Volleyball

ShootHoops · Oct 15, 2006

My second time shooting this sport. My first time shooting it digital.

I guess I should use a different lens for this sport, huh!?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Help!

eye-capture · Oct 15, 2006

Hmm yeah it seems like you'll need a bigger apereature shooting indoors, what ISO were you shooting at?

They seem like good shots with potential, the blurriness doesn't work for me, it'd be better if the subjects were frozen.

Steel26 · Oct 15, 2006

i like the blur on 2.3.6.7. but yeah you need to have clear shots too

ShootHoops · Oct 15, 2006

The ISO was set on auto. I tried shooting manually and I just couldn't get my act together!

ShutteredEye · Oct 15, 2006

If you were using the 28-90mm you have listed in your signature, I'd have to agree with you. You do need another lense. I have that lense, and quite frankly it sucks. Badly.

I'd recommend a 70-200 2.8 VR (I think that's Nikon's lingo.) Either way, the 2.8 is going to let you up your shutter speed and freeze the action, and the VR is Nikon's version of image stabilization. It's price is kind of steep, but you can probably rent one from a local photo shop for 30 or 40 dollars to try out.

From what shots you've posted you did really well considering! Volleyball is a tough sport to shoot!

ShootHoops · Oct 15, 2006

Yes, I did use the 28-90mm. Some stranger asked me if I was shooting for the school paper, I said yes, and he gave me a 18-70mm to use. I used that for a while but I don't know if any of the shots I posted were taken with that. He looked like he knew what he was doing and he had a bag full of camera accessories, so I'm wondering why he didn't give me a better lens to shoot with!

DeepSpring · Oct 15, 2006

Not bad aside from the blurry. I was asked to do some volleyball for my school too but I didn't feel like it.......

What focal length were you at mostly? Cause I don't know if f/5.6 would be fast enough or if 50mm would be long enough

ShootHoops · Oct 15, 2006

I think I was zoomed in somewhere between 35-50 most of the time.

DeepSpring · Oct 15, 2006

oh ok cool then my 50mm f/1.8 should do just fine and if I must throw on the 28-90

LaFoto · Oct 16, 2006

I am sure I know far too little about sports photography, but I must say I quite like these and I also like the hint of action (not frozen) and movement. And I find the players (faces) are in focus for most of the time. But take my comment as one coming from someone who is no expert at all.

ShootHoops · Oct 16, 2006

I showed them to my teacher a few minutes ago (I'm in class right now) and he liked the ones he saw. I was deleting a bunch because they were far too blurry. I said the majority of them we blurry and he goes "That's fine! What are you talking about!?" He slapped me upside my head for saying they weren't good. So I guess they'll do for the yearbook and newspaper.

Big Mike · Oct 16, 2006

Gyms are such hard places to shoot...the lighting is not bright and usually has a funny color to it.

What was the ISO on these shots. I know you said it was on Auto...but what did the camera use as it's highest setting? Try a few at 800 or 1600 (or higher if the camera will do it). This will help you stop the motion...but the trade off is digital noise.

If you can get yourself a 50mm F1.8, that will help a lot. Those lenses are usually pretty cheap, less that $100.

mysteryscribe · Oct 16, 2006

My two cents..

One cent... I like the blur to me it shows action but isnt so bad that you mistake if for bad focus... It works for me..

second cent... I know this is way out of touch with todays reality, but I used to do some sports back in the day. We used cheap lenses but good stobe lights. a strobe light with a 120 guide number is really almost guide number 500 with asa 400 film. The auto strobe setting would be about f 11 at thirty feet which if you are shooting offically puts you well within the distance you could get.... Strobe stops action even at speeds of 1/60 or 1/30.. I doubt that you would black out the backgrounds of a gym light set up, I never did.

just my two cents worth...remember the source though...

ShutteredEye · Oct 16, 2006

mysteryscribe said:
My two cents..

One cent... I like the blur to me it shows action but isnt so bad that you mistake if for bad focus... It works for me..

second cent... I know this is way out of touch with todays reality, but I used to do some sports back in the day. We used cheap lenses but good stobe lights. a strobe light with a 120 guide number is really almost guide number 500 with asa 400 film. The auto strobe setting would be about f 11 at thirty feet which if you are shooting offically puts you well within the distance you could get.... Strobe stops action even at speeds of 1/60 or 1/30.. I doubt that you would black out the backgrounds of a gym light set up, I never did.

just my two cents worth...remember the source though...

You may want to check with the athletic director before using flashes at sporting events inside. Sometimes they don't like that too much.

mysteryscribe · Oct 16, 2006

Actually thats a very good idea and when you are working for them you really should have an understanding of what you can and can not do complete with how close can i get ect.

That said, I wish I had a dollar for every wedding I shot, where flash was not permitted, and the "guests" shot one or more off. Same would be true of sporting events unless there is a sign posted, and even then a parent or two will be firing them off guarenteed. I can't image an event these days trying to stop all flashes. Maybe they would object to an employee you should check as was suggested.