TEST: direct speedlites in basketball

[HighPixel]

I tested my speedlites tonight by facing them directly on the court. One on the floor corner baseline at 1/4 power with Westcott diffuser, the other in the bleachers 6 rows up at 1/2 power. EXIF: ISO 1000, SS 1/250, F 2.8.
HP
Let me know what you fellas think.

http://ronbaltazar.smugmug.com/photos/461188136_dYtUS-L.jpg

http://ronbaltazar.smugmug.com/photos/461183890_PViUo-L.jpg

http://ronbaltazar.smugmug.com/photos/461175139_RJ6aJ-L.jpg

http://ronbaltazar.smugmug.com/photos/461173797_xErpv-L.jpg

[Aaagogo]

looks pretty ambient, which is good

I'm going to post qns on strobing too,

[HighPixel]

Ambient is what I strive for...others prefer more flash at the players which produces more shadowing...and for me, ruins the image...IMO.;-)Just not my taste.
HP

[Aaagogo]

i think the more flash looking way of strobing will allow the images to pop more,

but it's a personal taste/preference type of thing

there is still slight motion blur, at the end of the limbs, which are always the fastest moving parts, maybe tweak around a tad to get complete stop motion?

[KayakPhotos]

I think you did a great job matching up with the ambient lighting. Well done IMO.

[Sauk]

The only issue with allowing that much ambient to get into your image is you have severe ghosting going on in a few of those images. If you don't mind that than your just fine ;)

[liam5100]

The only issue with allowing that much ambient to get into your image is you have severe ghosting going on in a few of those images. If you don't mind that than your just fine ;)

Exactly why I wish they would make it possible to sync at higher ss with remote speedlights. I'd love to be able to use high speed sync with off camera speedlights for a very mobile touch of "fill" flash with ambient sports.

To the OP, I like the ambient look as well.

[namasste]

Ron, you are getting better and better at this. They look good. Matt and Bill already commented on the ghosting and I agree. I'd knock the ISO down a bit and then play with flash pwr and zoom until you like the look. You might wind up with slightly more flashed looking images but once you eliminate the ghosting, you can play with the settings to get as close to that line between flashed looking and ghosting as possible. Nice work on these.

[Sauk]

Bill,

You really do not want to use HSS when shooting sports as it is just a bunch of pulses instead of one shot. Plus the fact that you lose a great deal of distance when using HSS.

Your best bet is to let the strobe/flash do the stopping not the shutter. You will need to get at least 2 stops with 4 to 6 being optimal to stop action and stop ghosting.

[Palladium]

I tested my speedlites tonight by facing them directly on the court. One on the floor corner baseline at 1/4 power with Westcott diffuser, the other in the bleachers 6 rows up at 1/2 power. EXIF: ISO 1000, SS 1/250, F 2.8.
HP
Let me know what you fellas think.



I'm not sure about your setting and your reasoning for them.

After checking the ambient on the court using a light meter - I like to light the court to get at least a couple of stops over ambient with the lights again using the light meter and adjusting the lights to get the area as even as possible.

[HighPixel]

I'll try to bump up the power next game to see if that will give better results with ghosting... and/or position lights a bit better.
Thanks!


I'm thinking a light meter may be the next purchase in my arsenal...It would help a lot!
HP

[liam5100]

Bill,

You really do not want to use HSS when shooting sports as it is just a bunch of pulses instead of one shot. Plus the fact that you lose a great deal of distance when using HSS.

Your best bet is to let the strobe/flash do the stopping not the shutter. You will need to get at least 2 stops with 4 to 6 being optimal to stop action and stop ghosting.


Oh I know Sauk, believe me I've tried it. My wish was for new equipment that would make it possible and workable.

I'd love to be able to have some speedlights I could make a easy travel system that allowed for just a hint of "fill" but still could shoot ambient at 1/640 or 1/800 or so.

SO if anyone from Canon R&D is listening!

[Sauk]

There is another cheaper way to do it.

Take a picture without the strobes on and than turn them on after you adjusted your settings to get around this type of image:

http://matthewsauk.zenfolio.com/img/v5/p164123311-3.jpg

If your image looks like that on your LCD screen you're at least 2 stops under ambient

[Palladium]

There is another cheaper way to do it.

Take a picture without the strobes on and than turn them on after you adjusted your settings to get around this type of image:



If your image looks like that on your LCD screen you're at least 2 stops under ambient

IMHO that's too general of a statement.

Below is the exif for the dark image above

Camera Make: Canon
Camera Model: Canon EOS-1D Mark III
Image Date: 2008-12-16 19:28:17
Flash Used: No
Focal Length: 200.0mm
Exposure Time: 0.0040 s (1/250)
Aperture: f/3.5
ISO equiv: 500
White Balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Matrix
Exposure: Manual
Exposure Mode: Manual

[liam5100]

There is another cheaper way to do it.

Take a picture without the strobes on and than turn them on after you adjusted your settings to get around this type of image:

http://matthewsauk.zenfolio.com/img/v5/p164123311-3.jpg

If your image looks like that on your LCD screen you're at least 2 stops under ambient

Funny Sauk, I use that same "chimp" method all the time when I strobe. When the the flash is perfectly exposed and the "chimped" ambient image just starts to show white detail, then I figure.. "good enough" I've had decent results when I didnt have time to meter all over.

[Anderson-Photography]

I think your images look good. I'm just surprised that with two lights - one at half and one at full power, and that close to the floor, that you're still at ISO 1000.

[namasste]

IMHO that's too general of a statement.

Below is the exif for the dark image above

Camera Make: Canon
Camera Model: Canon EOS-1D Mark III
Image Date: 2008-12-16 19:28:17
Flash Used: No
Focal Length: 200.0mm
Exposure Time: 0.0040 s (1/250)
Aperture: f/3.5
ISO equiv: 500
White Balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Matrix
Exposure: Manual
Exposure Mode: Manualmissing your point...doing the math and assuming a typical gym of 1/400-2.8-3200, I'd say he's there and plus just a little...

[Sauk]

I couldn't disagree with you more. If your image looks like that you're in the general area where you need to be in order to get at least 2 stops under ambient. You should barely see a hint of a player or white in the image.

You than turn on your strobes and adjust up or down from there. Should not take you much more than 2 more shots to get it right.

Light meters are nice and all but just experiment the way I showed and you will get there just as fast and without having to spend 300 dollars.

IMHO that's too general of a statement.

Below is the exif for the dark image above

Camera Make: Canon
Camera Model: Canon EOS-1D Mark III
Image Date: 2008-12-16 19:28:17
Flash Used: No
Focal Length: 200.0mm
Exposure Time: 0.0040 s (1/250)
Aperture: f/3.5
ISO equiv: 500
White Balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Matrix
Exposure: Manual
Exposure Mode: Manual

[HighPixel]

^^^^Interesting stuff! Thanks!
HP

[40Dude6aedyk]

Or come to exposure from the high side instead of the dark side as shown above. Take a couple no-flash pictures at SS 1/250 until you get the exposure the way you like it. Then adjust your ISO by 2 to 3 stops. Now take flash (adjusting the flash output) pictures to get back to what you had before with the higher ISO.