Sports photography etiquette

[steveaggie]

I searched the archives, but couldn't find the answer I sought. Maybe I'm asking it wrong. The sports I plan to shoot are volleyball, basketball, and football. Can someone provide me the do's and don'ts of where it's acceptable to stand/sit? Flash/not flash?

I'm very familiar with all of these games so I know where to anticipate the action, I just don't want to look like a newb (which I am) and suffer the embarrassment of stopping play to tell me to stop doing something.

Thanks!

[angryhampster]

Stay out of the way of the action. You say you're familiar with the games, so you know where people will be trouncing around.

[DDCSD]

Best thing to do is talk to the officials before the game to see if there's anywhere they don't want you to be and anything they don't want you doing. Also ask before using flash, and talk to the coaches.

Biggest thing is to stay out of the way of the players, coaches and officials.

[DDCSD]

Oh, and welcome to POTN!!!

[gromeo]

Welcome, it all depends on the level of the sport, NCAA does not allow flash in alot of its field sports (FB,SOC,0 and basketball, VB no on board flash at least at the college I cover. High school are all different depends on the school.

[DDCSD]

Oh, and don't use flash when someone is shooting free throws. If they miss the coach will blame it on you. :)

[steveaggie]

thanks for the replies so far. I guess my real question is where do you think it's ok for me to stand. I know the sidelines are generally ok as long as you're out of the way but what about the baseline in bball? Should I stay near the corner or not be down there at all? In volleyball, I assume I'd need to be pretty far back or even off to the corner b/c they stand far back to serve.

[fslshooter]

What Derek (DDCSD) said -- get there early and talk with the officials. I've found it best to tell them where you plan to shoot from and ask it that's OK -- they'll tell you if it's not. As for flash, I'd suggest you don't use it at any event if you don't want to look like a newb. You might be able to use flash eventually, with permission of officials and coaches, but it's probably best to first determine if it's needed by shooting a few games without flash. You'll only need flash if ambient light isn't sufficient for the equipment and techniques you're using.

[mpeters]

Access to anyplace that the general admission paying public isn't provided access to is not a right nor guaranteed. It's up to the school to tell you where it's ok to stand.

If you are provided access, the obvious rule is stay off the field of play, which for volleyball is well beyond the lines marking the court, and for football is behind the set back line. For volleyball, the first row of the stands, deep behind the end line (if there is room) and balconies for overheads are all good spots.

Also - be considerate of the admission paying public. Don't block their view. Kneel on the sidelines (gives you better angles anyway).

[AB8ND]

Stay out of the way of the players, officials or the paying spectators, otherwise get as close as possible to the action. While I've not been in favor of using flash not wanting to intrude on the players anymore than I am, I do use it now most of the time. Volleyball, I haven't shot for a long time, but I used to stand at the end of the net opposite the official. If you see the ball going to a certain player, watch their eyes they will tell you exactly where the ball is. Football, there are marks on the side lines marking a box where the side line players and coaches can be - and you can not. Although for most High School games no one cares where you are, if you are an adult or creditentaled. I usually try not to be on the side with the chain gang, they get in the way, and you don't want to be in their way. Basketball, if you watch the officials usually run up and down the same side of the floor, if shooting under the basket go to the side they aren't. Watch out for cheerleaders they will probably go to the same side, you might catch a flying arm or leg. Try to sit under the scoring table to shoot midcourt, some interesting shots of the ball coming out, under the basket armpit shots get boring after while.

Jack

[mpeters]

I understand the comment re: the chain gang being difficult to work around, but since they are on the visitors side, you will normally get better backgrounds shooting from the same side that they are on at least in high school, as the home stands are more likely to be full and the team colors for the team you are covering will be dominate.

[cecilc]

As for flash, I'd suggest you don't use it at any event if you don't want to look like a newb.

Jerry, what a crappy "categorical" statement ! It's just simply not true!

I've been doing this for over 20 years, so I'm not a "newb" by any means ... Dennis W. is not a "newb" by any means .... Matt Sauk is not a "newb" by any means .... plenty of other shooters here on these boards are not "newbs" .... yet many use flash when they need to use flash.

I'm using flash at every high school game I shoot this year ... no complaints from officials, coaches, players, or fans.

[primoz]

no complaints from officials, coaches, players, or fans.
Personally I just love comments like "you better not use flash because you distract athletes". Flash actually looks pretty distracting if you look for it. But players are concentrated to something else not your flash, so if you don't have flash mounted 1cm off the basket, they won't even notice it. If they do notice it, and if they complain they couldn't perform well because of flash, they have some other problems then flash ;)
PS: Before I switched sides, I was in pro sport myself (no not basketball but it doesn't really matter), so I actually know where athlete's concentration is (or at least it should be) during race or match. And if you do your job good enough, you don't notice someone flashing straight in your face 1m off the course ;)
As far as looking "newb" is concerned... Personally I don't care how I look as long as photos are good enough for my agency, and therefore our clients. Personally I don't shoot indoor sports with flash, but I'm lucky enough to shoot only top level pro sport, where light is more or less quite good. If it wouldn't be, I wouldn't care less how I look like, and I would put flash on without any second thoughts.

[AB8ND]

I shoot a lot of bicycle, mountain and cyclocross, now using a flash most of the time especially on those cloudy gray days, images just seem flat with out it. As a cyclist I used to worry, but no matter when I ask riders if it bothers them they will come back with "did you use a flash". Unless you shoot a golfer in his/her back swing or a basketball play shooting a free throw I would worry about a strobe at all. As for being a newb, I'd say not using a flash today would mark you more than using one. My only regret is that I'm moving around the trails so much I don't have time to set up off camera strobes every where I stop to shoot.

jack

[fslshooter]

Jerry, what a crappy "categorical" statement ! It's just simply not true!.

Cecil, mine is not a "categorical" statement. Countless sports shooters on this board use flash very effectively because they know how to use it and that should be obvious to most folks who see them working. Please re-read the OP's post and my reply. He said he was a newb and didn't want to look like one. I suggested that HE not use flash if HE didn't want to look like a newb. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I truly believe he'll have newb written all over him if he uses flash at the first sports event he shoots.

[Seil]

My way of looking at it is that there's at least a hundred people in the stands using flash, so why can't you? Primoz is right, they should be able to perform under pressure. I saw this special on ESPN or Discovery or some network on the science of sports. They did a test where they had a college player in an empty court making free throws, and then they put him in a distracting environment with strobes and people yelling and he still made all the shots.

[FlyingPhotog]

My way of looking at it is that there's at least a hundred people in the stands using flash, so why can't you? Primoz is right, they should be able to perform under pressure. I saw this special on ESPN or Discovery or some network on the science of sports. They did a test where they had a college player in an empty court making free throws, and then they put him in a distracting environment with strobes and people yelling and he still made all the shots.

Just curious but were the strobes mounted at eye level in his face right under the basket or were they "in the rafters" which is how they would be set for NCAA-level hoops?

[Seil]

No.

[Mike R]

You have been given some good advice here. Regarding the flash debate, It's always best to ask the first time in gym where you haven't shot before. The gym at one school I shoot for has a strict policy "No Flash" unfortunately it doesn't seem to apply to the spectators and the media photographers use it until yelled at and by then they have the shot they need. But you don't want to risk being told not to return. When I'm at an away game, I still respect my teams home rule. If it's allowed then don't hesitate to use it.