HS Volleyball last night

[HighPlainsPhotographer]

Here are a few shots from a tournament last night. C&C welcome and appreciated.

#1
http://highplainsphotographer.smugmug.com/photos/389251170_vdMRV-XL.jpg

#2
http://highplainsphotographer.smugmug.com/photos/389258837_dc5oZ-XL.jpg

#3
http://highplainsphotographer.smugmug.com/photos/389260801_rtiuy-XL.jpg

[Anderson-Photography]

I like number three followed by number two although the background is a tad busy but what else is new in HS volleyball. Good exposures and sharpness, especially in number three.

[HighPlainsPhotographer]

Thanks for the comments! Shooting V.ball is still new to me. I think I'm getting better each game!

[convergent]

Volleyball is a tough sport to shoot... no doubt. I like number 2 the best for composition. Looks like you were doing a good job dealing with the horrible lighting, but I didn't see EXIF in the files. What lens did you use?

I shoot a lot of volleyball... some of my recent shots are in my gallery at http://gallery.victoryphoto.com/g/volleyball if you want to check them out for some ideas. Shooting through the net is really hard but can yield some really cool shots. I also find that shooting from about the 4th row up in the stands at about even with the net, is good for digging shots and some net action as well. I will move around during the matches to get different angles and shoot through the players.

What lens did you use for these, 85mm?

[DonE]

Love the action and expressions of both the players in #3. I do like the look and feel to #2 as well. I need to try this type of shooting. Would really challenge your skill and timing ability for sure.

[convergent]

Love the action and expressions of both the players in #3. I do like the look and feel to #2 as well. I need to try this type of shooting. Would really challenge your skill and timing ability for sure.

Very true. Volleyball is very hard to shoot and it is ALL timing. Unlike many other sports you can not just "follow the action". With soccer, basketball, etc., the ball is moved around with the players and the "possess" it for periods of time that make great action photo opportunities. Volleyball, on the other hand, by definition prohibits the players from ever possessing the ball. They only touch it for an instant, so if you want a ball and a player together, you have to predict the movement and catch it for that split second. Also, the court they play on is much, much smaller than many other sports ... in relation to the speed of the ball. So you have no time to watch the ball approach. For example, in soccer, the most similar shot would be a head shot. But the ball usually travels a great distance across the field before the head shot materializes, so you have time to react. With volleyball you have to really watch the play, understand the sport and the predictable places the ball might go, and then pre-focus on players to try and catch the ball when they hit it.

On top of all of that, you have a huge net smack in the middle of the court... you have players blocking almost every angle of view you might try... and often you have the worst light imaginable coupled with a sport that almost always will not allow any kind of flash or strobing.

So to say that it can challenge your skill is an understatement! All sports are hard to shoot, but volleyball takes it to another level. The plus side is this a very exciting sport and one where the teams are constantly getting pumped up and cheering each other on... so there are many photo-ops in a match.

[HighPlainsPhotographer]

Thanks for the comments and the insight on shooting volleyball. I have a match to shoot next Tuesday night, I will play around with some of the ideas presented and see what I can come up with.

All shots were taken with my 40D in manual mode, 1/500 at f1.8, 1600 iso, 85mm f1.8 lens. I usually try and set the white balance temp to what looks good. I'm familiar with shooting in this gym and know that the tungsten setting works well. Although poorly lit, the lighting is relatively even so I think I have it figured out. There are couple of gym's I shoot at that the lighting is terrible, I struggle to get shots even when shooting at 3200 iso.

Shaun

[rab]

convergent, you summed up volleyball photography to a tee. It's a demanding sport to cover for all the reasons you mentioned.

[MikeKy55]

Volleyball is a tough sport to shoot... no doubt. I like number 2 the best for composition. Looks like you were doing a good job dealing with the horrible lighting, but I didn't see EXIF in the files. What lens did you use?

I shoot a lot of volleyball... some of my recent shots are in my gallery at http://gallery.victoryphoto.com/g/volleyball if you want to check them out for some ideas. Shooting through the net is really hard but can yield some really cool shots. I also find that shooting from about the 4th row up in the stands at about even with the net, is good for digging shots and some net action as well. I will move around during the matches to get different angles and shoot through the players.

What lens did you use for these, 85mm?

I looked thru your photos and although I'm no expert, I must say a lot of your shots left me wanting to see the out come of the action you caught. That to me would be the 'goal' for anyone shooting volleyball. Thanks for sharing.