BetterPhoto Q&A
Category: Indoor/Low-Light Photography

Photography Question 

Barrett D. Clark
 

Shooting Action Pictures Indoors


I would love your recommendation as to taking action photos indoors with poor lighting. I'm using a Canon 20D for reference. In full auto, a flash gets lost at distance, and the images look dark and unattractive. Using available light results in blurs. Even using the action setting, with low light slows the shutter speed to create a blur. Can't quite figure out the solution. Thanks in advance for the help.


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June 12, 2005

 

Michelle Ross
  I don't have the Canon 20D but have a Minolta Maxxum 7D and have found that to shoot indoors (for me meaning basketball or volleyball) that I had to get an accessory flash. This helped tremendously, and I got some great photos as a result! Another option would be to invest in a lens that will accommodate a wider aperture, but I'm thinking that getting that with a zoom at all you are looking at some $$. What are you setting ISO on? I have to put mine on at least 800 and most of the time 1600 to get the best results! Doing this and with my flash and a 75-300 f5.6 lens got me results I was pleased with!


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June 12, 2005

 

Barrett D. Clark
  Michelle, thanks so much for taking the time to answer my question. I've been taking outdoor photos for some time, but still an amateur in every sense. I was using (in a gym also) an ef 100-400L 4.5-5.6. Perhaps a faster aperture and a flash are the answer. I'm trying to photograph individuals, so the zoom is preferred. What type of lens do you use in that situation? Thanks again.


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June 12, 2005

 

Michelle Ross
  Hi Barrett ... If you get an accessory flash, your 100-400 lens should work for you fine! I used a sigma 75-300 lens and when I was sitting in the stands it usually had to be on 300 ... sometimes I would stand on the floor and could go down to 100mm ... at the 300mm range my aperture would only go to 5.6 but that seemed to work. The only advantage to a faster aperture would be to try to avoid having to use flash but you may find you still have to have one and the on camera one regardless will most likely not be strong enough! My flash was around $100, which is much cheaper than a lens will probably be! Good Luck!


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June 12, 2005

 

Barrett D. Clark
  Michelle, Thanks so much.

Best Wishes

Barrett


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June 12, 2005

 

Barrett D. Clark
  Michelle, just looked at your pictures, great work, I love the spray plane. Thanks for the help. I'm just starting, but love doing this.


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June 12, 2005

 

Michelle Ross
  Thanks Barrett! That's what makes these sites so nice because the access to information is so accessible and people are usually very willing to help if they are able! Good luck with your photo adventures!


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June 12, 2005

 

Jeff Wignall
  Hi Barrett,
I just happened to catch your question, and I have a couple of quick suggestions. I agree with Michelle that a fairly strong flash is a good idea (as is boosting the ISO to around 800); just raising the ISO will also greatly increase the distance capability of the flash. You might also look at a neat accessory from L.L. Rue called the "Project-a-flash" that uses a fresnel lens that fits over your flash to boost light by as much as three stops. It only sells for about $35 (http://www.rue.com/teleflash.html), and it's probably a worthwhile thing to try if you've got a good long lens and a good flash. The thing is, it really only works well with lenses of 300mm or longer (otherwise, it vignettes the image a bit). Check it out. I don't care for flash much, and I sometimes would rather use REALLY long exposures (a half second or longer) and just let the motion create an interesting blur, but if sharpness and good exposure are important, that flash accessory might help. Jeff


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June 12, 2005

 

Jeff Wignall
  Some grammar! "....if you've GOT a good long lens and a good flash." There, that sounds better :)


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June 12, 2005

 

Barrett D. Clark
  Jeff, thanks for the input. I was torn, because the available light and motion of the extremities made some really neat shots, but often the features such as a face blurred as well. Thanks again


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June 13, 2005

 

Michelle Ross
  Don't forget also Barrett. . that sometimes "breaking the rules" will often times give you some creative images. . . and since you have digital you aren't wasting film so just experiment and see what you can do . . . I myself sometimes forget that aspect of things. . .


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June 13, 2005

 

Jon Close
  Barrett:
In your original post you state: "... In full auto, a flash gets lost at distance, and the images look dark and unattractive. Using available light results in blurs. Even using the action setting, with low light slows the shutter speed to create a blur. ..."
Are you using green box and the icon exposure modes only (i.e. the "Basic" modes)? In these modes, you are limited by the camera automatically setting ISO between 100 and 400. If you shoot instead in the "Creative" modes of P, Av, Tv, and M, you can manually set the ISO higher, to 800, 1600, or 3200. Setting higher ISO will allow you to use faster shutter speeds to stop action in the available light. With a flash the higher ISO settings keep the background from going dark and extends the flash range.
The Basic modes also limit you to Auto White Balance, which may or may not give you optimal white balance with the gym lighting. In Creative modes, you can select the white balance using one of the presets, taking a reading to set a custom white balance, or (if you can determine it) set it directly to the °K color temperature of the lights.


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June 13, 2005

 

RICK Summers
 
 
 
Barrett:
I encounter this situation frequently as I have shot thousands of frames of my daughters who are USA Gymnasts. Flash is forbidden in gymnastics competitions and so I have had to fall back on fast lenses and higher ISO settings. I also use the 20D and have had success with 1600 and 3200 ISO's and as others have noted using the Creative Modes. I regularly use a 28-135 2.8-4.5 and 70-200 2.8 IS depending on distance and shot requirements (i.e. a group shot or an individual)combined with higher ISO I have no problem with blur as I can shoot between 1/125 and 1/500 and these ladies can really move fast. I also would recommend you always use a tripod even when using an image stabilized lense(set it for vertical stabilization for panning).
Good Luck


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June 14, 2005

 

RICK Summers
 
 
 
Barrett:
I encounter this situation frequently as I have shot thousands of frames of my daughters who are USA Gymnasts. Flash is forbidden in gymnastics competitions and so I have had to fall back on fast lenses and higher ISO settings. I also use the 20D and have had success with 1600 and 3200 ISO's and as others have noted using the Creative Modes. I regularly use a 28-135 2.8-4.5 and 70-200 2.8 IS depending on distance and shot requirements (i.e. a group shot or an individual)combined with higher ISO I have no problem with blur as I can shoot between 1/125 and 1/500 and these ladies can really move fast. I also would recommend you always use a tripod even when using an image stabilized lense(set it for vertical stabilization for panning).
Good Luck


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June 14, 2005

 

Lavoisier A. R.
  Well as god as the advice metion above may be. I think going with a F2.8 70-200 and a 300mm lens is the best being you are looking to do this for a living. More so if you are looking to blow up these pics to poster size or more.
Good LucK


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June 14, 2005

 
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