Girls Volleyball

[superdiver]

So volleyball is starting back up and I am shooting it for my second time.

Its hard to get used to the different timing in all the different sports. I shot football then volleyball and then soccer all on Sat afternoon....LOL

CC welcome...I am trying to learn and improve....

1.
http://superdiver.smugmug.com/photos/190747092-L.jpg

2.
http://superdiver.smugmug.com/photos/190745437-L.jpg

3.
http://superdiver.smugmug.com/photos/190752124-L.jpg

4.
http://superdiver.smugmug.com/photos/190753823-L.jpg

5.
http://superdiver.smugmug.com/photos/190759582-L.jpg

6. This call was NOT made....LOL
http://superdiver.smugmug.com/photos/190768563-L.jpg

7.
http://superdiver.smugmug.com/photos/190767830-L.jpg

8.
http://superdiver.smugmug.com/photos/190762945-L.jpg

[c3p1]

Nice series! I like no.6 the best, great action. There are a couple without the ball. The body posture makes it interesting but if the ball was there, they would have been great shots!
Thanks for posting.
Paul

[danphoto1]

Nice shots. What did you use for a camera and lens. Did you shoot in raw??? I have the same problem when shooting a couple of differnt sports It is hard get the timeing down.

[superdiver]

Nice series! I like no.6 the best, great action. There are a couple without the ball. The body posture makes it interesting but if the ball was there, they would have been great shots!
Thanks for posting.
Paul

Yeah, hence my complaint about my inability to get the timing down....LOL..What I need to do (besides the timing) is to figure out where is the best place to shoot from without getting in the way. I hate the net being in front of the players faces.

Any hints on the best shooting postitions?



Nice shots. What did you use for a camera and lens. Did you shoot in raw??? I have the same problem when shooting a couple of differnt sports It is hard get the timeing down.

I use a 30D and a 85 1.8. I shot at how ever high ISO I needed to get 1/500 or higher. Mostly ISO 1600 and messed around with 1.8 to 2.5

If you go to the website all the pictures have the EXIF when you mouse over them..they are all a bit different as I shoot in Av mode..

[liza]

Good timing on all these. Volleyball can be difficult. I usually shoot just to the left or right of the net on the sidelines to get spike shots. It's kind of interesting at times to climb to the top of the stands and shoot with a 200L, too. I also try different sides of the gym as well. Just be mobile and vary your position from time to time.

[superdiver]

I thought about throwing on my 70-200 and going up into the bleachers...good tip Liza...

How far from the net do you usually stand? And when you are shooting those spike shots, do you get much of their face? It seems they always have their back to you....cant we get them to turn and smile for us...LOL

[liza]

I'm right next to the net on the floor in a crouching position. As for getting faces, that's why I try different sides of the gym so I'm getting them looking more at me than away from me. I'm looking forward to shooting a game next week. :)

[danphoto1]

I shoot from all over. Somtimes I go too the back of the gym and use my 120-300 2.8 on a monopod and get some different angles or use my 70-200 from the side lines in all differnt position. Watch the play and you will see the same series of hits and the spike. Study the individual player.. You will see a lot of repeat moves and you will get better at timing and anticipating player moves. Sometimes your wrong but a lot of times you get it right. It's hard but the more you do it the better you get .

[ForumForker]

I have yet to try this, so I have to ask. Can you use a flash, or are all these shot with gym lighting? I've shot outdoor volleyball, and it is very difficult to follw the ball. I just stake out a likely spot and hope the play is close to my focus point. More tips?

[superdiver]

I have yet to try this, so I have to ask. Can you use a flash, or are all these shot with gym lighting? I've shot outdoor volleyball, and it is very difficult to follw the ball. I just stake out a likely spot and hope the play is close to my focus point. More tips?

I dont use any flash for any of my stuff...I hear alot of people do and I hear its not allowed many places...I dont know....LOL

[RonnieA]

Looks like a tough sport to shoot, especially at this level of "low flying" play.

For what it's worth, here's a few suggestions from somebody who has never captured the sport ...

Shoot manual. Dial up ISO to get the fastest shutter speed possible.

As mentioned, move around and look for angles which show ball and face, while keeping in mind that most people are righthanded. Up in the second deck, looking down on the players, may be a cool spot for your 70-200 2.8. In my opinion, based on your positioning, you should have moved over six feet and captured plays on the other side of the net, where you could get frontal shots of righthanders as the wind up to hit the ball opposed to backsides.

For timing on spikes, maybe capture the arm while it's in the hammer position instead of at contact. This period of time before the spike is probably a relatively controlled motion, which may allow you to better stop motion with marginal shutter speed. Also, if wait until contact, then their arm may get in the way of their face.

Anyway, some things to toy with.

Have fun.

[Keltab]

Nice shots! I am new to photography and just starting to work on volleyball, but I have been coaching the sport for 20+ years... A few hints for timing and positioning I am going to try (from the coach's perspective). If you can get slightly higher than the net and still in a good range for the 70-200L (which is what I have and it seems to work well) try shooting just above the blockers hands while facing the hitter. You will get a good shot of the concentration of the hitter, and the angle at which she/he is approaching. Also, you can watch the blockers skills easily from that angle. If you happen to catch a facial from that spot it would be perfect (when the ball is blocked back directly into the face of the hitter). Another thing to try is watch the match to see which hitter or position gets the most sets. Then set your focus for that spot - don't try and follow the ball. Most teams set the majority to the outside or middle, usually the outside (front left side player on the hitting team). Also, that tends to be the home for the most athletic lealer - some great shots of jump and swing available there... I have more ideas and things I have tried - please IM or email me if you want to know more about this game. I have loved it for years, and now I am trying to add VBall photography to my skill set. Thanks for the images!

[coleygm]

Nice shots! I am new to photography and just starting to work on volleyball, but I have been coaching the sport for 20+ years... A few hints for timing and positioning I am going to try (from the coach's perspective). If you can get slightly higher than the net and still in a good range for the 70-200L (which is what I have and it seems to work well) try shooting just above the blockers hands while facing the hitter. You will get a good shot of the concentration of the hitter, and the angle at which she/he is approaching. Also, you can watch the blockers skills easily from that angle. If you happen to catch a facial from that spot it would be perfect (when the ball is blocked back directly into the face of the hitter). Another thing to try is watch the match to see which hitter or position gets the most sets. Then set your focus for that spot - don't try and follow the ball. Most teams set the majority to the outside or middle, usually the outside (front left side player on the hitting team). Also, that tends to be the home for the most athletic lealer - some great shots of jump and swing available there... I have more ideas and things I have tried - please IM or email me if you want to know more about this game. I have loved it for years, and now I am trying to add VBall photography to my skill set. Thanks for the images!

All great advice...one more question though and as a coach, you should be the perfect person to ask....what about using a flash? and i'm espeicially ineterested in your thoughts concerning with volleyball...but curious as to yours or anyones thoughts at flash use in any other indoor sports (ie basketball, wrestling, swimming, diving, etc...)

thanks

[volleybrad]

Photos look great! Exposures are all really good and either you've got excellent lighting or are great at removing noise. :)

One thing I can suggest on finding the action is:

-look for a set to go to the middle or opposite right after serve receive OR when the team receives a free ball (most girl will be yelling "FREEEE!")

-if it is during typical defense-to-offense transition, you can 90% of the time expect the ball to go to the outside hitter.

This might help, since its hard to follow the action.

[superdiver]

Thanks for the great tips guys...I will try it next time...

[convergent]

Those are all great shots... I don't know that I'd do anything different. What equipment and settings did you use?

[Keltab]

All great advice...one more question though and as a coach, you should be the perfect person to ask....what about using a flash? and i'm espeicially ineterested in your thoughts concerning with volleyball...but curious as to yours or anyones thoughts at flash use in any other indoor sports (ie basketball, wrestling, swimming, diving, etc...)

I have to admit, as a coach I hate seeing flash being used in a gym. The amount of time the player is contacting the ball is a fraction of a second... the smallest distraction can cause a mi**** or an error (especially on the net) Many gyms don't have good lighting so we have to pump up the ISO and shoot wide open. Many coaches will elt you shoot the team during practice so that you can practice without a flash - check with your team's coach and see if they will let you. That way you learn your settings for gametime.

[AB8ND]

Nice shots
I used to have the hardest time with getting the ball in volleyball pictures. I found that keeping both eyes open to watch the action and figure out (guess) which player the ball was going to. I'd then watch her eyes, they will usually lead you right to the ball. One big thing was that if you see a player hit the ball it will probably be out of the frame when you click the shutter.

Jack

[superdiver]

Those are all great shots... I don't know that I'd do anything different. What equipment and settings did you use?


30D
85 1.8
Av
ISO 1600 (I almost always have to shoot at ISO 1600 or 3200 in this our MAIN gym)

[superdiver]

Thanks for looking...

[Big Hands]

Nice work David. I tried shooting volleyball last spring and it is really difficult. Your shots have good control of the white balance, sharp, well composed with good peak action... everything I struggled with. Well done.

Regards,
Jeff

[superdiver]

Thanks Jeff. It helps that I know the gym from basketball...

[Croasdail]

BTW... these are soooooo much better then what you were getting a year ago. Shows what a little practice and an ever expanding list of stuff will do for ya. Good stuff.

[superdiver]

Thanks Mark!

[Tandem]

Great shots, you did very well on what is a tough sport to shoot.

I'm shooting an all-day volleyball tournament on Saturday. I did poorly last year but I know what to expect this time. Two gyms with two courts apiece. The auxiliary gym is so dark that I took one look and said there is no way I'm shooting in there. The main gym will be ISO 3200, f/1.8, 1/500, manual to get mostly spot-on exposure. The two courts are set up with the end-lines toward the stands and no room in the middle. The player's seating is folding chairs along each side. I have a choice between standing behind the chairs (try that for 12 hours) or sitting on the sideline towards the baseline.

I only hope that I can get shots as good as yours. The good news is that they feed and water me all day long and I get to shoot most of the schools in the area. It will take me a couple of weeks, though, to get all the photos processed and posted.

Re: flashes. The only ones I've seen that were tolerated are studio flashes from the corners pointed up at the ceiling. I've seen plenty of photographers with on-camera flashes at various events be told to either stop using the flash or get up into the stands. Usually that means they stop shooting since they aren't prepared to go flashless.

[22littlereasons]

I shoot a lot of volleyball with the 85mm as you do. My 70-200mm f2.8 is too slow for the gyms I end up in. I also use a 30mm f1.4 sigma by the net but it's too wide for much else. I'm thinking of buying a 50mm f1.4 USM, but I haven't read too much about its use for sports. But I'm thinking if it performs as good as the 85mm... it should be just the thing.

[Greg_C]

Nice work.

I've shot volleyball a couple of times myself. Usually with 85 F1.8, but I did give the Sigma 30mm a go. I also would like to try a 50 F1.4 for volleyball.

My tip is to shoot from the server receive side of the net close to the 2nd ref and look back towards the back court players about to receive the serve. I've found it better to set up to shoot one of them receiving the serve. It's pot luck that the person you target receives the ball but I've found this easier than trying to track a jump serve to the receiver. This works perfectly when the server is consistently targeting one player on the other side.

[coleygm]

Great shots, you did very well on what is a tough sport to shoot.

I'm shooting an all-day volleyball tournament on Saturday. I did poorly last year but I know what to expect this time. Two gyms with two courts apiece. The auxiliary gym is so dark that I took one look and said there is no way I'm shooting in there. The main gym will be ISO 3200, f/1.8, 1/500, manual to get mostly spot-on exposure. The two courts are set up with the end-lines toward the stands and no room in the middle. The player's seating is folding chairs along each side. I have a choice between standing behind the chairs (try that for 12 hours) or sitting on the sideline towards the baseline.

I only hope that I can get shots as good as yours. The good news is that they feed and water me all day long and I get to shoot most of the schools in the area. It will take me a couple of weeks, though, to get all the photos processed and posted.

Re: flashes. The only ones I've seen that were tolerated are studio flashes from the corners pointed up at the ceiling. I've seen plenty of photographers with on-camera flashes at various events be told to either stop using the flash or get up into the stands. Usually that means they stop shooting since they aren't prepared to go flashless.

I've been having a lot of issues shooting volleyball! I use a 70-200 2.8, but it still doesn't quite seem fast enough. ...1/400 if i'm lucky. A flash would really brighten up the shadows, etc....but am nervous about using it. I'd think from a distance or non direct angles, it wouldn't bother anyone...but don't relish being yelled at either. would an 85 1.8 be the way to go, or the 85 1.2? big price difference obviously, and i hear great things about both lenses.

any thoughts are appreciated....and thanks for all the great stuff form everyone.

[Tandem]

I have both 85's and for dimly lit indoor sports the 1.8 version is the way to go. The 1.8 focuses much quicker than the 1.2 and is better for fast paced action.

[KirkHMB]

I just shot last night, and I check with the ref before shooting @ each match. (Helps that I'm an assistant on the JV team), but said I could shoot anywhere I wanted, as long as it was without flash.

Used my 50f1.8, and was disappointed in the reject rate for OOF vs the 85f1.8. Will be doing the 50f1.4 30f1.4 research this weekend, wanna get a little wider than the 85.

[hawk911]

David- I visited the site and moused over some photos. I know high shutter is great to stop the action, but in img_8935, the iso was 800, F1.8, and Tv=1/1600th. Was it necessary to shoot at 1/1600th, iso 800? Was it conscious to shoot at that ISO at that point, or could you have stopped the lens down to 2.8 or 3.5? Wouldn't you still stop the action at ~1/500th? I ask because you had the 85mm f1.8 on, and I've only got a 2.8. I'll be stuck at 2.8, and possibly underexposed at 1/500 if I stay at iso 800. I'd like to try and stay at 800, rather than iso 1600.

[superdiver]

I shoot a lot of volleyball with the 85mm as you do. My 70-200mm f2.8 is too slow for the gyms I end up in. I also use a 30mm f1.4 sigma by the net but it's too wide for much else. I'm thinking of buying a 50mm f1.4 USM, but I haven't read too much about its use for sports. But I'm thinking if it performs as good as the 85mm... it should be just the thing.

I have the 50 1.4 and it doesnt focus nearly as fast or as accurately in a short time as the 85 1.8

I HAVE used it, but it is not my "go to lens" for indoor sports...

I've been having a lot of issues shooting volleyball! I use a 70-200 2.8, but it still doesn't quite seem fast enough. ...1/400 if i'm lucky. A flash would really brighten up the shadows, etc....but am nervous about using it. I'd think from a distance or non direct angles, it wouldn't bother anyone...but don't relish being yelled at either. would an 85 1.8 be the way to go, or the 85 1.2? big price difference obviously, and i hear great things about both lenses.

any thoughts are appreciated....and thanks for all the great stuff form everyone.

I have the 70-200 2.8 and it just is not fast enough in our gyms. I dont have the 85 1.2 but have played with a friends and it didnt focus much faster then the 50 1.4 so I wouldnt waist my money on that lens FOR SPORTS...other then that its an awsum lens!

I just shot last night, and I check with the ref before shooting @ each match. (Helps that I'm an assistant on the JV team), but said I could shoot anywhere I wanted, as long as it was without flash.

Used my 50f1.8, and was disappointed in the reject rate for OOF vs the 85f1.8. Will be doing the 50f1.4 30f1.4 research this weekend, wanna get a little wider than the 85.

Maybe you will have better luck with the 50 1.4 then I did....

David- I visited the site and moused over some photos. I know high shutter is great to stop the action, but in img_8935, the iso was 800, F1.8, and Tv=1/1600th. Was it necessary to shoot at 1/1600th, iso 800? Was it conscious to shoot at that ISO at that point, or could you have stopped the lens down to 2.8 or 3.5? Wouldn't you still stop the action at ~1/500th? I ask because you had the 85mm f1.8 on, and I've only got a 2.8. I'll be stuck at 2.8, and possibly underexposed at 1/500 if I stay at iso 800. I'd like to try and stay at 800, rather than iso 1600.


I shoot Av, so my ss jumps around based on available light. I tend to have my ISO at one place unless i really start to see a consistantly HIGH ss. At that point i will stop down the ISO. The thing is for me is that I can deal with NOISE, but I cant fix a blurry picture. I like STOP ACTION, so I error on the fast ss rather then on lower ISO.

You judge for yourself, is the noise in the pictures you saw so bad? If not who cares what the ISO was, as long as it is managed. It seems to me that high ISO has become synonimous (SP?) with bad picture these days.

I am here to tell you, as long as you get the exposure correct noise is very managable!

[Tandem]

I always shoot manual indoors so changes in the background won't affect the shot. Dark bleachers or in this case an open door can otherwise really mess up the exposure.

http://coloradosprings.smugmug.com/photos/195154792-M.jpg

When I shoot at ISO 3200 I like to over-expose just a hair. In Lightroom I click the little box in the histogram so I can tell what is over-exposed then use the recover slider to fix it and get more detail in the white uniforms.

http://coloradosprings.smugmug.com/photos/193714641-M.jpg

I had a little problem with a yellow cast on some of the photos after applying white balance so I desaturated the yellow a bit and added some blue to bring them back as best I could without making the rest of the gym turn red.

http://coloradosprings.smugmug.com/photos/193693065-M.jpg

[hawk911]

I tried all the tips listed here, so Thanks. I think I did a decent job. I didn't crop before posting so any suggestions are appreciated.

Take a look here:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=377492