 Paul Limpert |
Nighttime sports photography I manage a high school lacrosse program and most of our games are under substandard lighting at night. It is okay for playing but a far cry from professional stadiums. I am having a hard time figuring out how to set my Nikon N80 SLR camera. I need a quick shutter so I don't get the blur but I am ending up with pictures that are too dark or fail altogether. I can't seem to find the right settings. Help!!!
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T. Frates |
Are you using a flash? That is always the best way to "stop" action. Even with digital cameras... use a flash. Metz? Q-Flash? You can try setting your camera at 125... get the flash to coincide with this... hope for the best. With out being able to light the stadium... you have to take what you can get.
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Paul Limpert |
I haven't been using a flash due to the distance. My subjects are often 30-40 yards away and I am using an 80-200 zoom to capture the action. I also have problems with blurring at slower shutter speeds. I am still confused.....
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T. Frates |
Ok... This is how I usually explain it. Just because you can see something in your lense... doesn't mean you can take a picture of it. Using a zoom lense in strong light (a sunny day etc...) is great. Being able to set up lights at a rink,stadium, areana...and sync your camera to the lights is also great.(Keep in mind... even photographers for SI set up lighting systems before the game... they don't just depend on the lighting at the rink or court.)Where ever you aim the lights or wherever the sun is shining... that is where you'll get your best photos. So, if you are photographing lacross at night.. you need to make light or make up for this somehow. If you don't have lights to set up or a powerful flash... then use the highest speed film you can. Use 1600 speed film. Your results are going to be more "grainy" than with slower speed films... but you have to use it. Try out 800 as well... it may be enough. I guess I should have begun this by asking you if you are even shooting film... or digital.? What is the main purpose of the photographs... for publishing, sale to families etc...? DO you have a light meter and what kind of camera are you using? If you have a light meter... you should get on the field before the game and just meter around... to see what the light is reading. You may find some spots that are more hot "brighter" than others. Try to photograph in these areas more. As you're finding out... the photos blurr at slower shtter speeds. This is going to happen,even with more lighted situations (some people do this for effect). You should set your shutter speed above 1/60 (125) and let the f-stop set itself. It depends on what camera you're using... but you'll find that often times your camera still won't shoot if there is not enough light. You should use a flash (metz is the easiest because you just set the flash to the same F-stop as your camera is set to (which should be 125 in my poinion) and set another button to the speed film you're using... sync it to your camera ...it does the rest.) Some Metz unit actually just attach to your camera and do everything for you... all you have to do is shoot. Okay... here's another option. Use a tripod. (or a mono-pod for sports) If you use a mono-pod it keeps your camera more still and may allow you to shoot at slower speeds without so much blurr. It isn't that easy for a sporting event though.. everything happens so fast and your always moving your camera following the action. But... it's worth a try. Depending on what you're shooting with. My last question is this... why are you trying to photograph the players so far away? I use an 80 to 400 when I am photographing highschool and college sport events.... and the players definately get close enough (sometimes too close) for me to get good shots. The flash doesn't do much good down the court/fieldd/rink... but from the center of the field, back toward me... it works fine. (I set my camera at 125 and put the flash on full power). Are you allowed to stand and photograph anywhere you'd like to? You are on the sidelines... yes? It's frustrating to be photographing on one end of the field (court etc...) and see some great shots that you can't get at the other end. You just have to suck it up. Take the photos you can on one half of the field... then switch to the other for the second half. As you know... you'll usually start seeing where most of the action is taking place. Move in that direction when you can. To summarize.... move around and find where the most photos are. Since you manage the team... you have an advantage. You know your players and what they do... how the play and react. Sometime you can probably call what they're going to do before they do it. This puts you in a great position to be in the right place for photographs. Try using 800 and 1600 speed film (if you are not already) and try to get your hands on a flash unit. Setting your camera to 1/125 and using a flash guarentees the FLASH will "stop" the action. You're not going to get a roll of film back with every photograph GREAT... but you'll start seeing that you have more great photos... the more you shoot and the more you practice. How long have you been photographing lacross or sports? I hope this is helping a little and not confusing you. Please do not hesitate to ask again and again.. until I've said it in a way that makes it clear for you.
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Paul Limpert |
I am actually asking the questions for my wife who is using a Nikon N80 I purchased for her last year. I also coach youth football and she got tired of seeing terrible pictures being sold to the parents of the kids by photographers who didn't really know what to shoot. I told her to put her talent where her mouth was and bought her the camera and put her to work. She captures some outstanding action in daylight. Her pictures so far from the daylight hours have been great using 800 speed film but as the night approaches all hell breaks loose and we just can't figure it out. We are waiting on some 1600 film we shot last night to come back and see what happens. She can stand pretty much anywhere on the sidelines she wants to so we really don't have to zoom too much. I scan her photo's in low quality and use them for our website (www.masonlacrosse.org) and I believe she is planning on selling copies to parents who might want them as soon as she gets some good one's. If the flash unit will help at 30-40 yards then I'm all for it. We haven't used the built in speedlight on the Nikon yet but if you think that might help we will use it also. Thank you for your help so far, I think we are getting there.
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T. Frates |
Hi again. I just checked out the masonlacross website. Looking good. This is a highschool in Ohio? Seriously, think about investing in a flash unit. You can probably test a few out before you actually make the purchase. (check out the metz units) I just believe it will make the difference. Even on brighter days using a lower speed film and a flash will make the photos less grainy. You can try the built in flash on the camera... but usually these do not carry enough power to light what you need it to. Keep me posted. I'd love to send you some of my photos from HS events.(or your wife....) it is always great to view back and fourth and talk about the photos.... the best learning experience.
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Paul Limpert |
Thanks again for the help and I will seriously look into a flash unit of the model you suggest. Thanks for the feedback on my site, I'm a rookie at these things but really enjoy putting them together because I know the kids appreciate it. I'll let you know how things turn out. Thanks again,
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