Is there any experienced sports shooters out there willing to help me?

[redtippmann]

I didn't know this thread was still going. But Derrel has been very helpful!

 

[fokker]

So got any pics to show us what you've learned? And maybe inspire/teach some others (like me)?

 

[kajiki]

What's a typical indoor high school volleyball court in Japan lighted up to? Can you pull f/2 at 1/400 second at ISO 3200--because in the USA that is a "bright gym", meaning an f/2.8 lens at 1/200 second is FAR too slow for volleyball stop-action. Lots of perfectly exposed smears.

Never going to find out, it seems. Closed shop. Secret handshake etc.

...and lo, the secret handshake was learned:thumbup:

1/400th at 1.8 at 1000iso, seemed about right. Kids' basketball practice, I can show one or two without getting into too much trouble

just for Derrel:

so I'd say it can be done, and not with state of the art gear that costs the earth.

 

[redtippmann]

Well here is a link to my flickr photo stream and the first coupple are basketball pictures. And I would embed some pictures in this post but I'm on my iPod and I don't have too much battery left.

Flickr: james.conkle's Photostream

If you notice there are some missing body parts it's because I use my only
good piece of glass (the 80-200. But let me know what ya think!

Oh and for lighting I used a vivitar 285hv in the bleachers triggered via cactus v2 set. And was at f/3.5 1/250 and ISO 1000

 

[kajiki]

The colour is better for sure. Though you still seem to be shooting at 1000 asa? I just compared to the earlier bb pix in your flickr set (which say they weren't taken with flash despite big shadows and obvious reflections from sweaty bodies?). Confused about that.

Would it not have been better to shoot a prime lens at a wider aperture than 3.5? I also used 1000asa in the 2 snaps above. Obviously that doesn't give you the reach of the 80-200 and so some images are not possible. Like you I have a limited budget so springing for the 200VR is out of the question, even rental is not viable given the level of remuneration available with print media these days.........pretty soon we are all going to be redundant with editors grabbing stills from video. (Joke!)

 

[redtippmann]

The pictures of when I am above the players, in the bleachers, did not have a flash. And that was before I met derrel. But anything after the wresteling match was shoot with strobes. And I didn't use f2.8 because I would like the little more DOF. And shooting at a higher f stop got rid of some discoloration that would show up if I used 2.8.

And the main reason I used a strobe is so it would pop some of the grain out. I also used a Nik plug in for CS3 to reduce grain.

 

[kajiki]

And shooting at a higher f stop got rid of some discoloration that would show up if I used 2.8.

Do you mean, it reduced the amount of ambient light which was a fairly horrible yellow? ....because your primary light source was flash, which you had set the camera to in terms of the wb?

 

[clbd39]

Thanks! I have cactus v2 triggers but the range isn't great. I'm going to a wrestling match Thursday. I'll try to have the flash on the opposite side of where I'll be to make a backlit effect.

if you want to use the cactus system don't forget about modifying the transmitter, I have gone well over 350 feet and ran out of room to test lol

100% so far...

that kinda sucks about the local photographer not knowing much, our local photographer was great at helping me and had some great gear to back it up

 

[redtippmann]

Yeah so far my cactus system has not failed me, well only once outside. And yeah if you go to theamherstnewstimes.com/amh/ the photographer is John Lasko. He can't really shoot sports so derrel recomended I ask if they want me to shoot freelance for them. Hopefully they will respond soon.

 

[DRoberts]

You should have enough available light, "in most gyms", especially using a 2.8 lens.
The problem with having one remote flash is lack of mobility with it. Sports photography is all about getting in the right spots at the right times. Be as mobile as possible. Learn to anticipate what is about to happen in whatever sport you are shooting at the time and figure out a way to be in the best place to capture it.