Photographing a Golf Event - Eeeeek! [Archive] - Canon Digital Photography Forums

Gilly B

23rd of June 2008 (Mon), 09:37

I have been cohearsed into covering a Golf event tomorrow. I know nothing about Golf and never photographed the subject.

I have been frantically reading up on do's and dont's and understand never to shoot when the golfer is preparing his shot. Never on a backswing etc, keep out of the way and turn off the focus confirmation bleep.

My brief is to shoot:
1). as each person is teeing off with the Ryder Cup sign behind them.
2). when they all get back to a certain point (can't remember where)
3). presentation shot of the winning team

I have spent 3 hours trawling 'tinternet looking for photo examples.

Do I have to get the ball in the shot (in the air) when they are teeing off?http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/images/smilies/thinking.gif

How do I pose the winning team?http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/images/smilies/thinking.gif

You guys have always come up trumps when I get in a tizz about doing something new for the first time, so no pressure guys!!

Photo examples or links would be great. Thanks. Gillian -

By the way, and before you all ask why I didn't say NO. I said no, no, no, to the job - but I am down there for 3 days and they know I take photos - Huh! they don't understand that there are pro togs out there for occasions like this. http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/images/smilies/bang.gifhttp://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/images/smilies/bang.gif

Tigershark

23rd of June 2008 (Mon), 10:17

what is your setup?

DarrenL

23rd of June 2008 (Mon), 10:33

Gilly B

23rd of June 2008 (Mon), 10:46

How many golfers are teeing off? Are you planning on getting the tee-off photo's on the 1st hole? if so I'm guessing you are going to be taking photos from in front during tee off so you have the sign in the background? What is the rest of the background like? How far behind them is the Ryder Cup sign going to be? You need to work out how much DOF you have as you might be a long way away on the side of the fairway.

I wrote some feedback about golf recently, have a search back on my posts, it might be useful, it also might not!!

Darren

Thanks Darren. I will be told during the brief in the morning how many golfers. Yes, I have to photograph each of them off the 1st hole. Don't know how far away the sign is yet though.

I am guessing I use the 70-200mm 2.8 lens on maybe 20D instead of the FF 5D to get more reach?

Tigershark, do you mean gear set-up or golf set-up? If it is the golf, I don't entirely know until the briefing in the morning.

Gear set-up I have is 5D, 20D, 17-40mm, 50mm 1.4, 85mm 1.8, 24-70mm 2.8, 70-200mm 2.8 IS. I am thinking of using the 24-70 on the presentation shot?

They have asked me to take the winning team. How are they posed? Standing, sitting ?

Darren, I await your link. Thanks again. Gillian

Magic 24

23rd of June 2008 (Mon), 10:59

I did golf once - and only once. It's gets very long! But if you are shooting from one spot as the golfers come to the hole...maybe it won't be so bad.

Front or back - you decide - what looks better? Seeing the face or seeing the sweet form.

Shot with 70 - 200 f2.8 L w/2x TC.

Magic

DarrenL

23rd of June 2008 (Mon), 11:00

You might want to rent a 1.4 or hell, even rent a 400/500 F4 (not a 2.8 ) 70-200 is very very shot for golf. I kept finding my self very short focal length wise with a 300mm.

How formal do they want the winning team photo? I feel sitting is very formal and quite hard to plan unless you have help with setting up the chairs. Also the last thing they will want is holes in their course! A standard pose will be fine, tallest in the middle, some crouching/kneeling at the front blah blah etc . Do you want them to have a club in the photo? If so they need to have this to hand and not with the caddy on the other side of the 19th hole! When you arrive have a look around the club house as this is where the team photo will more than likely take place.

I don't have a link to hand but have a look back at my past posts, it's in there somewhere.

Darren

Magic 24

23rd of June 2008 (Mon), 11:04

Here's two more...one showing the classic backside form and the other showing a little action - fractions of a second after impact. The golfer may like this because it shows form, divot size/turf and the ball.

Good Luck!

Magic

Tigershark

23rd of June 2008 (Mon), 11:35

As far as the shots I'm guessing you will have decent shot in front of them I would shoot a 300 2.8 but that is me, if you are a long ways away maybe a 400 2.8 to get the speed, you never know what the weather is going to throw at you so having a 2.8 would be my choice. You probably want another body, I can't remember what a 20D in terms of FPS but you will need a lot maybe you could rent a 40D or a Mark III if you are wanting to catch them swinging, if you just have to get them in front of the sign without much movement then that is a different story but either way I would take two bodies and have a different lens for the winning photos. good luck

Gilly B

23rd of June 2008 (Mon), 11:35

Wow Magic 24 great shots. See what you mean about front or back and just love the grass after impact shot.

Darren, I have no time to hire a 1.4 TC or even a longer lens. My best effort will be to put the 70-200mm 2.8 IS on the 20D for greater reach.

Thanks Guys

gromeo

23rd of June 2008 (Mon), 12:14

You did not mention, are these amateurs, pro, college etc. from the the way it sounds they want you to make photos that show that they were playing in this event, hence the Ryder Cup logo in the BG, in this case a 70-200 would be my choice as you can frame and crop the golfer as needed. If you are not limited to shooting them only on the 1st tee, I would get there early and see which tee box has the cleanest BG behind the sign, one thing you don't want is the sign in BG and have a cluttered BG behind that. Also do some test shots to find out if you need to shoot portrait or landscape in order to get the player and sign in on the photo. My preferred shot is in the follow thru this way they are looking up and you can see the faces. Here are some shots I have done http://www.romeoguzmanphotography.com/Site/Golf.html
Good Luck, Good shooting

tsw910

23rd of June 2008 (Mon), 12:24

the " Ryder Cup " ? if so .. you can't get more PRO than this ..

the Ryder cup is consist of all the best players gathered to form Europe Vs USA .. but looking at your location, i dont think its the 08 Ryder Cup unless you're going to be in Kentucky ..

and yes, at golf events ( as i never shot one ) .. i went to a few US opens and Buick Classics .. REACH is the word .. in order to get shots of a follow through ... if you make any sound near them .. their caddys will go ape sh*t on you ... and since you'll be at the 1st hole .. everyone has to pass through you to play on .. so since you're station .. i would think you can get a mono-pod or tri-pod .. so you wont be so tired holding your equipment all day

and most shots i see in golf are back swings ( end ) and finishing shot ( end )

Gilly B

23rd of June 2008 (Mon), 12:45

Thank you so much guys for your help on this subject.

I will try and clear up any mis-understanding here. No it is not the Ryder Cup 2008! The organisation I work for is Sponsoring the RC in (I think) 2010 here in Wales. There is a dedicated team that has been working on the project for the past couple of years in the build up to Wales hosting it. I do not know who is going to be playing at this event tomorrow, as it could be just a corporate day event and that need some photos to record the day. - Hence me!!!

I approach every photography shoot I do as if it is a Royal event. This way, I do not make a fool of myself by not knowing the formalities, etiquette and rules of the event.

Gillian

tsw910

23rd of June 2008 (Mon), 12:54

thats what i thought .. just had to make sure

then at this point .. what i would say is be a ghost, dont stand in the line of fire ( just in case someone shanks ) majority i would say is a righty ... so i would position myself on their right .. so you can get a shot of them face-on ( even thou you wont get a face shot till the follow through )

the best shot is usually the finishing pose ( which they all hold that position for a short while to see their ball ) and of course ball striking shot is definitly cool as well ...

Gilly B

23rd of June 2008 (Mon), 13:21

Aw thanks tsw910. I think I understand that okay. I am assuming 'shanks' means it snaps or they let go of it and could then bounce of my head!

tsw910

23rd of June 2008 (Mon), 13:25

i really doubt they will shank ( the ball not hit cleanly off the club face ) but just in case lol ... and it can come towards you at a really high speed lol

tsw910

23rd of June 2008 (Mon), 13:34

see here .. here is an example of one hole ( 18 ) .. tee box, fairway, bunkers/sand traps, the green..

since its a compeition .. i would assume they would be teeing off the black color tees, but i would ask in the morning ... what you want to do is situate yourself on the right side of the tee box ( lower part of the picture ) for a righty .. and change sides for each lefty that comes up

http://www.torreypinesgolfcourse.com/images/18.jpg

Gilly B

23rd of June 2008 (Mon), 16:22

Thanks - very useful. Gillian

rhurley

24th of June 2008 (Tue), 01:12

Coming from a golfers perspective, I rarely like to see shots from behind. The only time that looks good is if you have the tee flying in the air as well as being able to see the ball. Otherwise I'd look for impact shots, or follow through shots from face on and from down the fairway looking back. Do you best to have the sun behind you. Make sure the sign is set up on the first hole so you're not shooting into the sun. Shooting into the sun makes for terrible images on the course and elsewhere. If you're following the golfers, try to be across from them during bunker shots. Getting flying sand as well as the ball in flight make for good shots. If you're looking for shots other than "corporate shots" I would also zoom on the faces while they are lining up their puts from behind. If you can get the expression on their face, and the ball in line, that would make for a good shot.

Typically the winner holds his trophy either in front of him/herself or above their head. I might suggest the center person holding the trophy and having the others be reaching towards it. You might also have the trophy on the ground and have the golfers squat behind it. This is assuming it's a decent size trophy.

Hope some of this helps.:D

Rich

Gilly B

24th of June 2008 (Tue), 02:20

Thank you rhurley, and yes it does help. Well I'm off now for the 2 hour drive and back home on Friday.

pworm14

24th of June 2008 (Tue), 15:42

Gilly,

Looks like I’m a little late to this party but maybe you’ll be checking in while you’re on the road.

Lots of good advise here. Mostly I would say take your longest lens and stay invisible.

I recently took some shots at a AJGA tournament and it was a hoot. I was there as a volunteer to help with the tournament but had my camera with me. Spent the first day shuttling parents between different holes and spent the second day pretty much stuck at the 14th green as a timing official.

Photos can be found on my website http://www.apaulsenphoto.com

Gilly B

26th of June 2008 (Thu), 17:15

Just got back from the event. Thanks for all your help guys. Very useful. It went great and I have got some really good shots. I need to fall into bed for work in the morning, so hopefully tomorrow night I will post a couple of images for critique.

manutd101

26th of June 2008 (Thu), 21:14

Sweet, put them up!

Mark Alexander

27th of June 2008 (Fri), 11:42

Gilly, I know you said you can't get a longer lens but this stuff really calls for a 500 or 600. YOU get some great DOF and isolation while keeping the noise away. DO you have time to buy/rent/make a blimp? ON a 70-200 you are going to be pretty close and the 20 is pretty loud. Anything you can do to suppress the noise will help.

seedy_179

27th of June 2008 (Fri), 11:47

Darren, I have no time to hire a 1.4 TC or even a longer lens. My best effort will be to put the 70-200mm 2.8 IS on the 20D for greater reach.

OK, I don't understand the greater reach. The 20d has a 1.6 crop factor, not a magnification factor. At least that is my understanding. Nothing in the camera body magnifies anything, it is all in the lens.

manutd101

27th of June 2008 (Fri), 12:53

OK, I don't understand the greater reach. The 20d has a 1.6 crop factor, not a magnification factor. At least that is my understanding. Nothing in the camera body magnifies anything, it is all in the lens.
Correct, it's not magnifying per se, but the crop factor does the same essential thing. What it means is that the camera is capturing a smaller part of the light let in by the lens then a camera with a larger sensor might. This turns a 70-200 lens into what is effectivelly a 112-320 lens, hence greater reach. So, in essence, the camera is extending your range, just not through magnification.