Getting into Sport

So Ive slowly amassed a pretty awesome camera bag with some telephoto gear which now includes a 100-400 L MKI and 70-200 IS II. I was considering trying to pick up a few photography gigs for youth sports. Is there any guidance you can provide on this line of work as opposed to portrait work? I found a CL post asking for someone to "capture the story", and required 200 shots per game. Is this pretty doable for someone new to the genre or should I get my feet wet first? Thanks guys

It might be a bit of an ambitious start, depending on your familiarity with the sport and the techniques you've already developed for shooting in the conditions the sport is played in.

200 shots per game will not be difficult. 200 keepers might be difficult: depending on how your previous work has prepared you for it. You could have to deal with crazy white balance issues, difficult light conditions, and subjects that are moving much faster than anything you've ever shot before.

If you're familiar with the sport, the story telling part of the equation should be pretty easy for you. If you don't know the sport, story telling could be more challenging. Knowing the sport and being able to anticipate what is going to happen next would really help with both the story telling and with photograph capture, too.

My first half season shooting ice hockey was incredibly demoralizing. From landscape photography to ice hockey? I don't know what I was thinking. I don't think I've ever had my arse handed to me so badly before in my life. Thankfully my ego wouldn't let me quit, and I got through the rough patch.

Great response, you've definitely given me lots to think about. The sport is American Football, I have a pretty good idea on what to capture ive just not really heard that language use before. My wife has a softball game tomorrow maybe ill get out and shoot a bit to get a feel for the fast movement. You've definitely inspired me to be sure to bring my A game. Thanks

Sounds like a plan.

I'd bring both bodies, and the 70-200 and the 100-400 (at bare minimum). Try both lenses on both bodies to see what pairing works the best for performance, and focal length and framing.

The 6D, as long as you use the centre point for focus, should do okay in AIFocus or AIServo. It wouldn't be really fast, but once you get your technique sorted out you should get easily acceptable results. I haven't used the 60D, so I don't know what to suggest there.

American Football. I love showboating. I really do. I think American Footballers do it best. If you do decide to pursue the CL add you might get to shoot some awesome touchdown celebrations.

The Craigslist ad is likely from Varsity Views and not a bad way to start. You get access close to the action and the experience shooting. I pick up something from each shoot to get better.

Actually yes i just got the email from the company under the business name Do you have any experience with them personally, anything you can share?

OP, over the years, there has been many threads and discussions about your specific questions, in this sub-forum. You will find your answers and more if you dig deep into the threads. I have shot youth sports for years, not as a gig, but as a dad. Learning the techniques has been challenging and took lots of practice. Good luck.

There are a couple of reviews about working for them here: https://www.glassdoor.​ca …htm?&countryRed​irect=true. (note that it might redirect you to the .COM, as it keeps redirecting me to the .CA).

Here is the one review that really stands out to me (there only are three, this is the only one with any meat):

It might be okay for a start, but it might get old fast if the above review accurately represents the situation.

With the cameras you have, I would suggest the following:

- Only use center point, if you use off-center, you will probably end up with many OOF shots, which is demoralizing enough by themselves.
- Use AI Servo
- Use your 70-200 II at f3.2 to f3.5 (not quite open for 2 reasons, to get a bit sharper due to shutting down the aperture just a bit, and to slightly broaden your DOF due to the cameras you are using)
- Shoot a custom WB in the beginning if possible and set that up, it will save you time later
- Don't trade low ISO for fast shutter speeds, you can fix noise, you cannot fix blur. You will want 1/500th or faster, sometimes 1/1000 or over. Use whatever ISO gets you there.
- Don't underexpose with the 60D (and the 6D). Again use ISO to get you where you need to be for exposure.
- Be prepared to learn how to post process images, for noise, recomposition, WB, color and contrast. There are a few tricks here if you research.
- Shoot loose and crop later.

The biggest trap people fall into is to either underexpose or shoot too slow because they are afraid of ISO noise. There are more ways to mitigate noise at good exposures than to deal with gross underexposure or motion blur due to slow shutter speeds.

ISO 6400 is as much as you want to go on the 60D, you can probably go one more stop on the 6D.

Here is the 7D at 6400 with post processing (about the same as the 60D) from years back.

TeamSpeed wrote in post #17987949
The biggest trap people fall into is to either underexpose or shoot too slow because they are afraid of ISO noise. There are more ways to mitigate noise at good exposures than to deal with gross underexposure or motion blur due to slow shutter speeds.

I like what Peter Reid Miller said on a video with Scott Kelby. Paraphrased he said that he would rather have a sharp photo with noise than one with no noise but motion blur.

You can do something with noise but not with motion blur.

Doc

Bracetty wrote in post #17987810
Do you have any experience with them personally, anything you can share?

The post from Neacail provides the exact pros and cons of these gigs. However, you can tilt the odds in your favor by only covering double header games close to your house. I covered about 25 games across 4 sports in the last 5 months and learned how to better shoot under the field lights and other camera settings than if I only shot hockey. You will also be better prepared for the next level of photography and have a portfolio to show off for the higher paying gig.
No one makes fun of the baseball player in minor league ball making peanuts as he tries to make it to the pros...

Shoot the sports you played or you like. Don't shoot it just because you want to because you aren't going to create interesting photos. Like anything else, don't start charging people unless you are good enough. Sport photography is different because you don't really stage the shots. You have to anticipate the moment and that moment may not come again. You miss it..you suck. I shoot a lot of local bike racing. The finishing shot is the toughest. If you stand at the wrong side of the finish, you will miss the facial expression of the winner when he is celebrating his victory. There is a local photog who would persistently miss the crucial angle because he was standing at the wrong side and too close to the finish.


Like this shot here and he was standing on the right. You know what happened... He didn't get the full facial expression but I did.

IMAGE LINK: https://flic.kr/p/FH6H​Mx

Hi, OP!

Below is a link to an album (first link) with 14 shots from my 5DMIII, 100-400L MkI on a ball-head monopod. It's soccer and I think faster than football. I've worked with the 70-200 and shorter lenses, but only the 100-400 will do on the football field. When the action is near you, the 100mm fl is what you need. When it moves to the opposite end of the field, you need a 400mm fl. The MkI lens, The Pump, zooms very quickly and easily. The 5DMIII focusses very quickly with it, and I'd suspect the 6D would do so also. With that kit, I shoot 1/500s, f/5.6, and ISO whatever but for this set it ranged from 10,000 to 16,000.

Personally I'd recommend shooting some games to really get a feel for the action. Yes, you must anticipate the action. You have to get into the rhythm of the game and become a part of it. I'm a techie, emotions and feeling not required, but "feeling" makes a big difference in connecting with the action. You still may want to connect with the CL post, but try some fast action sports as you can. I take 600 to 1,000 shots at a game. Only so many count. If you're doing it to get faces of most or all of the team members, more is definitely better. I've added a second link to all of my photo albums; the soccer and basketball photo albums are obvious, for what it's worth.

Good luck!

http://grahamglover.ze​nfolio.com/p380696282
http://grahamglover.ze​nfolio.com/f593136965

EDIT:

Let me add one more link, found below. Here's your story. While only 52 images, it tells something of the progression of the game, and includes images that aren't always "action" shots but still a part of the event, the story. Make it interesting for the viewer and you'll do fine. Again, good luck!

http://grahamglover.ze​nfolio.com/p75870197

People usually run upright so you need grips on your cameras and shoot (mainly) in portrait orientation. Off centre focus point (how far is up to you) so you are focusing on the face not the torso, and if they wear a helmet or are juniors you need to be as low as possible.

bildeb0rg wrote in post #17991389
People usually run upright so you need grips on your cameras and shoot (mainly) in portrait orientation. Off centre focus point (how far is up to you) so you are focusing on the face not the torso, and if they wear a helmet or are juniors you need to be as low as possible.

Portrait orientation is one way to do it. That said, in Scott Kelby's football portfolio you'll see they're all landscape.

http://portfolio.scott​kelby.com/Football