My Friday Night Football shots.

Tony S · Sep 2, 2012

Here's a selection of photos from throughout my Friday night football game where the mountain did not distract me. It's a good trip through changing light conditions. Started out with bright golden evening sunset, cool shadows and shade, twilight in between the sunlight and stadium lights, and then stadium lights along with my 580EXIIs firing off. Probably a few too many in this post for any decent critiques, but i still take all comments and consider them in the future when shooting. Most of the shots are cropped leaving some room to go to a 5x7 aspect later if need be, so a little extra room on the long ends.

1. First tackle of the season...

2. The throw...

3. The catch on the same play as the throw. Neither of these two shots cropped at all.

4. Coming through the line.

5. Brought down by the ankle tackle.

6. On the fingertips.

7. The QB squirts through at the goal line.

8. Jump Ball. This shot was underexposed by over 2 stops when my flash failed to fire, shooting RAW let me recover it.

9. Back for the pass with pressure coming from the blind side.

10. Receiving a punt.

11. 4th and 12 and they run the ball up the middle for a first down. Too bad they only had 34 yards total rushing in the game.

12.One going low, one going high.... Ohhh, this hit is gonna hurt.

...

Rob4bama · Sep 2, 2012

#2 is awesome and #3 is cool too! What type lens do you use?

Tony S · Sep 3, 2012

The majority of the time I am shooting football I have the 400mm on one body set up on a monopod and the other body has the 70-200 on it carried on a Rapid-R strap. The monopod has a flash mounted about 3 feet below the camera, the 70-200 gets another flash on it when the sun goes down, enough light at this game to shoot HSS, but later in the year my lights end up on second curtain sync at a slower SS.
About 70% of my game shots come from the 400mm set up. If I am quick enough and see the play develope I can shoot the beginning of it with the 400 and then switch to the 70-200 for the next shot. Both cameras have their clocks synced so that when I sort the pictures after download they come up in the order they are shot.

Rob4bama · Sep 3, 2012

Wow. Now I see why my shots are no where near those. They really good! I only have a Sigma 70-200. I really don't even have flash. Your pics are pretty inspiring to try to do better!

MLeeK · Sep 3, 2012

Those are great! needs some white balance adjustment on them, but awesome, clean clear and well done!!! What lens are you shooting with?

ronlane · Sep 3, 2012

MLeeK said:
Those are great! needs some white balance adjustment on them, but awesome, clean clear and well done!!! What lens are you shooting with?

Question about the WB. Is it a wb issue or does the red jersey's look blown out to me? Are they just separate issues? I'm a nubby and am wanting to learn.

Tony S · Sep 4, 2012

If you are talking about the white balance in the first three shots it was a bright golden susnet that night really saturating the reds, that's what you get and how it looked at the "golden hour" with direct sunshine on shiny reflective red jerseys.