Shooting Track????

[pigtailpat]

I just was informed my middle school son is trying track this year. I have never shot track, nor ever been to track events, except eons ago when I was in high school (I won't say how many years ago that was..):D

Among the lenses I have (120-300, 70-200, and 24-105), which are more suited for this sport? Also, would it better to work with a smaller aperture to keep more of the runners in focus, or, are there still opportunities for subject isolation in a sport like track? Generally how do the meets work?

Examples of track images would be deeply appreciated....

[DC Fan]

Long lenses and fast shutter speeds at first. Aperture depends on your need to isolate the subject from the background.

Major meets will feature two or three events at once. Low angles tend to work better than high ones. It's always best to have the action coming at you or right in front, with the exception of high jumps where the best images come from the approach side.

http://www.fansview.com/racing/usatf062506a0031.jpg

Camera Model: Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL
Image Date: 2006:06:25 17:21:30
Flash Used: No
Focal Length: 120.0mm
CCD Width: 4.43mm
Exposure Time: 0.0025 s (1/400)
Aperture: f/4.5
ISO equiv: 400
White Balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Matrix

http://www.fansview.com/racing/usatf062506a0073.jpg

Camera Model: Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL
Image Date: 2006:06:25 18:20:12
Flash Used: No
Focal Length: 300.0mm
CCD Width: 4.43mm
Exposure Time: 0.0025 s (1/400)
Aperture: f/5.6
ISO equiv: 400
White Balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Matrix

http://www.fansview.com/racing/usatf062506a0128.jpg

Camera Model: Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL
Image Date: 2006:06:25 18:53:41
Flash Used: No
Focal Length: 300.0mm
CCD Width: 4.43mm
Exposure Time: 0.0025 s (1/400)
Aperture: f/7.1
ISO equiv: 800
White Balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Matrix

[pigtailpat]

Thanks for that feedback, very appreciated..

[Joe Cyr]

Pat, grab a teleconverter if you don't alread have one (and assuming it will work on your 120-300). Of course, since this is middle school, you might have no trouble with field access and can shoot really close. The 70-200 is perfect for this.

[Zivnuska]

Here is my daughter in 7th grade high jump. Get low and close, shoot tight.



http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q225/zivnuska/ACtrack-5.jpg



Late afternoon skin tones are very pleasing. Again, get low.

.http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q225/zivnuska/MS-Conf-Track-205.jpg

The field events photograph pretty well. Shoot tight.

A favorite of mine is to shoot runners coming around the last turn. If you are able to get a shot with both feet off the ground and some body lean, that looks great.

[pigtailpat]

Hey guys -

Thanks! As it worked out, my middle school son ultimately decided not to join the track team, as he felt it would interfere too much with his baseball commitments in Little League. Because this is his last year in little league, he wants to give that his all. However, I might still shoot the school's track team just to be able to get a feel for another sport besides baseball. He might join the team in his last year of middle school, since by then he'll be out of LL.

I do have an extender (1x) which I use only if the light permits me to use it.