Help with Night Soccer

[tmalone893]

I'm having some issues with night time soccer. I have the following settings: f/2.8, SS400, ISO3200 and I'm using the 70-200 f/2.8

When I look at the Histogram it is well underexposed but when the players come close the white uniforms are blown out. Also the DOF is horrible as the last pictures show.

Should I use a flash? Maybe not a direct flash but put it on a 45* angle. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

1.
http://www.maloneactionshots.com/img/v4/p120180904-4.jpg

2.
http://www.maloneactionshots.com/img/v5/p74157914-4.jpg

3.
http://www.maloneactionshots.com/img/v5/p68265774-4.jpg

4.
http://www.maloneactionshots.com/img/v6/p492990945-4.jpg

5.
http://www.maloneactionshots.com/img/v5/p75855004-3.jpg

[Steve Greenaway]

no no no man please don't use flash. I used it at youth floodlit football once. It kills all atmosphere.

To be honest there's not much wrong with your exposures.

One of my most recent floodlit examples....

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3097/3242049932_d855cfdcf9_o.jpg

taken manual and then tweaked exposure in post process. Do you shoot RAW? I find it helps with saving highlights etc.

[conkeroo]

Your problem is the uneven light source creating harsh highlights and shadows and unfortunately something has to give. You expose to ensure the shadows are reasonably lit and you get blown highlights, the jerseys being pure white. Uniform lighting would have helped your scenario but you've done well considering.
You have to consider that the most important thing you were shooting, i.e, the action, has been captured well and the faces are well exposed. In this situation if a jersey is blown then so be it. You could have slightly underexposed and then selectively brightened certain areas of the shot to bring the entire range to be well exposed but thats a big no no in sport shooting.
So for what you had to work with, well done. But definitely, NO FLASH!! :)

[tmalone893]

Thanks guys for the comments and suggestions.

[Big Hands]

Try turning down the contrast in the cameras 'parameters' settings. Many of the xxD series have issues with this anyways. There are a limited number of steps of dynamic range, so if you are spilling off both ends of the histogram (displaying significant amounts of both blown highlights and dark shadow areas) in a given shot, you are wasting some of the available dynamic range.

On my 20D, I have it set to "-1" for most situations and it's probably been the single best in camera adjustment I have made. Saves a lot of work and frustration in post processing.

I like that first shot's content, nice capture!

Regards,
Jeff

[tmalone893]

Try turning down the contrast in the cameras 'parameters' settings. Many of the xxD series have issues with this anyways. There are a limited number of steps of dynamic range, so if you are spilling off both ends of the histogram (displaying significant amounts of both blown highlights and dark shadow areas) in a given shot, you are wasting some of the available dynamic range.

On my 20D, I have it set to "-1" for most situations and it's probably been the single best in camera adjustment I have made. Saves a lot of work and frustration in post processing.

I like that first shot's content, nice capture!

Regards,
Jeff

Thanks for the tip. I'll give it a try.

Theron

[20D_Newbie]

The lights at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex are a real challenge. So much so that I do not bother anymore. Once the suns starts to set I put the cap on and enjoy the game.

[tmalone893]

The lights at the Mike Rose Soccer Complex are a real challenge. So much so that I do not bother anymore. Once the suns starts to set I put the cap on and enjoy the game.

Very good on guessing the soccer complex. Were you out there yesterday? We had real fun in the rain then snow before they finally called the games.

[20D_Newbie]

Not yesterday. I was there last weekend for the Select Challenge tournament. My daughter plays for GSC Juniors (formly the Fury). I recognized the Bartlett uniform because I shoot a couple of Bartlett teams. I actually live in Bartlett.

The human eye is amazing. You sit there under those lights and think, they are pretty well lit. When you lift the camera to your eye, it is another story.