So how do yo do it? (Strobed Football)

I see a lot of threads that have daytime football pictures and they are great looking. I rarely see any night time games and where I live, it gets dark pretty quick. I'm still getting used to using a strobe to light up my shots and some turned out good ("some" as in about 5 or 6 out of 240 strobed football photos). I also learned that I should slow down my autofocus tracker as there is a lot of movement going on.

So I was wondering, what are your settings when you do strobed football?
The Canon 1D Mark II ISO standard isn't that good so I kept my ISO around 640-1250. My usual shutter speed was 250 of course and my aperture ranged from 3.5 to 2.8. Flash: Canon 550EX set to manual 1/4, mounted below my lens. Here are my shots:

1.

Strobes aren't allowed at the high school venues I shoot (for any sport). So you rent a 300mm F2.8 lens, crank up the ISO, use a monopod, and practice as much as you can... Shooting daytime would be SO much easier

these are great shots, 1,2 and 3 are my favorites

strobes aren't banned for football, we have discussed it so many times. I was going to go to my first night game last night but got lazy. Anyways you have some nice shots. I also shoot with 1dmk2 and used 1/320, ISO800, f2.8 or f4 with flash on 1/4 power. Even eTTL works.

bobbyz wrote in post #14934659
strobes aren't banned for football, we have discussed it so many times. I was going to go to my first night game last night but got lazy. Anyways you have some nice shots. I also shoot with 1dmk2 and used 1/320, ISO800, f2.8 or f4 with flash on 1/4 power. Even eTTL works.

You know this for certain? Every town and principality across this great nation of ours? Flash has NEVER been allowed at any sporting event I've shot. Popping a flash off in a player's face DURING the game is not cool and it's also not allowed. At least around here.

elrey2375 wrote in post #14935036
You know this for certain? Every town and principality across this great nation of ours? Flash has NEVER been allowed at any sporting event I've shot. Popping a flash off in a player's face DURING the game is not cool and it's also not allowed. At least around here.

Read the old threads man. Or show me rules/guildelines where it says flash is not allowed for high school football. Every yr we go through same things.

bobbyz wrote in post #14935145
Read the old threads man. Or show me rules/guildelines where it says flash is not allowed for high school football. Every yr we go through same things.

Exactly right.

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=375847

MaxPreps has galleries which include some flashed shots by the thousands.

elrey,
Are you in Ohio? Cant remeber. While its always at the descrection of the officals I suppose, but there are plenty of Maxpreps photogs in almost all states using flash. I have yet to talk to any of the atheletes that ever noticed the flash going off. The only sport I have ran into is Vollyball for whatever reason. If it is used properly I doubt they would notice as well, Phil has many shots that proof it can be done correctly.

I've never seen anyone around here using flash. I have a personal disdain for the way it looks.

Flash depends on the school, it's the AD or coaches decision most of the time. I'd let the local newspaper guy shoot our games with flash (volleyball btw), but anyone else no flash allowed - why the different rule you may ask, well the newspaper guy could come into a game and knew how to use it and not get noticed while others would show up and blast it away and be distracting. There's no rule against the flash in the national handbook, but some leagues do have it, VERY dependent where you live and what sport.

elrey2375 wrote in post #14935728
I've never seen anyone around here using flash. I have a personal disdain for the way it looks.

So #2 shot looks bad. To me it looks lot better than any non flashed shot.

Now #3 is typical problem with flash on monopod below the lens. Those ghost shadows which I don't like. It would be ideal to have two flashes one above and one below but it gets cumbersome.

MJPhotos24 wrote in post #14936193
Flash depends on the school, it's the AD or coaches decision most of the time. I'd let the local newspaper guy shoot our games with flash (volleyball btw), but anyone else no flash allowed - why the different rule you may ask, well the newspaper guy could come into a game and knew how to use it and not get noticed while others would show up and blast it away and be distracting. There's no rule against the flash in the national handbook, but some leagues do have it, VERY dependent where you live and what sport.

I have yet to see an AD at the football game here in CA. Maxpreps is big here and no issue with flashed football as far as I know. VB is the only one where flash is an issue. Gynamastics also. I have seen so strobed cheer where I would think flash could be an issue.

What is NBA ambient? If they could get nice shots with latest 1dx they wouldn't strobe it in those nice areanas.

bobbyz wrote in post #14936311
I have yet to see an AD at the football game here in CA. Maxpreps is big here and no issue with flashed football as far as I know. VB is the only one where flash is an issue. Gynamastics also. I have seen so strobed cheer where I would think flash could be an issue.

What is NBA ambient? If they could get nice shots with latest 1dx they wouldn't strobe it in those nice areanas.

Again, it's dependent on where you are at - around here the AD's are always at the football games as it's the big thing on Friday or Saturday and often at smaller schools they are also the supervisor. Doesn't matter if they are there or not because any professional that knows the AD doesn't want flash is not going to use it. Do you know who the AD is at all games you shoot? I know a good chunk in two leagues but in others no clue, so how would you know if they are there or not unless they approach you? Simple fact is it's dependent on them and the coach as they make the rules for their games in most circumstances.

As for the NBA and NHL, which both have team guys using strobes, you have to remember these teams use those images as billboards and other marketing material and strobes offer better than the 1dx is providing (lower ISO, less noise, brighter, true colors, etc). They're not doing a decent photo for the paper where all they need is a "nice shot", like all the news guys are getting with the x or D4 Nikon, different circumstances and different needs. I'm not sure at all what this has to do with anything about high schools and them having the right to make up their own rules by any stretch?

no flashes here

Not sure how you can speak so boldly for all venues. The simple fact is that flash is NOT ALLOWED at the high schools where I shoot. I have personally spoken with the athletic director, and he has told me in no uncertain terms that it is not allowed. If I wish to break the rules, I'll be invited to leave an not return.

If you're allowed to use them in your area, and you can do so to good effect, then by all means do so. Only makes sense to explore all options available...