeks so I want to take some really good pics of her swimming in the water. Does anybody here have experience in taking these kind of photos that can give me some good tips/techniques?

I will be shooting with a Nikon D7000 & Nikon 70-200 2.8 VRII. The start time of her meet will be @3:00pm outdoors. Is the setup I am using OK to take some good photos or will I need a different lens or anything else that will get good results? All comments are welcomed and Thanks in advance!

 

[Snowtographer]

When I used to shoot high school waterpolo games, I found the most important thing was to make sure that I had the sun in the right place. You're dealing with pretty low angle light during that time this time of year, and you can get NASTY reflections off the water, especially off the peaks of waves. Using the "clock" system, I would try to get the sun to be at around 2:00-2:30 or 9:30-10. I always got the best results with the sun shining slightly at me, but mostly across the frame. Shooting into the sun never gave me anything I wanted, and shooting with the sun behind me just caused a ton of reflections. Afternoon sun and choppy water can make for lots of ruined pictures. I don't know how your pool is oriented, so that might be useless info to you. Some people with more experience with water may have a better way of doing things, but in my experience, that was the best way to cut down on glare and keep faces recognizable.

A polarizing filter might help, but I really have never had a use for one and don't have any experience.

As far as settings, I would shoot on shutter priority and then set the shutter for the right amount of blur. I like action pictures to look dynamic, and you really lose a lot of that if you don't have enough blur.

Don't worry about buying any more gear, you've got a good fast lens with lots of reach.

 

[imagemaker46]

I'm assuming that she is swimming and not playing water polo. I really can say honestly that I don't know where the sun will be at that time of day in that part of the country. What I do know, if she is swimming, it all depends on which lane she is in, which side of the pool you are on, and where you are shooting from. If you have complete access to the pool deck and she is swimming the fly, breast or back the best best pictures are from the end of the pool, if she is swimming free, side only. If you are comfortable and know how to use your camera on manual, use it. You are shooting outside, if it is sunny, it is more of a challenge, expose for the face, and blow the water out. If it is overcast, same thing, expose for the face, don't worry about the water, your shutter speed should be around 800th-1000th, f6.3-8, stop the action. I'm not sure what snowtographer was talking about with the mention of "the right amount of blur" good swimming photos don't have any "right amount of blur" unless it is intended. Choppy water, it's a swimming pool, levels out pretty quick.

If you are shooting from the stands you are working with a pretty good camera, 200mm with a 1.5 senor and decent file size you should be able to come away with some nice images, swimming is all about timing. Watching how your daughter swims, when she comes up for air, on which stroke, which way she turns her head, on the free will mean only one lap on some swims.

While it was nice that snowtographer offered you some interesting advise, I would keep the part about not buying any more gear. If you have any questions you can send me a PM. If it's not a swim meet but water polo, makes no difference, water polo is easier to shoot.

 

[Snowtographer]

I'm assuming that she is swimming and not playing water polo. I really can say honestly that I don't know where the sun will be at that time of day in that part of the country. What I do know, if she is swimming, it all depends on which lane she is in, which side of the pool you are on, and where you are shooting from. If you have complete access to the pool deck and she is swimming the fly, breast or back the best best pictures are from the end of the pool, if she is swimming free, side only. If you are comfortable and know how to use your camera on manual, use it. You are shooting outside, if it is sunny, it is more of a challenge, expose for the face, and blow the water out. If it is overcast, same thing, expose for the face, don't worry about the water, your shutter speed should be around 800th-1000th, f6.3-8, stop the action. I'm not sure what snowtographer was talking about with the mention of "the right amount of blur" good swimming photos don't have any "right amount of blur" unless it is intended. Choppy water, it's a swimming pool, levels out pretty quick.

If you are shooting from the stands you are working with a pretty good camera, 200mm with a 1.5 senor and decent file size you should be able to come away with some nice images, swimming is all about timing. Watching how your daughter swims, when she comes up for air, on which stroke, which way she turns her head, on the free will mean only one lap on some swims.

While it was nice that snowtographer offered you some interesting advise, I would keep the part about not buying any more gear. If you have any questions you can send me a PM. If it's not a swim meet but water polo, makes no difference, water polo is easier to shoot.

Hi Imagemaker,

I don't think you understood my post.

I have found that shooting pools in the afternoon, you get distracting reflections off the water if the sun is behind you at all. You may have been confused when I listed the times, that was simply to describe the angle of the sun relative to the axis of the lens. I find with the sun ahead of or behind me, there are reflections on the peaks of waves. It looks really nice if you're taking pictures of water, but that is not the case here. It was my suggestion for the OP to stand such that the sun is not behind her, but rather shining across the focal plane. That is how I found I can best eliminate reflections in my images. Of course shooting swimming is harder, but in my experience, if you can position yourself so as to eliminate reflections off the water, it helps things a LOT. They leave nasty overexposed white bursts of light on the image if you expose the face correctly, and I found that there are the fewest when the sun is at your side, not at your back. You said it yourself, it's tough to expose the face without overexposing the water.

As far as the correct amount of blur, I have a lot of action experience. Probably not as much as you based on that setup in your avatar, but this is still something I have fair amount of experience shooting. Many people make the mistake of thinking you need to shoot everything that moves at 1/1000 or faster, when slower shutter speeds can make for more interesting pictures. I don't mean that slow at all, 1/800 at the very lowest, just to make the image look more dynamic. Things like swimming look way more interesting when there is a small amount motion blur in the limbs and any water that is in the air- often the only thing moving fast enough to actually blur. It sounds like we are actually on the same page with this one. I see lots of parents at meets with their DSLRs, and they assume that because they are shooting action, they need to be at 1/4000, which in my opinion gives very lifeless images. I guess that's the point- I'm just making sure the OP isn't making mistakes that I've seen parents making at pool.

I deal with this a lot shooting snow sports, I have to make spraying snow look good, and it generally does not look at 1/1000 and above.

She/he doesn't have to take my advice, but it is from real world experience and what I have found works best.

 

[Nikanon]

Thanks for all the replies. My daughter is not playing water polo she will be competing in the backstroke. I will probably go to the pool a day before the event and at the same time just to check the location of the sun and where I will probably check different seating areas to get the best angles for some good shots.

 

[Snowtographer]

Thanks for all the replies. My daughter is not playing water polo she will be competing in the backstroke. I will probably go to the pool a day before the event and at the same time just to check the location of the sun and where I will probably check different seating areas to get the best angles for some good shots.

I think that's a solid plan. And post some results when you get them!

 

[Groupcaptainbonzo]

Now THAT is good common sense. Go to the venue and have a look. Take your camera and see what the shots look like ( hopefully with someone included. But good even without anyone). Good luck.

 

[imagemaker46]

Thanks for all the replies. My daughter is not playing water polo she will be competing in the backstroke. I will probably go to the pool a day before the event and at the same time just to check the location of the sun and where I will probably check different seating areas to get the best angles for some good shots.

Good idea on seeing where can sit . With the backstroke you will be dealing with more water coming up with the arm and that will throw the autofocus off, timing is important with this stroke, shooting on the far arm coming out of the water will help with a better view of your daughter. Shooting her after she has gone past you, on a more 3/4 angle looks very nice. If you can shoot from the ends, you can get her as she first comes out of the water, this is more difficult as there will be a lot of water splash. Good luck.