"Self portrait" and stadium lights question...

[int2str]

Had my wife bring the camera to the field today to catch yours truly in action at my first game in 10+ years.

Here I am back in goal:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_uFrS5yCiGps/SrG2NoR_gQI/AAAAAAAALwI/TosKvHLMP98/s800/DPP_0011.JPG

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_uFrS5yCiGps/SrG2KrLhb5I/AAAAAAAALvg/WweA6PmqNCY/s800/DPP_0005.JPG

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_uFrS5yCiGps/SrG2MXSEJfI/AAAAAAAALv4/dQRRusDl_-I/s800/DPP_0009.JPG

Most of the pictures my wife took completely didn't work. I set the camera up for her in AV mode, with the 70-200mm set to f/2.8 and ISO 1600. But the shutter speed dropped to 1/100th and lower so most pictures are very blurry.

So, given night games at a football stadium under the lights, what else can I do?

Shoot ISO 3200 and try to salvage the pictures afterwards?
Or bring my 580 EX II?
If the flash, would it reach all the way to the goal from the sideline?

Any insight appreciated!

[clarence]

If she was getting only 1/100" at f/2.8 ISO 1600, then switching to ISO 3200 would only get you 1/200"... still pretty slow. So yes, I'd try the 580 EX II next time, and yes, it can reach across the field.

Don't use Av mode with flash, though. Switch to M... you want ambient exposure (without flash) to be dark enough to where the flash (not your shutter speed) freezes the action without ghosting.

[eddarr]

and yes, it can reach across the field.

Not likely.

[clarence]

Not likely.

What range limitation have you experienced with a 580EX II?

If anything, I'd be concerned with the ambient field lights being too bright... for a flash to be effective at stopping action, it needs to be several stops over ambient. But it'll reach from sideline to goal.