Lighting for Evening Football Games....

I have been asked by the Head Football Coach to photograph the team games this year. He had seen some photos I took of my younger sons football games and enjoyed them. I am having a grand time, gaining lots of experience doing this. The one thing that is bothering me is when the sun goes down and the stadium lights go on. My picture quality suffers. I have a Digital Rebel XT. I use a 75-300(EF),1:4-5.6 zoom lens. I take it out of Sports mode when it starts to blur the pictures. I then set it to the Manual Exposure mode. That helps, but the pictues tend to be darker without a flash. I don't use a flash as I am not sure how it would effect a player in action. I want to be un-intrusive as humanly possible. I am also using a mono pod to help stabalize the camera. I am a novice at photography, and want to learn. Can someone give me some tips, pointers that may help me overcome this problem.

Thank you very much!!

CHC

With that lens, you're pretty much screwed, if you'll excuse the expression. You need a lens with a maximum aperture of f/2.8 for night time football. I don't use flash for games at all. Settings depend on the amount of ambient light, so keeping the histogram open on the review is important for checking exposure. I use f/2.8, ISO 1600, and the fastest shutter speed that I can get away with depending on the lighting. If you have shaky hands or a dark venue, by all means use a monopod.

Chris, Liza's basic suggestions (lens as wide as you can go, ISO 1600, fastest shutter you can get away with, monopod) are sound.

However I'm not sure I'd automatically agree with her about being "screwed" if you don't have an f/2.8 lens. You're looking at serious money for that sort of upgrade: here are some prices from Warehouse Express.

• £3100 - Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L IS USM
  
• £2000 - Tamron AF SP 300mm f2.8 LD IF
  
• £1670 - Sigma 120-300mm f2.8 APO EX IF HSM DG
  
• £1525 - Sigma 300mm f2.8 APO EX DG
  
• £1295 - Canon EF 70-200mm f2.8 L IS USM
  
• £596 - Sigma 70-200mm f2.8 EX DG
  
• £519 - Canon EF 200mm f2.8 LU/2

• £1079 - Canon EF 300mm f4.0 L IS USM
  
• £369 - Canon EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM

I'd agree with liza comments. I shoot under floodlights regularly and even at many of the professional arenas, a lens with a maximum aperture smaller than f/2.8 simply doesn't cut the mustard.

You can stabilise the camera with a monopod and switch on the whizzy IS, but if you can only achieve a shutter speed of, say, 1/200s, the movement of the players will be blurred. The key factor in freezing the motion of football players is the shutter speed (1/500s or faster is ideal... 1/400s at a push)... and that's why you'll see f/2.8 glass being used under lights. Sometimes even f/2.8 isn't fast enough.

Underexposing is an option... but if you're already working at ISO1600 or even ISO3200 and you underexpose by a stop or more, rest assured that the results are going to be very disappointing.

Yep, Stewart is correct, these lenses don't come cheap.... but I'd strongly advise against purchasing an f/4 lens or a slow IS lens to use under lights. For an entry level lens (that would hold its value for a later trade-in), the 200mm f/2.8L is a good solid choice.

I'd be very interested to see some examples of some pics that you've already taken under the lights. What shutter speeds are you achieving and at what ISO? If you can leave the EXIF intact, that will be handy.

I wish there was a cheap and easy solution... but I haven't found it yet. You've only got to go through the posts on the sports forum and you'll see plenty of discussions about shooting under floodlights... and the need for faster glass.

Good luck!

---- Gavin

I'm very happy to be corrected by an expert like gmen.

I guess I just sometimes get a bit frustrated that whenever anyone asks a question on these forums, the answer is "spend lots of money". Sorry about that. I'll get back to work now.

Shooting under the Friday night lights is what originally drew me into photography. I have 4 sons and they all play ball. This is one area where I do have confidence. I shoot with the 70-200 2.8 and would not go without. I use my monopod and push the ISO to 1600 (going to try 3200 this Friday). I get about 1/125 under our home stadium lights and I will post shots later this morning. I do use selective focusing and follow the player of ball I am after. Some images get tweaked with Neat Image if I am going big. I sell my CD's of photos at the end of the season by jersey number and the parents eat them up. LJE

Hi Stewart...

I agree with you about the 'spend lots of money' attitude I'd say that 80% of the time, it doesn't really apply...

...but, I can only speak from experience on this shooting under the lights issue... although you can rest assured I wish I could have saved a few quid on lenses over the years!

---- Gavin

I will echo Liza's comments and Gavin's comments ....

The biggest drawback to the 5.6 lenses (and even the IS lenses that are not 2.8 lenses) is that shutter speeds required for freezing action cannot be met with those lenses. It's not a question of just stabilizing the lens - although that's certainly something that you want to strive to do.

As Gavin pointed out, you could certainly intentionally underexpose to get your shutter speed high enough, but you'll pay a price for that in the post-processing.

Most schools I shoot at meter at ISO 1600; f2.8; 1/250 (and that's a lot of stadiums, not just around my area!). If you're shooting with a 5.6 lens, you are already a full 2-stops underexposed right off the bat if you want to maintain even 1/250 shutter speed. Anything below 1/250 and you're going to get motion blur .... and you will get some motion blur even at 1/250.

If you don't have the option of acquiring a 2.8 lens you can do a couple of things:
1) Learn to pan .... at least part of your action shot will be "still" ....
2) Shoot a lot of "static" shots - players set at the line of scrimmage; teams in the huddle; players on the sidelines; etc.

But you are fighting an uphill battle trying to shoot and freeze action with a 5.6 lens under high school stadium lighting .....

Just to add to what everyone one else has said, the biggest thing I have learned in these situations is to shoot early and shoot a lot while you have some sun. Then as the sun goes down, and shutter speeds go down, change what you shoot. Shoot shots of the team before the snap, shoot pictures of players on the sidelines watching the game, the coaches, etc. Then when that light goes away, put the camera away and enjoy the game. Trying to force things can be a battle of futility. The last option, and porbably cheapest will be to shoot with a flash if allowed. You can pick up a Sigma for less then 200. I personally don't like the look of flashed sports shots - but if it is what it takes to get the images, it is an option. But one of the biggest things I have learned is to know when to put the camera away....because sometimes that is all you can do. Good luck with it... it is a ton of fun. You should be able to get enough shots in the first quarter or two. Cheers.

erbson please post some pix with full exif. i'd like to see your friday nite football pix results using that high iso

I am out of town but will be back this evening and then I will get them posted. LJE

I can show you some recent galleries of mine although I'll admit there is room for improvement. The football ones started at twilight and finished under full darkness while the soccer one started when it was already dark. Once it was dark I used manual, ISO 3200, f/2.8, 1/400s.

http://coloradosprings​.smugmug.com/gallery/1​843378
http://coloradosprings​.smugmug.com/gallery/1​840072
http://coloradosprings​.smugmug.com/gallery/1​859580

Thank you all so much for the tips!! I greatly apreciate the help. I find myself to be my own toughest critic. I like the response"Shoot Early, Shoot Often". I have been doing that already, but still shoot even after the sun sets. Thanks again for your help!! I will keep these sites marked as your tips are very nice.

Chris Carlisle

You're welcome, Chris. And thanks to Gavin, Mark, Cecil, and Erbson for the "back up."

Fortunately I have the luxury of not being professional. Dont get me wrong I try my hardest to shoot good pics. But I shoot for pleasure and Kids and they absolutely love my pics. I have upgraded to the 70-200 f2,8 and the improvement is deffinately noticable. And with the info I get from this site and other lens heads I am improving. My best friend after dark is a monopod. I started shooting nightfootball about 6 yrs ago on a canon sureshot lol witha lil telephoto lens from the stands. I have made it to the side lines and upgraded my gear. My biggest problem Is I always want MORE im thinking of checking into treatment?? anybody know of a good one ?? I now have camera gear worth more the the cars our brats drive. Im hooked oh soooo bad. Then the real professionals are always dangleing their shots and leading me deeper and deeper. oh well its a beautiful day id better get out there and shoot. Renda