sports Shooting settings and tips

[Tareq]

Hey all,

No, this thread is not to tell tipsb but i ask for tips.

I see in many sports shots that settings are varying, i want to ask why?

I set my camera to the best settings of modes or custom function, so now only i have to play with three factors: shutter speed, Aperture, and ISO.

Now all or most shots are used with wide open aperture (f1.8-f4), so then i have to deal with ISO and shutter speed, now why some use Manual mode and some use Av mode? In manual i can set the aperture to the widest open and i play only with shutter speed but then i have to check iso to match the exposure, so can't i do simple way to do that?
let's say if i shoot indoor, i think the light source is fixed so i can fixed the ISO and Aperture then only shutter speed is changable, but can't i fix the shutter speed as well to a proper value so then i have to ignore completely to change any value and then i concentrate on the actions?
I can't play with settings while i am shooting and following the actions and i will miss alot if i have to follow either the settings or the actions.

In UAE mostly or say always (more than 98%) the weather is sunny and hot or nice means we don't have clouds so it is clear and the exposure is nice, that is in the Day time, in the night sure the flashes around the field or indoors are either strong or low so we don't have problem for changing the exposure sources, so can't i fix some values and then i follow the match or the action only? Say i keep F2.8, ISO say i keep it at 1600 and shutter speed at 1/500 or 1/640 and then i shoot the match without to check the exposure, only i check the composition and the actions only, but if i have to change that settings all the time or many times then i will miss alot and alot of action.

I am not professional at all, and i did shooting about 8 sports matches already and always i can't get the best actions as i change my settings alot, i can fixed the settings but then people here will tell me if i choose this value or if i tried that value so i can't end up with proper values for any match and worse missing the match and the actions during the match.

i saw many shots for one match with different settings for the same photographer, i am wondering if he was follow the match or checking his camera (chimping).

I hope someone can answer me in logic way and simplify it so i can get the answer in best way, all the topics sticky didn't help me in fact.

[Stacas]

Tareq,

Sports photographers tend not to change their settings continuously, mainly - like you say - because they can't afford to miss the action. Generally, we'll pick the exposure that is correct at the time and for the specific area of the pitch / field, and go with that, and change it only when the action moves to the far end, or the action nearby is slow enough and lasting enough to allow us to change exposure on the spot (ie. a yellow card being shown, a manager shouting, or a long celebration - basically, something which you last long enough for you to be able to afford to change settings while it is happening, and still get the shot you want).

The beauty of the weather you have is that you can play around with your settings a lot more without losing quality or the action itself - at a 7.45pm kick off here, all photographers will stick it straight to ISO1600, f/2.8, and probably something around 1/640th, just as a general example. There are no set rules, but the beauty of digital is that you can afford to experiment without it costing you anything. Don't feel you need to have the exposure bang on every time, because if you do keep changing your settings, as you say you do, then you will miss the action - 1/3 of a stop out here and there isn't going to ruin the image, only if you're 1 stop out or more. So keep an eye on the exposure, but don't watch it more than you watch the match!

Hope that helps, although I'm sure many others will have their say too...that's just what sprung to mind when I read the post! S.

[michaelgreen78]

I use aperture priority and keep my aperture as wide as possible. I only generally alter the ISO settings depending on the weather - at rugby matches in winter the light can change quite a bit - and often shoot at high ISO's to get decent shutter speed.

[Tareq]

Tareq,

Sports photographers tend not to change their settings continuously, mainly - like you say - because they can't afford to miss the action. Generally, we'll pick the exposure that is correct at the time and for the specific area of the pitch / field, and go with that, and change it only when the action moves to the far end, or the action nearby is slow enough and lasting enough to allow us to change exposure on the spot (ie. a yellow card being shown, a manager shouting, or a long celebration - basically, something which you last long enough for you to be able to afford to change settings while it is happening, and still get the shot you want).

The beauty of the weather you have is that you can play around with your settings a lot more without losing quality or the action itself - at a 7.45pm kick off here, all photographers will stick it straight to ISO1600, f/2.8, and probably something around 1/640th, just as a general example. There are no set rules, but the beauty of digital is that you can afford to experiment without it costing you anything. Don't feel you need to have the exposure bang on every time, because if you do keep changing your settings, as you say you do, then you will miss the action - 1/3 of a stop out here and there isn't going to ruin the image, only if you're 1 stop out or more. So keep an eye on the exposure, but don't watch it more than you watch the match!

Hope that helps, although I'm sure many others will have their say too...that's just what sprung to mind when I read the post! S.

Thank you very much for this answer, yes i try to change if i need in that rests moments when the actions slow down or stopped due to injury or what you mentioned above, but after your answer i got a points to shoot.
BTW, i always take pre shots before the shot beginning and i can check the exposure and set the values to the best settings as i can, and i don't feel really that i need to change alot except if the match is between the DAY and Evening before and after the sunset i mean, otherwise everything is ok, just sometimes i set the ISO to 800 then i find myself i have to lower it, sometimes i feel i have to increase it as fast checking for one or 2 shots, but my mistake is that i didn't follow the actions that much so i miss alot then, and great that i know where is the best locations to stand for shooting from another posts.

I will have more tests in the future and i am waiting this month end fast as i am going to order my new lens next month and give it many tries in sports.

Thank you very much again

Tareq

[Tareq]

I use aperture priority and keep my aperture as wide as possible. I only generally alter the ISO settings depending on the weather - at rugby matches in winter the light can change quite a bit - and often shoot at high ISO's to get decent shutter speed.

In fact i like that settings as well so then i don't worry alot about my settings, but due to my bad photography with aperture priority if i do wrong metering then i may have speed around 1/320 or less which means more blurry shots possibilities, so to be sure i stick that ISO not less than 1000 in bad exposure and widest f-stop and i try to check with 1/400-1/1000 speed and try to choose the highest shutter speed which can give good enough exposure so then i don't worry for anything else but only the action itself.