Ice Skating

[mikie2084]

So im going to my nieces 4th birthday party and its at a ice skating rink. Just wondering if theres anything i should beaware of or know before i go saturday. Im far from a professional, i will be using a D40 with the 18-55 kit lens or 55-200vr.

Thanks

Mike

 

[usayit]

Ice is bright white... it will trick your meter into underexposing subjects. You'll have to compensate.

Try not to slip and fall...

 

[mikie2084]

Thats what i was thinking, just wanted to make sure i was on the rite track. How should i adjust for the brightness of the ice? Just exposure compensation and check the histograms? Im not worried bout my lenses being slow with 4yr olds, but if they were older i would be in trouble im sure!

 

[manaheim]

It's fricken cold as hell in those places. Like, it's colder than a Massachusetts February. I swear I've never had a more horrible experience in my life than being on an ice rink.

This may sound like a random rant, but it's a good thing to keep in mind as cameras have operating temperatures... and so do your fingers! Bring some gloves that will allow you to work with the camera.

Gloves that have mitten overlays but exposed ends of the fingers work reasonably, or relatively thin gloves that allow you to manipulate the controls fairly effectively.

 

[usayit]

Thats what i was thinking, just wanted to make sure i was on the rite track. How should i adjust for the brightness of the ice? Just exposure compensation and check the histograms? Im not worried bout my lenses being slow with 4yr olds, but if they were older i would be in trouble im sure!

I am assuming you will be using semi-automatic modes like P, Av, Tv.

1) Take a photo of the ice by itself.
2) Set custom white balance to that frame. Indoor ice rinks have those odd lights that leave color casts.
3) Take a quick photo of someone on the ice.
4) Examine the histogram and sample shot on LCD. Pump up the exposure compensation until the subject false towards the center of the histogram but no so much that you over expose the ice.
5) Leave the exposure compensation setting just were it is... and shoot as you do normally.
6) Check every once in a while that you are not overexposing the the ice.

Generally... a full stop exposure compensation is enough.

 

[50two]

cold temperature suck up battery life like crazy so warm up your batteries in your pockets or something before shooting

 

[mikie2084]

Ive been shooting manual and the pictures look ok, the histogram isnt where it should be though. I just started learning everything about photography, so should I just use one of the auto modes?