Basketball game, what would you have done differently?

[nat3wall]

 

[sscarmack]

Is a different venue an option?

 

[nat3wall]

Is a different venue an option?

No. I was waiting for my brothers game to start after theirs.

 

[PropilotBW]

Shoot from the baseline angle. Even on a far corner of the grandstands. If you could get the angle better to represent the focus on the dunk, this would take the huge dude in the foreground out of the intended shot.

 

[nat3wall]

Shoot from the baseline angle. Even on a far corner of the grandstands. If you could get the angle better to represent the focus on the dunk, this would take the huge dude in the foreground out of the intended shot.

I will try that next time, I wasn't sure if I liked where I was sitting or not thanks!

 

[ronlane]

What @PropilotBW said. Ideally, you would have been on the corner that you were aiming at for these shots so you would have been able to get his face (and possibly the ball) in the frames.

 

[tirediron]

Stayed home. I don't like basketball!



The main point I would offer is, "shoot tighter". Most basketball shots should be the player controlling the ball, and the basket/other player, and not a lot more. Also, ask if you can actually shoot the game so that you can move along the edge of the court and follow the action. The last shot is a good one from a timing perspective, but loses a lot because we only see the back of his head and the arms of the defending player. Had you been nearer the basket and shooting toward them, it would have been a great image.

 

[runnah]

Tighter and show faces

 

[Dikkie]

Bird perspective from the ceiling

 

[table1349]

Shoot in portrait mode, not landscape.
Shoot a bit tighter, crop to the action.
Shoot as wide open as possible. As shallow of DOF as possible and still capture the action.
Single focus point, continual focus using back focus button and anticipate.

 

[table1349]

Bird perspective from the ceiling

Yeah, there is something the OP can afford at this point.

 

[spiralout462]

You're lucky to have a gym with decent light. Don't stay in one place.

 

[theshortwhiteguy]

I would have tucked in next to that cabinet (other side of where father is crouching) if league rules allowed. If you can't shoot from behind the basket, try to get as close to the corner of the court. I have shot a lot of basketball from Pro to U6, and I can tell you from experience that profile shots (those from the side of the court) do not work well. Study a college or pro game on TV to see where the photog's are sitting, then compare the shots you see in SI or ESPN - for the most part they are straight on action shots. Save the sideline profile shots for break in action shots.

While I agree with shooting tight and in portrait mode, you can mix it up with horizontals under the basket scrums for the ball. Personally, I am not a fan of going any shallower than f4, but there are gyms where lighting conditions dictated f2.8. Fortunately, that gym looks to have consistent light. Just watch those windows which be a problem at certain times of the day. Try and keep your shutter speed high enough to meet the action - younger kids might mean 1/125-1/250 while older kids could be 1/250-1/500.