Indoor Swim Meet, Tips, Tricks, Shots? Please post info..

[GenEOS]

Got to shoot an indoor swim meet for the first time. Any help I can get from someone who has done it would be appreciated. I have a 70-200 f2.8 and a 50 f1.8, that's the extent of my fast glass.

If you know of any good web galleries of swimming shots, I would be interested in those too..

[TeraGram93013]

Here's my only tip for you:

Do not walk about with the camera right up to your face especially if the pool is directly in front of you.

Soggy cameras don't work very well!

[DaveG]

Swimming is just about the only sport that I know of where on-the-camera flash actually improves the picture. If you are allowed on the pool deck you can shoot the swimmers as they go by. A little bit of watching will let you know when the swimmer you want will roll their head (free style) so you'll shoot as much of their face as possible. For breast stroke and butterfly shoot from the end so you get the swimmers coming right at you.

Most swim races use an electronic flash to start the race. This makes it fair for the swimmers since light travels slightly faster than sound. The organizers will kill you if you shoot the start of the race with YOUR flash since the swimmers will false start. So you'll have to promise them that you won't shoot until the swimmers are in the water. There is a chance that the organizers will forbid you using the flash in any case, but at least ask.

[GenEOS]

Thanks Dave, I did not know about the flash triggered starts.
It is nice to get posts that don't waist bandwidth and help out.
I will just have to see what the situation is when I get there in the morning. I will check with the officials before hand.