Night Football / Flash Below Camera / 7 images

I have gone to this field many times at night without flash and always come away disappointed for the light reading on this field is ISO 3200 f/2.8 1/250 on the best areas of the field. The team wears dark blue uniforms and shots from the endzone and sideline are much worse.

I setup my monopod last night with an L-bracked attached with a hose clamp about 18" below the camera. I mounted my 580EX upside down. I shot with my Sigma 120-300 f/2.8 DG at ISO 1600 f/3.5 1/250 with the flash on E-TTL -2/3. In general I was very pleased. The ghost-eyes were eliminated completely, and only had red-eye in a small percentage of shots. My biggest concern was to get more eyes/faces -- for that's what the mom's really want to see!The flash below creates some funky shadows, but it really lights up underneath the helmet.

Below are some samples from the game I shot last night. I'll be experimenting more in the future -- I'm sure I'll be able to improve.

#1: Handoff

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#5 is a great shot! v natural

You sure have a creative set up but it seemed to work for you. Your shots are really great. I like the fact that you can see their faces really well.

I give it up to ya, I think that worked well. Did you have any alighment problems mounting the flash to the momo? IF you did I think you go them ironed out. Good Idea , I may have to steal that.

I liked 4 and 5, 4 because it gives you a real good look at where he is looking and makes you think you are right there with him as he goes to make the cut on the DB. 5 of course because he looks like he is satisfied with a job well done.

Wow, good idea..... I may have to steal it, I shoot a lot of helmet sports too

Good pics, I like the frozen action in #1, and the expression of the guy in the background

Dean Humphrey wrote in post #2120689
Did you have any alighment problems mounting the flash to the mono?

The L-bracket is tight against my monopod with the hose clamp, so that makes aligning pretty simple. The only alignment I had to make sure of was my lens and flash were pointing in the same direction. I stood back and had another photographer look while I pointed the camera at them and he verified that the lens and flash appeared to point in the same direction.

I had tried the Pro-T bracket a week ago, but it is a real pain carrying up/down the sidelines and each time switching from horizontal to vertical you've got to flip the flash. This method is by far much easier on the sidelines to use.

Good work, i like it

Some nice shots, I really like how the flash exposed that way. Happen to have a pic of the setup?

Can you post a pic of your set up on the monopod and camera?

Great idea. Great shots. I'm going to have to try that since I have the same problem. Thanks for sharing.

rrpruett wrote in post #2128215
Can you post a pic of your set up on the monopod and camera?

I will try and get a shot of it over the next couple days and post it here. I'm trying to get caught up -- so as soon as I've got a bit of time, I'll have it up here.

Thanks I look forward to it. I have been shooting a lot of night football and I may give this a try. I hate RED EYE/DEMON EYE>

I dont like falsh shots, but these are great....

this set up doest give it that very fake look!

Well I made my trip to the camera shop for a shoe cord and home depot for some clamps and L bracket and am ready to give it a try tonight at practice before tomorrow nights game. One questions is, is the 18" down from the top of the monopod or the top of the camera and is that measurement to the L bracket or the flash head. I know this is something I will need to play with but I would like to know what you used.

Thanks for the help today.