First try at highschool football shots

EDL · Aug 30, 2013

Bought a used EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM a couple weeks ago and had my first go at high school football tonight at my son's first game of the season (unfortunately they lost).

Some things I learned:

1. This is NOT easy by any means (composing, checking focus on subject and following the play through the view finder is incredibly difficult. I mostly lost the ball, or couldn't react fast enough even when I tried predict where to shoot even when I could follow the ball).
2. High school fields have terrible lighting
3. I need to set focus to use ONLY my center point (I blew quite a few good shots because focus wandered where I didn't want it).
4. I need to try spot metering next time instead of center weighted.

Some things I think I got right:

1. I used multi shot drive and wasn't stingy on the shutter button. It's better to take 3-4 quick pictures and discard a bunch than to miss a shot.
2. I bought a couple 16GB cards and fired away.
3. AI Servo AF is the way to go (this lens is amazingly fast at focusing and in AI servo it keeps up no sweat).
4. Used Av mode and set ISO to suit the conditions so I could change aperture to keep shutter speed up as the evening passed (started at 400 as game start was late evening and progressed through ISO 3200 at full dark).
5. Even at ISO 3200 and f/2.8 the lighting at high school fields are terrible and I was dropping as low as 1/125th on shutter so I tried to compensate with some panning as best I could.

I have several hundred photos to process and sort through, but I got them all copied over and converted. Here's a few I've cropped and did some quick processing on. Would like some C&C please:

1.

2.

3.

4. That's my son, #74. Offensive and defensive lineman.

A quick look through all the photos there's a few more decent action shots that I need to process, so will post more for some C&C when I get them done.

Thoroughly enjoyed shooting these, but it will definitely require a lot more practice and I need to get up and move around the field more, I was a bit lazy tonight.

Derrel · Aug 31, 2013

You did a number of things right, like starting at 400 ISO and going right up to 3200 ISO as the light got worse, and panning with the action, and having a couple of high-capacity memory cards available. Yeah, high school fields often have pretty minimalist lighting!!! It looks like at that field you had at least some areas that offered a clean, foliage background.

Your attitude about the whole thing is pretty good. You sound like you've got the right mind-set and some good shooting strategies. I bet you will get better results next game, and better ones the game after that! ( I have a fondness for offensive and defensive line positions...I wore #74 in ninth grade football, then #68 my 10th,11th,and 12th grade years.)

EDL · Aug 31, 2013

Thanks Derrel,

I hope I can get some better shots next time. I really like this lens so far. I was surprised at how good the contrast, color and sharpness was, even in raw and right out of the camera.

That was a home game last night and next week they're at home again too. Some of the other fields do have a little better lighting (but some are even worse, bleh).

Our school is a single A school, so the single A fields aren't all that impressive, being small schools without a big budget. We will be playing some of the AA and a AAA schools and their fields are a lot nicer and lit better, so that will be a plus.

I was a wide receiver when I was in school (#26 all three years). I'm tall and on the thin side and was about 165lbs. I could never be a lineman. My son got the build from the men on my wife's side of the family. He's about 5' 10" and 250ish...one of his thighs is as big as both of mine, lol!

EDL · Aug 31, 2013

Here's some more shots from the game:

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6.

imagemaker46 · Aug 31, 2013

You came away with a positive attitude from all this and that's a always a good place to start. Working at shutter speeds under 500th second is not going to stop the action, but then you always know this. Work on keeping your horizon line straight. Keep at it and hopefully you'll luck into a day game. I have three more games to shoot and they are all 7pm starts, by half time I'm working at 5000iso.

Juga · Aug 31, 2013

You need to move those last two to the nature and wildlife section...we don't want zebras!!!

Not too bad. What body were you shooting with? Don't be afraid to bump up the ISO in order to get the proper shutter speeds.

vintagesnaps · Aug 31, 2013

I did a little youth football but it's been a number of years and was always daytime, but indoor sports has lighting that's often either bad or worse, take your pick! - I found I had to figure out what worked at different local rinks and where the lighting was best in each venue.

I think shooting sports takes learning the timing and lots and lots of practice. To me a few hundred shots is an awful lot for one game, you might need to take a little more time to frame shots. I like to get set and let the action come to me, then when it's in my viewfinder I'm ready to get a few shots. If you can, go early and shoot during warmups too; I like to go early and scope out some good vantage points.

imagemaker46 · Aug 31, 2013

I generally shoot around 300 images for a Jr game and close to 500 for a pro game, I always edit in camera during the games. From the final edit I will end up with around 200 or 400. Football is one of those sports that does require a really good understanding of the game, to the point where you will know if it is going to be a run or pass play, and to which side of the field the play is going. The shots become more difficult as you move from the receivers into the centre, pass blocking will get you good O'line shots. Shooting the linemen, especially the D-line works well from the end zone, when the offence is starting within the 10 yard line. Fields in Canada have a 20 yard end zone(US is 10 yards) which makes it a longer lens shot, it's also a longer and wider field.

EDL · Aug 31, 2013

My body is a Canon T3i. Anything over 3200 on ISO gets way too noisy IMHO. I might try 6400 just to see, but 3200 already has a fair bit of noise. A FF body would be great, but that's gonna be quite a while before that comes along.

In the first of the second posting, the horizon is level actually...the road in the background is a downhill slope, so it does look weird.

Unfortunately there won't be any day games. Schedule is every Friday night, game starts at 7:00PM. Not too bad this time of year as I can stay on 400 ISO for almost the first half of the game before the sunlight starts to wane. It's only going to get worse as we go as the days are getting shorter pretty quick this time of year.

I shot 217 images and stopped shooting at end of the third quarter. I also shot some of the bands playing at half time too, so not all of the shots were game shots.

I think I got lens envy or something when I caught a glimpse of this guy lurking on far side of the field:

:cyclops::cyclops:

imagemaker46 · Sep 1, 2013

He's using a 400 2.8 and a small body, maybe a 5D with no extra battery pack, judging by the fact he's using the top button to shoot. I know that using the T3i over 1600iso starts to get really noisy. I use a 5D mklll and it is great at 3200 and even at 5000iso, however even at that the images start to look a little mushy. Keep at it, when the light starts to get really bad try shooting around the bench and use the light there to do some candid portraits. With the 70-200 and the crop factor with the T3i you should be able to stay outside the bench and come away with something shooting at a lower iso and shutter speed.

EDL · Sep 2, 2013

I'd love a 5D MKIII, but that's pretty dang pricey. Maybe one day. I really like macro (that's why I went Canon to get the MP-65E), but I have to admit, this sports thing is fun too.

imagemaker46 · Sep 3, 2013

Whatever you shoot just enjoy it and keep the positive attitude. Shooting sports isn't easy and takes time get really good at. I'd give it another try if you get the chance.