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Category: Action & Sports Pictures

Photography Question 

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Sports Photography - High School Basketball


If I was going to take pictures at basketball games at my high school, what type of equipment do I need besides my camera?


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November 12, 2005

 

Justin G.
  A medium telephoto will probably do the trick, right around 135 or so. And since lighting in gyms is so horrible for photography, you'll need a fast lens, around f/2.8 or so. Also, jack up your ISO to around 800-1600. I would think a monopod as a tripod would be too cumbersome and a pain to carry around and set up.
What kind of camera will you be taking? Do you have any money to invest in more lenses?


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November 12, 2005

 

BetterPhoto Member
  I would be taking my only camera ... the Kodak Digital EasyShare CX7530. I do have money to invest, but I'm not sure if my camera can even have more lenses. It is a beginner camera, but it takes quick pictures, so I'm confident that it will be OK to use.


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November 13, 2005

 

David Cook
  dont be too confident, a high school gym is probably the worst condition I have run into. if you crank up the ISO you will get a much more grainy picture. I try to keep to 400 and I have invested in a canon f2.8 70-200 lens which covers most situations well. You can play with adjustments and see how it turns out, but I have relied on fixing the photo in the digital darkroom with brightness and contrast adjustments. You dont end up with the same type of photo as an outdoor sports event, but it is about the best you can do. If you dont want to spend a fortune, try a f1.8 50mm, or 85 mm lens- granted you will need to sit close, but it lets a lot more light in and helps get better stop action


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November 15, 2005

 

Ron Burgis
 
 

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Jalen Montage

Ron Burgis

 
 
Lindsey...if it was easy, everyone would do it! Your camera is limited.

If you seriously want good pictures, it's time to invest in a DSLR. And more importantly, LEARN HOW TO USE IT. Photography is sooo much more than pointing and shooting the picture.

David, if you are using Photoshop to work on your images, I STRONGLY suggest you DO NOT use "Brightness & Contrast" for adjusting the pictures. Levels will do much better. You can control the overall lightness and the midrange and blacks. Depending on you camera, I would shoot 800 to 1,000 ASA and when possible use flash fill (even with your fast lens} to make the uniform colors POP. I use a 35-70 f2.8 for the majority of basketball. This allows me to freeze action at shutterspeeds for 1/125.

I hope this advice helps.

Ron


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November 15, 2005

 

Justin G.
  Jalen Brown flows well, sounds like a professionals name!


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November 15, 2005

 

Diane Dupuis
 
 
 
Lindsey - I've shot high school bball pics in gyms with bad lighting and have done not too bad with my 3 megapixel point and shoot... I'm sure you're not about to go out and buy a DSLR with lenses just to get some high school bball memories... I have a few suggestions though.
If you can, be on the same level as the players.
Use a monopod if you have one. It will help keep things stable but give you the mobility you need.
Obviously the teams will have to know what you're up to... But with their permissionyou should be able to get some decent shots.
I found the most important thing was after watching a few games was having an idea of what the plays were going to be and being ready by pre-focusing at the right spot.
If you have a sports mode in your camera give it a try.
Multiple shots in a row would be nice too - not sure the Kodak has it.
I'm going to post a few samples - and I'll come back with some of the settings.
Practice practice practice will help alot! Good luck to you!


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November 15, 2005

 

Diane Dupuis
 
 
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Diane Dupuis

 
 
Oops - let's try that again...


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November 15, 2005

 

Diane Dupuis
  ok - so they were all shot at shutter speed of 1/60, aperture either 2.8 or 3.2 - flash fired, and ISO was between 200 and 400.
As I suggested, practice alot. Especially if you can get to some of the basketball practices to practice your shooting - you'll be able to try the different settings on your camera before the important game.
There are a lot of shots you can take where the kids aren't moving so much (like at time out huddles with the coach, bench shots, foul line shots, jump balls, handshake line at the end...)
I hope this helps a bit. I'm certainly no expert but I've been around a gym more than once! (I work in a high school and to practice my photography I followed the girls team around last year)...


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November 15, 2005

 

Ron Burgis
 
 
  Halftime
Halftime

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  Little Lion
Little Lion

Ron Burgis

 
 
Diane, nice shots. Your advice to prefocus on a spot is great, one thing you didn't mention is that you used flash.

By the way, don't forget the sidelines and halftime action!

Ron


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November 15, 2005

 

Diane Dupuis
  Hi Ron - cuties on the sidelines! I did mention flash fired - right after the aperture in my last message...


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November 16, 2005

 

Ron Burgis
  I wrote that before you last post...you got it up first


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November 16, 2005

 
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