First HS wrestling of the year

An open window created a spot light...if only they would have stayed there all day.

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well heck, I'll comment. The lighting on the first two is really unique and give the shots a neat look. Really like them. Good job.

These pictures are great...as photographs there is always a little bit of room for improvement somewhere...I just can't seem to spot anything at this time...maybe I'll have to look again...In the mean time...

The action is certainly intense...In all fairness to both athletes and us fans...I'd just love to see the entire competitor from head to toe.All the balance and counter balance points and potential points really need to be in the picture...Also the head and possibly the face is desirable in the photo...

With the great 85mm lens it's tough cause of the narrow field of view...

The 70-200mm is also not the widest lens around, so how do you compromise? Get a second camera? and use a wider angle lens?(personally I don't have an extra couple of grand, so I can assume it's not going to be easy to get another camera and a wider lens, just to get the entire competitor in every picture.)

However, it's not like the wrestlers are posing for photos...this is fierce and intense competition decided by split second moves...I would shoot hundreds of photos to get a few real good ones...

Good luck with your sport photography...These guys work real, real hard to get it done the right way...It's great you are around to help them see how they look...

John

Thanks Mark and John for the comments.

Wrestling is a fairly tough sport to shoot - the lighting almost always sucks, you have to fight including 'asses, elbows and officials', and you have to capture a moment that appeals to the viewer. The effort required, as previously noted however, pales in comparison to that expended by those actually on the mat.

I'd guess the first shot was with the 85mm f/1.8 as well due to it's trademark purple friniging round areas of extreme highlight. I do wish that lens wouldn't do that, it's its only real weakness. It's close cousin the 100mm f/2 doesn't do it to anywhere near the same degree.

These are nice shots and you've caught the action well. The third would be my favourite with good expressions from both competitors.

You would guess correctly. In the end, I always forgive the 85 that knowing that the guy behind the camera pulled the trigger.

Cadwell wrote in post #2347143
I'd guess the first shot was with the 85mm f/1.8 as well due to it's trademark purple friniging round areas of extreme highlight. I do wish that lens wouldn't do that, it's its only real weakness. It's close cousin the 100mm f/2 doesn't do it to anywhere near the same degree.

These are nice shots and you've caught the action well. The third would be my favourite with good expressions from both competitors.

You mean those dark red maroon edges on the clothing are that purple fringing...I never noticed it before thanks for the heads up...Now, I'll know to check all of my pics for it...

You think the 100mm is better for taking wrestling photos?

It's been many years since I was near a mat...You guys need to call the shots on the proximity you need to capture the best photos...

Good Luck

A 70-200 is probably the best lens to use matside.

johnstoy wrote in post #2347275
You mean those dark red maroon edges on the clothing are that purple fringing...I never noticed it before thanks for the heads up...Now, I'll know to check all of my pics for it...

You think the 100mm is better for taking wrestling photos?

It's been many years since I was near a mat...You guys need to call the shots on the proximity you need to capture the best photos...

Good Luck

If you look on the first picture around the brightly illuminated shoulder of the competitor in blue you can see a purple halo. You can see the same around the back of his opponents head where there is strong contrast against a bright area in the background. It is more controlled in the second shot although there is still some evident.

It only happens with the 85mm around areas of harsh contrast like that, and it is probably that otherwise excellent lens's main flaw.

Would the 100mm be better for wrestling? I am not sure. It's a third of a stop slower and 15mm longer but otherwise it could be the 85mm's twin. It has the same superb optics and high focus speed. The lenses are very simillar physicaly too (I often have to resort to reading the numbers when I take one of them out of the camera bag so I know which one I have grabbed). The purple fringing issue is still there occasionally but it takes a lot more to provoke than on the 85mm.

They are both very nice lenses.

Cadwell wrote in post #2350751
If you look on the first picture around the brightly illuminated shoulder of the competitor in blue you can see a purple halo. You can see the same around the back of his opponents head where there is strong contrast against a bright area in the background. It is more controlled in the second shot although there is still some evident.

It only happens with the 85mm around areas of harsh contrast like that, and it is probably that otherwise excellent lens's main flaw.

Would the 100mm be better for wrestling? I am not sure. It's a third of a stop slower and 15mm longer but otherwise it could be the 85mm's twin. It has the same superb optics and high focus speed. The lenses are very similar physically too (I often have to resort to reading the numbers when I take one of them out of the camera bag so I know which one I have grabbed). The purple fringing issue is still there occasionally but it takes a lot more to provoke than on the 85mm.

They are both very nice lenses.

Ah, Yes...the purple halo is clearly visible on the high contrast area...it's even in the hair and the head of the other wrestler too...but I still love the overall (always sharp) results from the 85mm 1.8...
Wrestling fans can benefit from these lenses:
I have a 70-200mm 2.8 IS for indoor shooting...however, am still considering the prime 135mm L for indoor events...(I'm in a pickle, cause I take indoor shots at a concert venue as a hobby and can't bring in a professional zoom lens in)...since I already have the 85mm, the hundred would be real nice, but I need to consider the 135mm for shooting form further back...

Eventually, I'll work my way back to sports...It should be no problem for me, as I personally was very active in the area through out the state and region and nationally too...Again, as a hobbyist, there probably won't be a conflict of interest, if I shoot at some local events, with the permission of the coach, and/or school administration...

I think the 100mm, 135mm, 200mm, would also be fast, sharp lenses for wrestling photography, when shooting from the nearby stands....

At home meets, it's a lot easier to get close to the mat, but away matches don't not always provide the most optimal seating for good action shots...

Don't I wish these digital cameras and zoom lenses were available back in the old days...there would have been so much excitement to share with so many students, faculty and friends and the media too...

Enjoy the great sport of wrestling...

johnstoy wrote in post #2350842
Ah, Yes...the purple halo is clearly visible on the high contrast area...it's even in the hair and the head of the other wrestler too...but I still love the overall (always sharp) results from the 85mm 1.8...
Wrestling fans can benefit from these lenses:
I have a 70-200mm 2.8 IS for indoor shooting...however, am still considering the prime 135mm L for indoor events...(I'm in a pickle, cause I take indoor shots at a concert venue as a hobby and can't bring in a professional zoom lens in)...since I already have the 85mm, the hundred would be real nice, but I need to consider the 135mm for shooting form further back...

Eventually, I'll work my way back to sports...It should be no problem for me, as I personally was very active in the area through out the state and region and nationally too...Again, as a hobbyist, there probably won't be a conflict of interest, if I shoot at some local events, with the permission of the coach, and/or school administration...

I think the 100mm, 135mm, 200mm, would also be fast, sharp lenses for wrestling photography, when shooting from the nearby stands....

At home meets, it's a lot easier to get close to the mat, but away matches don't not always provide the most optimal seating for good action shots...

Don't I wish these digital cameras and zoom lenses were available back in the old days...there would have been so much excitement to share with so many students, faculty and friends and the media too...

Enjoy the great sport of wrestling...

The EF 135mm f/2.0L is a nice thing. I was very dissapointed with my one for a while, though. My first one got returned to the vendor because it rattled. The second had some real problems with AF in low light particularly when using AI servo AF. A trip back to the Canon service centre for fettling has fixed that and it is now extremely fast and accurate. Whilst there isn't much to choose in terms of sharpness between it and the 85mm/100mm primes the richness of the colours and contrast from the 135mm are outstanding. I shot some indoor canoeing a couple of weeks back and was swapping between the 85, 100, and 135mm throughout the evening. The 135mm shots stand out from those taken with the other two.