Jr. High Basketball Game C&C welcome!

[CMfromIL]

My daughter started cheerleading, so I thought I'd take a few pictures of the game while I was there. 100% overhead fluorescent lighting, no flash.

Shutter speed was between 160-250. ISO was cranked to 3200 because the lighting was crap. Apature was between 4-5.6. Pictures shown were also taken between 70-300mm, most being in the 200mm range.

I was in the bleachers, floor access was not allowed.

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7. Daughter having fun

 

[shootermcgavin]

I enjoy your picture posts CM! If you have a photo store near I would rent a 70-200 2.8, I think that would make you able to bump up the shutter to 1/500 which will really help stopping the action. My local photo store has a thing where if you rent the lens enough to pay for it they give you a lens, I doubt it's ever happened before but I'm hoping to be the first. 6 is my favorite although 4 would've been if the action were sharp. 4 would've been perfect for the school paper, you've got the school logo huge and the other team hitting the floor. Did you get the camera out for halloween?

 

[CMfromIL]

Thanks for the comments! As for the 70-200 2.8...newegg.com has it for $2499. I think I'll hold off on that for a while. Not sure about renting, but that might be an idea!

Unfortunatly, not time for Halloween pictures. Her game was from 6:30pm to 8:00 and we had to be there at 6.

 

[Big Mike]

I think you've reached the limit of your gear. Unless you can turn the ISO up even higher.
The shutter speed just wasn't fast enough, thus you have blurry shots that (for the most part) just don't work.

If you can't upgrade your lens or use a higher ISO, then I'd suggest concentrating on getting shots that show the game, but when the players aren't moving so fast. A perfect example is the player who just shot in #6. I don't care for the rest of that shot, but if you crop in to just that player, it's looks like it would be a great image.

 

[shootermcgavin]

Thanks for the comments! As for the 70-200 2.8...newegg.com has it for $2499. I think I'll hold off on that for a while. Not sure about renting, but that might be an idea!

Unfortunatly, not time for Halloween pictures. Her game was from 6:30pm to 8:00 and we had to be there at 6.

If you're thinking of purchasing look at the Sigma, I took pictures with both and I preferred the Sigma for 1k less.

 

[Derrel]

I think you've reached the limit of your gear. Unless you can turn the ISO up even higher.
The shutter speed just wasn't fast enough, thus you have blurry shots that (for the most part) just don't work.

If you can't upgrade your lens or use a higher ISO, then I'd suggest concentrating on getting shots that show the game, but when the players aren't moving so fast. A perfect example is the player who just shot in #6. I don't care for the rest of that shot, but if you crop in to just that player, it's looks like it would be a great image.

Yeah, I was thinking to myself, "Pretty good shots for a slow lens!" Your exposures look pretty generous...you could, I think, sacrifice a bit of exposure and jack the shutter speed up a bit to fully STOP motion blurring, and still be "okay" on the picture quality, at least from my point of view. If your shutter speeds were in the 1/160 to 1/250 range, at f/4 at ISO 3,200, and you STILL HAVE DETAIL in those dark blue uniforms, which you do, means that you could "cheat" a bit more, and move up one full shutter speed and still have what I would consider to be "acceptable" action photos in that gymnasium. Back in "my day" we shot Tri-X 400 pushed to E.I. 3200 by developing it for 15 minutes at 75 degrees in a strong solution of HC-110, and even then, the film was so badly under-exposed from the push that there was basically NO detail in the shadows...they were clear...your modern d-slr has an actual "effective" ISO 3,200 that looks quite clean...good enough to cheat a bit more with, I think.

 

[spacefuzz]

Gyms are hard environments to take photos in. Generally dark and yellow light, crying for fast glass. I will second what others recommended and rent a nice lens for a few games to see if you like the difference it makes.

 

[CMfromIL]

Thanks for the tips and kind words. I really don't have any money at the time for additional lenses, so I'll just have to work with what I have for now. I think I can up the ISO a bit more, but I'm concerned with getting grainy. I'll experiment a bit more to see what I can do.

Then again, this is a Jr High game, so they are not really playing in a 'A+' venue. The HS gym is much better lighting, and I think I'll be better off with a faster shutter speed.

#6 was already cropped, the original image is here:

Cropped:

Cropped further:

When I crop it this far, I think I lose the game aspect.

 

[Big Mike]

I can up the ISO a bit more, but I'm concerned with getting grainy

What's worse, in your opinion; blur or noise/grain?

Some 'intentional' blur to convey movement can be OK, but for the most part, blur ruins a photo. Grain/noise can be somewhat corrected with post processing, but even when it gets bad, it's still not as bad as blur.

 

[Dillard]

the 70-200 f2.8 would be superb, but don't forget about the 80-200 f2.8, its a great deal cheaper and still much better then what your shooting with now

 

[CMfromIL]

@Dillard,

I spent what I can afford. If your comments are going to consist of running down my equipment, perhaps moving onto another thread would be best. I take pictures as a hobby, and come here looking for some practical advice, not drive by commentary about what would be 'much better' than what I have.

Thanks for looking.

 

[CMfromIL]

@ Big Mike,

Not really sure at this point. I like the stop motion of a higher shutter speed, particularly outside. But then sometimes a totally stopped picture takes away the illusion of motion.

Like #5, I have a sharp shot of the face. The arms moving don't bother me as much as it probably does others.

But hey, this stuff is pretty new for me so really at this point it's just about taking shots and seeing what works. Then as I get better, I can fine tune they way I take pictures. I'm still really working out the whole triangle of IS0,Aperature, and Shutter speed. I appreciate your comments though. Lots to consider.

 

[imagemaker46]

It's all about practice and working with what you have, not what everyone thinks you should have. Personally in situations like this I would go with the max iso, before the photos fall completely apart. There are lots of opportunites during any sports event where the players are standing still, and yet involved in the action, this is what you have to concentrate on. Forget the action, unless you can manage a minimum of 400th sec.