Need help shooting girls basketball

[Cordell]

Hi all. Please help.

I've been photographing to train for weddings, corporate events, and a few portraits for the past 18 months. My cousin recently asked that I work as the official basketball team photographer. This is NOT a paid thing. It is basically something to give the girls and their parents.

My problem is I think my equipment will limit what I can actual do. More specifically, my lens. I currently only own the following:

D60
Tokina ATX SV PRO 28-70 f/2.8
Sigma EF-500 DG Super
Canon Speedlite 420ex

I have a couple of questions and concerns. I like the equipment for weddings and the general shooting I do, but I'm worried about traveling to different gyms and running into lighting issues. For those who are experienced with this type of sport shooting, what do you think about using flash? I'm sure some situations the refs will not approve of it, but how do I combat that to stop action (IE someone going up for a layup)? I'm not too concerned with focusing issues because I usually find a spot to prefocus on when I shoot anyway.

I think this will be a good learning experience without the intent to make money. However, I do want to do well and give them shoots that look good. Maybe down the road I can charge, but I look at this as a great learning challenge. Some of the things I do here can possibly lead to other things.

BTW, more equipment is way out of the question at the moment. At the most I could by a 50mm 1.8, but I can't see where that would be of any use.

Thanks for any tips.

[rodbunn]

You can do it with that equipment. Normally you can't use a flash in BB, so just set the camera to 400 or 800 asa and set it for tungston lighting. I've shot BB like that before and it worked out. You are limited by the lense so I would plant myself behind the backboard, that lense should be ok there shooting as fast a shutter as you need for the F-stop you want.

I don't know the f range on the Sigma so I'm not sure how fast you could shoot with the 500mm.....

You could shoot raw also and adjust the light when you get home.....

Good luck, Rod

[Cordell]

rodbunn wrote:
I don't know the f range on the Sigma so I'm not sure how fast you could shoot with the 500mm.....


Thanks Rod. The Sigma I have is not a lens. It is the Sigma flash that is almost the equivalent of the Canon 550ex flash.

I'm glad you reminded me of the white balance, because I'm sure I would have forgotten about it. I usually don't change it from AWB, although I should sometimes. Thank goodness for C1.

Any others with tips?

[GenEOS]

You are in for a treat. It is the poor lighting that is the hardest thing to overcome. I shoot a lot of indoor sports for the papers and almost every high school gym is dim. I almost always shoot at 800 or 1000 asa. I shoot mostly 1/250 @ f2.8 on my 70-200 IS L f2.8.
Sometimes that is too much lens, being so close to the action, and I have a 50mm F1.8
It can be done with the equipment you have. The only advice I have for you is to set up for specific shots and only go for those one at a time. The D60 has a hard time focusing on the fly for the low lighted gyms.

As for flash, almost all referees will lambast you for shooting a flash if you are courtside, close to the action. But, if you are in the stands, you can get away with it a little more. The D60 is however, limited to 1/200th with the flash. I have had good results in some gyms, bouncing the flash off the ceiling. Believe it or not. It does not take much flash at higher asa's to make a good exposure and freeze the action. Try it out.

If the rules of the game dictacte no flash photography, they will announce it.. otherwise, you are safe in the stands. I am sure they will stop the game and point you out, if you turn the place into a dance hall with your flashes though....

[Cordell]

Thank you Daniel. I was thinking I would need a 70-200, but since you said it can be more than I need, I feel a little better.

I don't want anyone to point me out so I'm going to keep my flash in the bag.

Good thing Neat Image is available for the 800 ASA shots, otherwise I would hate all of them.

[rodbunn]

Besides getting the camera set right I try to remember to get these (depending on what kind of coverage you are doing ie. for the coach, local news paper, etc);

1. "fill the frame" whenever possable.
2. Get face expressions in the shot when you can.
3. Do fome "pan" shots, slow shutter, follow a player
from the sideline.
4. Turn and look at the bench for shots, some of the
best "action" shots are off the court.
5. Jump shots are good and easy, cathc them at the
top of the jump.

Here is one I took a long tme ago (before my 10d) with
a cheap digital, sample of "fill the frame".

http://www.xposeu.com/359.jpg

Good luck, Rod

[DaveG]

cordell wrote:
Hi all. Please help.

I've been photographing to train for weddings, corporate events, and a few portraits for the past 18 months. My cousin recently asked that I work as the official basketball team photographer. This is NOT a paid thing. It is basically something to give the girls and their parents.

My problem is I think my equipment will limit what I can actual do. More specifically, my lens. I currently only own the following:

D60
Tokina ATX SV PRO 28-70 f/2.8
Sigma EF-500 DG Super
Canon Speedlite 420ex

I have a couple of questions and concerns. I like the equipment for weddings and the general shooting I do, but I'm worried about traveling to different gyms and running into lighting issues. For those who are experienced with this type of sport shooting, what do you think about using flash? I'm sure some situations the refs will not approve of it, but how do I combat that to stop action (IE someone going up for a layup)? I'm not too concerned with focusing issues because I usually find a spot to prefocus on when I shoot anyway.

I think this will be a good learning experience without the intent to make money. However, I do want to do well and give them shoots that look good. Maybe down the road I can charge, but I look at this as a great learning challenge. Some of the things I do here can possibly lead to other things.

BTW, more equipment is way out of the question at the moment. At the most I could by a 50mm 1.8, but I can't see where that would be of any use.

Thanks for any tips.

I recently wrote here about shooting basketball and although I might be repeating myself, here we go: You should be able to do it with that lens you own. The 50 f1.8 would give you a stop of shutterspeed - and the 50 f1.4 yet another stop; but those lenses are for another day.

You wll need to shoot at a shutterspeed no lower than 1/500 of a second, and of course wide open. You'll have to use whatever ISO that will get you there. Obviously if you can do it with ISO 100 then you might want to increase the shutter speed. But in reality you'll probably be shooting at ISO 1600 and possible 3200 (H).

I like to sit on the baseline - out by the corner. I can follow the guards (50 to 70 mm on the 10D) moving the ball on the perimiter and then turn to shoot action in the key (50 mm?). Since I'm sitting on the baseline, the offensive team's faces will be looking in my direction. You need to understand that sports photography remains people photography, and that means that faces are very important. It makes helmeted sports all that more difficult.

You obviously want conflict - that's what sports is all about and here's an easy conflict shot. You are on the baseline and the offensive team is about to take a foul shot. You focus on the two forwards that are closest to the basket, and are standing on the key and are facing towards you. For god's sake don't photograph the foul shooter as it REALLY sucks! But this is what happens AFTER the foul shot is in the air: The defensive forward - who is physically closest to the basket, should pivot to block out the offfensive forward in order to deny him a rebound if the foul shot fails. Meanwhile the offensive forward is climbing all over the other guy TRYING to get the rebound. There you have it - conflict - and their faces wil be right at you!

The other thing to shoot, besides action, is reaction. The coach's grimace after a player does something dumb. A player literally praying on the bench during a high tension moment. Sobbing after a key loss. Now if this is a routine game in the middle of a mediocre season none of that might happen. But keeping an eye on the bench is always a good idea. Often the reaction shot changes the image from a good sports shot to a GREAT news shot.

Good luck.

[Cordell]

Rod and Dave, thank you so much for the details and examples. These are things I did not consider at all.

Rod, I felt like I was in that shot waiting for tip ball.

Dave, I felt like I was on the sideline waiting to capture the after the release of the foul shot photo. I also was invisioning my cousin's expressions as he gave instructions to the players.

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