Help with Indoor Horse Jumping shots

[Michiyo-Fir]

I love riding and horses in general and recently I've been wanting to do some shoots of other riders jumping in the ring.

Here's my problem. The indoor riding ring is quite dark, with only a few fluorescent lights. I asked the riders and instructors there, flash is not permitted at all because some horses spook very easily.

How can I get good jumping shots in fairly low light? The camera I use is a D90. I currently have a 18-200mm VR lens. I'm thinking for the horse shots I use a 50mm f/1.4 that I can borrow from a friend.

Suggestions?

 

[kelli_anne]

Use a higher ISO. If you want to be able to zoom in on the horse then I would recommend using the 18-200mm lens with the 50mm you will not see the horses as much. Ask if you can open in doors that there maybe.

 

[KmH]

The 50 1.4 will help gather light but you'll have to crop quite a bit to get any subject scale.

Without using strobed light the 18-200 mm cannot open to a wide enough aperture to give enough shutter speed to be used in low light for stopping motion.

At 200mm the widest it can open is f/5.6. For indoor, low light work without strobed light you need at least a constant f/2.8 and a high ISO setting on your D90.

I recommend 3 Nikon mid-range cost lenses to cover essentially the same focal range of 18-200 mm, that have better low-light capabilities:

1. AF-S 12-24mm f/4G
2. AF 24-85 f/2.8-4D
3. AF 80-200 f/2.8D

 

[fokker]

Ditch the 18-200 and grab a fast zoom as recommended above, or a fast prime (85mm 1.8 or similar).

Depends how close you can get really - if you have the ability to get close the 50mm 1.4 or 1.8 would be good options.

 

[Derrel]

I'd look into the 85mm f/1.8 AF-D for indoor, low-light action photos. It's about the right focal length for indoor horse arena shooting. You can shoot a bit loose, and crop a bit, and at closer distances, you'll be able to get frame-filling close-ups. Keep in mind too that in **really** abysmal lighting, you can position the camera perpendicular to the horses and riders, and pan the camera along with the action and get usable shots at pretty slow speeds.

 

[mdtusz]

Get them to ride in the ring that's outside!

I had the same issue a while back, and just gave up all together on shots indoors. Competitions here are always outside and that's when you'll be getting the best shots of people. Nobody wants to see them in a lesson or practicing.

As far as the 50mm goes, it just won't cut it. I use my friends 70-200 f/2.8 whenever I do shoot jumping, but even that isn't long enough lots of the time. Maybe I'm just not close enough though