Second and Third attempts at Basketball

[cdifoto]

NCAA Division II this time. It was a men & women double header so I stuck around for both games.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a304/cdifoto/shipwmnbball/2007-01-14-030.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a304/cdifoto/shipwmnbball/2007-01-14-065.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a304/cdifoto/shipwmnbball/2007-01-14-024.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a304/cdifoto/shipwmnbball/2007-01-14-015.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a304/cdifoto/shipmbball/2007-01-14-059.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a304/cdifoto/shipmbball/2007-01-14-020-1.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a304/cdifoto/shipmbball/2007-01-14-020.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a304/cdifoto/shipmbball/2007-01-14-004.jpg

[MagicallyDelicious]

wow! these are fab!

[cdifoto]

Thanks! I do believe that's the fastest reply I've ever received on photos. LOL.

[MagicallyDelicious]

Thanks! I do believe that's the fastest reply I've ever received on photos. LOL.

well they deserved it!

I was just in the right place at the right time it seems! :)

[cdifoto]

Thanks again. :)

[g2kev]

Great shots! (I can see them now) I have two questions. What lens did you shoot those pictures with, and did you use strobes or a flash?

[cdifoto]

Great shots! (I can see them now) I have two questions. What lens did you shoot those pictures with, and did you use strobes or a flash?

I used the 85mm f/1.8 on the 30D and 70-200 f/2.8L on the 10D fo the girls then abandoned the 10D and 85mm, putting the 70-200 on the 30D for the guys. No flash/strobes. Just the natural gym lighting. It's decent but not good. I was getting f/2.8 & 1/500th @ ISO3200 with the 30D.

[red hot sheep]

All great but 5 + 6 are superb!

[cdifoto]

Hey thanks RHS! I finally got the rest up on my website if anyone wants to check 'em out. They're much smaller than here but in the interest of keeping my site reasonably sized and loading.

www.cdifoto.com (under SHIP Athletics)

[jwwfan]

Hello CDI
Those shots are amazing! I'm a newbie and have been working so hard to produce clarity like that in my gym photos. I have almost the exact same equipment (30D, 85mm, 70-200mm), use the similar settings (3200 iso, 400-500th, AV, f2.0-2.2, no flash) and I can't come CLOSE to that clarity. I know I shoot in a bit of a dungeon, but as you can see from my shots its noise, softness and discoloration. I'm guessing for me its most likely pilot error but would you have any helpful hints on what I might be doing wrong, cuz you sure are doing it right. Amazing, amazing shots!!
http://www.homegrownsports.smugmug.com/gallery/2358585
http://www.homegrownsports.smugmug.com/gallery/2255478/3
http://www.homegrownsports.smugmug.com/gallery/2350995/1/123063121

[cdifoto]

The first thing I did was walk around a bit and take some readings with my handheld light meter. I then tossed my grey card on the floor and took a photo of it to set a custom white balance. With my exposures set to be spot on via the meter and my white balance perfect according to the grey card, all I had to do was watch the action and grab it as best as I could. You don't really need a handheld meter though. You can meter off the grey card with the camera.

Aside from that just watch, frame as tight as you can, and get the good stuff. It'd hard with some levels of play though. The guys are really intense so damn near every play is a good capture if I nail focus. Girls are a bit harder since they can't jump as high and don't have as much strength. They can still provide some decent stuff though.

[jwwfan]

Thanks CDI, I appreciate the help. You're right I really have to gain more knowledge about white balance and using the grey card for customizing, as I'm very green in that area, and your photos certainly demonstrate the power of great color and clarity. I'm still "lil miss automatic" in some scenarios but hey, white balance lesson one here I come. Thanks again, really appreciate the help.

[grego]

Biggest thing is cropping tighter. If you allowed for edits, i'd show what i'd do to some of them. But you are improving none the less.

[Croasdail]

CD.... I think you have some better shots on your website. These are pretty good, an improvement over the first batch for sure. The college game surely yields more shot opportunities then does high school. That roof color surely doesn't help much though - does it. No extra light coming from that one. Lastly, I have totally abandoned the far shot with basketball... never has yielded anything worth getting excited about. Could just be me though.

[superdiver]

I agree...I shoot 99% under the basket and chimp throught he obviously bad ones while the play is at the other end...

[grego]

Lastly, I have totally abandoned the far shot with basketball... never has yielded anything worth getting excited about. Could just be me though.

I think the far shot is fine if you have a 200, and of course a 300. They are less keepers but youc an get some very interesting stuff.

[Croasdail]

Hey Grego.... you have any examples? I have really stuggled with this and frankly gave up on it. Between high ISO, poor subject isolation because the background is so dang near, and having to swap back and forth... I just don't do it. I know a lot do, but dang, I haven't found the secret to it yet.

[grego]

Hey Grego.... you have any examples? I have really stuggled with this and frankly gave up on it. Between high ISO, poor subject isolation because the background is so dang near, and having to swap back and forth... I just don't do it. I know a lot do, but dang, I haven't found the secret to it yet.

Uhh, without looking too much(i got to go to bed early today-job interview tomorrow), here's a quick one.

I will dig for some college stuff(prob ucla vs usc from recently), because its closer to the HS ball than is pro ball.

This was at 221(fov of 353.6mm)
http://picasaweb.google.com/GregBurmann/WashingtonWizardsLosAngelesLakers/photo#5010906364548006082

Although i have the 120-300, so this is at 120 on the 30D which has an FOV of 192mm
http://picasaweb.google.com/GregBurmann/WashingtonWizardsLosAngelesLakers/photo#5010943241137209570


But let me look. I use my sigma with my 30D at UCLA games. I use it to focus on defenders. I will post soon, aimming for this weekend. It's good for some stuff, but less success you will get.BTW, Robert Horry's famous shot was all from 300's across court. :)

[Boogieman]

Really good shots!

[Croasdail]

Good luck with the interview....!

Yeah, the light drop off you are getting at Staples really is helping here keep the crowd out of the shot. Unfortunately I haven't gotten it to work so well for me. Too much light spill into the crowds.