I want to shoot better indoor basketball photos

[imagemaker46]

I know I'm replying to an older thread but I suspect the issue (shooting indoor sports) is of interest to a number of beginners.
1. Before you use any kind of speed light, check with the authorities. Yes, a flash (especially if shot directly at the players rather than bounced off a wall or ceiling or used with a diffuser--all things which aren't likely to be effective with a basketball court) can make a huge difference with youth players and amateurs. It can also piss off parents (when you use the flash and their son/daughter then misses). And...unless you're within 20 feet of the court, it's not going to help. But before you use a speed light--CHECK to see it's okay.
2. As a general rule (I know, this sounds weird since you're a parent), check to see it's okay for you to take pictures of your son or daughter when they compete. A number of leagues will have rules on this issue. Maybe it's b/c they've signed a contract with a photographer to provide shots for all-star games or portraits. Maybe it's for privacy (there have been a number of cases of stalkers shooting in appropriate photos of female athletes when they compete). I know of a number of photographers who've been kicked out of venues (all middle-school/HS level, all amateur)...one swimming, one basketball, one track and the last one football...for taking pictures without having approval or b/c the various league/school has prohibitions against this. I'm not trying to make you paranoid, just CHECK. For instance, I just shot some pictures of a nephew who's a junior olympics candidate as a swimmer. The venue his club was practicing at (this was only a practice) prohibited flash and indeed all photography. I was able to get approval by signing a release, demonstrating insurance, showing approval by the parent (his dad) and the swimmer, and then signing an agreement that the ONLY person who would be in the pictures would be my nephew.
3. There are a couple of basic rules for shooting sports photography:
--jack up the ISO
--shoot as fast as you possibly can (if there's any serious movement and you're shooting 1/200th or slower then you're either going to get blur or it will be to fuzzy to blowup or seriously crop).
--expand your DoF. Usually the way to deal with the first to is shoot with a narrow DoF and a wide-open aperture (thus the f2.8 200mm zoom that a lot of professionals have in their camera bag for shooting sports...unless they have a 300mm!). But in your case, if you can still keep the shutter speed, you want a wider DoF. That's b/c it's much more forgiving of focus. The standard rule that editors used to tell photojournalists was "f8 and be there." Galen Rowell replied "It's really f11).
Now if you can't do all 3 (high ISO, fast shutter speed and wide DoF) than sacrifice the DoF. Just realize that if players are moving or the shot is more than just one player, you're going to have a lot of out-of-focus shots.
4. Technique:
--pre-focus. A lot of sports photographers take this approach. Pick a spot where you expect something to happen and make sure you're focus is set for that spot.
--follow the player through your viewfinder. If you look at the game as a normal spectator and only pull up the camera when you see a shot, you'll be at least 2 seconds behind every shot. This also means you won't see most of the game and will be clueless about much of what is happening. But you'll nail some quick shots of the player or area you're focusing on.
--think manual. In low light indoors with a fast moving sport with a range of different bodies and focal points, AF with a kit lens is really problematic.
--don't stay in one spot and shoot everything there. Shoot some from the stands/bleachers. Get court side if you're allowed to do so. The ideal spot for basket ball is going to be at the end of the court (behind the basket) so the team with the ball is facing you. But provide some variety in the locations you shoot from. If your son isn't on the court continuously, you may want to take some shots on the opposite side of the court (i.e.: not from behind the bench) so he'll be facing the camera.

If you have the gear, 500th sec f2.8 will be your best bet for the majority of indoor sports, if you have to bump the iso up to get those numbers then do it. Pay attention to everything that is going on. Learn the sport you are going to be shooting, understanding helps, not just with, sports but everything. We used to pre-focus back in the manual days, with good autofocus it is not necessary.

 

[striving4mediocrity]

I agree with this. If at all possible, use a flash. Or two. Or three. lol I worked as a sports photographer/writer for a local paper for a while and my pictures DRAMATICALLY improved when I began using remote flashes. 9 times out of 10 you will be allowed to use flashes in a high school sporting event. If I'm not mistaken, however, you can't in the postseason. (at least here in PA)