Shooting sports. Not as easy as it seems..

[nik.hisham]

I tried to shoot some kids shooting hoops yesterday. Just wanted to see if I could get some good shots. I found it more difficult than I thought it would be. It was a challenge to get the subject in focus at the right time. When I did get it in focus, and at the right time (e.g. I got the facial expressions, the action, et al), I didn't get good framing - e.g. the ball is out of frame, the subject is blocked by another player, etc. Arrgh!

Of course, it didn't help that I was shooting with a slowish 55-250 IS with a 5.6 aperture, and that it was around 6:30 in the evening. Even though it was outdoors, daylight was fading fast.

What did help was using AF/AE with No AE Lock and AI Servo.

I only took a few shoots - probably 15 at most. Only 5 or 6 turned out decent and of those, only 2 or 3 were shots of action. Below are the best 2.

Anyway, I just thought to share my 'first attempt' experience at shooting hoops. Feel free to C&C my photos below.

Nik.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3113/3117429287_3f37b1c710_o.jpg
Per flickr guidelines, original link is here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/meandmycanon/3117429287/in/photostream/).

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3077/3118257130_d806c9d153_o.jpg
Per flickr guidelines, original link is here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/meandmycanon/3118257130/).

[nik.hisham]

Uhm... oops. I just realized I posted this in the wrong section. Does anyone know how I can move it to the sports section?

Sorry for the mistake.

Nik.

[Hermeto]

Uhm... oops. I just realized I posted this in the wrong section. Does anyone know how I can move it to the sports section?

Sorry for the mistake.

Nik.
Click on the red & white triangular warning sign (next to your online status sign) and send a message to moderators.

[nik.hisham]

Thanks. I've sent the note.

Awesome avatar, by the way.

[rdompor]

I suggest getting closer to the action and shooting with the camera oriented vertically.

If the pictures don't look good, you ain't close enough!

[nik.hisham]

Yeah, I was standing probably close to 30 feet from the sidelines. Should've moved closer.

[jblaschke]

Yeah, sports photography is quite challenging. One of the tricks is to instinctively anticipate what's going to happen next, and be ready to shoot that. Continuous shooting also helps with sports action more than almost any other type of photography. That, and bright daylight is really, really helpful!

[skintero]

The guys that are really good at this have been doing it for years and can anticipate where a play is going to happen and they also get lucky occasionally. Some of the best shots are from simple dumb luck, but I'd take it every time. I've been shooting my kids high school sporting events and my youngest son's little league events for a couple years now. I've gotten some great shots, but they didn't come initially. I'm finally upgrading to a better camera. My glass has saved me many times. Hopefully I can step up my quality with my glass attached to a new 40D. Best of luck to you.

[nik.hisham]

The guys that are really good at this have been doing it for years and can anticipate where a play is going to happen and they also get lucky occasionally. Some of the best shots are from simple dumb luck, but I'd take it every time. I've been shooting my kids high school sporting events and my youngest son's little league events for a couple years now. I've gotten some great shots, but they didn't come initially. I'm finally upgrading to a better camera. My glass has saved me many times. Hopefully I can step up my quality with my glass attached to a new 40D. Best of luck to you.

Thank you. I think another thing is that in pro sports, or even semi pro, the sport is played more strategically. In hoops, the players usually guard their zones (assuming zone defense is employed) so you can track them better I suppose. And you kind of know who the star player is, so you keep your viewfinder on him. In my photos above, these are just kids having a good time. No strategy. So everyone just lunges at the ball - as you can see in the photos. I feel it makes it more difficult to shoot.... but hey, what do I know. This is just my first attempt. Hope I get better at it.

Btw, I covet your 70-200L :)

[thekid5]

I have been talking pictures of kids playing basketball for about 5 years. To get a good shot of kids playing basketball takes a certain amount of luck. Of course a person's luck seems to be influenced by their equipment and experience.

By great shot I include sharp focus, nice expression, hand on ball, good action, no other player hands/arms taking away from the player in the picture. For example I have an 8 shot sequence of a player driving from the 3 point line to make a layup. Every shot was a nice action shot, but in all but one shot there was something I did not like. Part of the player blocked by the defender's hand/arm/body, funny expression on the player, hand not on the ball. You just need to keep shooting and get as many shots to be in focus and acceptable if you indeed have the other parts right. There is nothing as frustrating as having the composition of the picture to your liking but it is not sharp.

[burnet44]

agreed
a lot of arms and hands and ref's kill a lot of shots

[Drewc2010]

agreed
a lot of arms and hands and ref's kill a lot of shots

This! Can't stand refs, never have, never will be able too! Always in the way of the big shot!

[burnet44]

like a magnet

[ChasWG]

I was having my own battle with a ref this past Friday night while shooting my son's basketball team's playoff game. There is this one woman ref who is the biggest pain in the ass ever. I sit behind the base line and not ever right under the backboard but off to the sides. Some of those kids are just nuts how they'll throw their bodies around and crash under the net. But she has to always, always, ALWAYs stand right in front of me. No matter what I do, she counters me. Where as other refs work with me. I don't interfer with them or the game, I always do what I'm told, I help shuffle the ball to them when I can, if they want me to move back, I move back. But she seems to go out of her way to get right in front of me anytime she can. It's really very odd with her and she's the only one I have issues with.
So last Friday night the ball came rolling right to me and she was the closest ref to help with the out of bounds pass. She stood there about 8 feet away from me and clapped her hands once at me as if I was a trained dog to pass her the ball. I took one look at the ball and then at her and looked away and didn't touch it. She had to actually walk over and pick it up. To which she said (in a snide way), "Thanks for the help." To which I said, "Just returning the favor." I think she got my point and started to work with me for the rest of the game.

Of course refs have to get in there to see what's going on and do their job. They are going to ruin a fair number of shots, this will happen and there is nothing to do about it most of the time. Again, I don't ever interfer with them and do what I'm told. Heck, I even offer to send them free shots of themselves working the games or posing for shots to get in good with them. But no where does it say that I'm suppose to help them shag balls. I do what I can when I can. Most of the time its never a problem for anyone.

[burnet44]

Now having done both
Ref and photog a lot depends on the zebra and the shooter
yeah I know duh

when I call or called I treat the shooters just like the coaches
basically I dont care where ya get
but if I run into ya Im tossing ya
has always worked for me
but I coached for 34 years and understand that

I have seen shooters who think they have the right of way at all times
they dont
the game has the right of way at all times

you have to know how to work a game and the positioning of the refs
there is a difference between a 3 man thump thump crew and a 2 man
and how they work
same in FB when you have 5 or 4 or 3

thats just my take on the situation
I try to be a sniper
no one knows Im there
just like a good ref
no one ever knew he was there
those are the best kinds in my humble opinion

[elrey2375]

Now having done both
Ref and photog a lot depends on the zebra and the shooter
yeah I know duh

when I call or called I treat the shooters just like the coaches
basically I dont care where ya get
but if I run into ya Im tossing ya
has always worked for me
but I coached for 34 years and understand that

I have seen shooters who think they have the right of way at all times
they dont
the game has the right of way at all times

you have to know how to work a game and the positioning of the refs
there is a difference between a 3 man thump thump crew and a 2 man
and how they work
same in FB when you have 5 or 4 or 3

thats just my take on the situation
I try to be a sniper
no one knows Im there
just like a good ref
no one ever knew he was there
those are the best kinds in my humble opinion

Exactly. The photog never has the right of way. Refs getting in the way of your shot is part of the deal. It's going to happen and there's no way to avoid it. Knowing how to deal with it comes with the territory. Creating some personal vendetta because of a perceived slight is really kind of pointless. Not rolling the ball back to them when you easily could, just to prove some kind of point, is kind of childish.

[Brikwall]

There is one hockey ref who always seem to make a point of blocking my view. It's frustrating, even maddening, but there is little I can do about it except to move or live with it. They are there to call the game, and the game always takes priority. It's about the game, not me.

I've also dealt with officials in hockey, soccer and football who seemed to go out of their way to make sure they were not in my way. I try to let them know how much I appreciate it. However, I also remind them that, with respect to the game at-hand, their job is more important than mine and so I'd rather have them concentrate on the game and not me.

Depending on the game/sport and venue, having officials, coaches, players and even parents or other photographers getting in our way is all par for the course. Unfortunate, but that's just the way it is.

[burnet44]

I agree
we all have zebra problems
My experience coaching helps me in position
sometimes there is nothing you can do
especially under the basket

I need to get under it
most places I shoot have no room

maybe in the HS playoffs here I can
because they go to the better nicer gyms and some colleges

I shoot from the side
which I know isnt the best place

[burnet44]

There is one hockey ref who always seem to make a point of blocking my view. It's frustrating, even maddening, but there is little I can do about it except to move or live with it. They are there to call the game, and the game always takes priority. It's about the game, not me.

I've also dealt with officials in hockey, soccer and football who seemed to go out of their way to make sure they were not in my way. I try to let them know how much I appreciate it. However, I also remind them that, with respect to the game at-hand, their job is more important than mine and so I'd rather have them concentrate on the game and not me.

Depending on the game/sport and venue, having officials, coaches, players and even parents or other photographers getting in our way is all par for the course. Unfortunate, but that's just the way it is.

agree
many refs you can work with