Shot first Swim Meet Yesterday...

This was the first swimming event I shot....so...I was asked to shoot some action by several parents (after doing their team shoot last week) and these are a couple shots from the day (reduced for web). I first tried no flash with my 70-200 2.8 IS L, but the lighting was so bad I didn't want to be stuck with ISO 3200 on my 40D...hate the noise.

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Nice photos Dcy, I have been interested in pool lighting also. The thought of all that water on the deck and kids running around scares me. I stick with my 85 1.8 shooting on the pool deck. Its only good for the last third of the pool and at the turn, however, I can get about a 400-500 shutter speed with an 800 iso.

Keep posting, it's nice to swimming threads.

I Shoot a lot of Indoor Swimming...

at the club, high school and college level. The thought of using strobes just blows my mind! As a certified swimming official as well being an avid shooter, the last thing I would do at a USA Swimming, or high school meet would be to allow/use strobes!

In fact I once was removed from the deck of a high school meet because the ref saw that I had a flash in MY BAG.

What kind of meet where you at that allowed you to set up strobe lighting???

Anyone I know that shoots youth indoor swimming suffers through low light, shifting white balance requirements and relatively slow shutter speeds. I consider myself lucky to shoot at 1600 ISO and usually at 3200 - either with a 70-200mm f/2.8 or 85 f/1.8 lens. I'm thrilled if I can get to 1/500 second shutter speeds.

You are living in a dream world my friend.

Lane 4 Imaging wrote in post #6786179
You are living in a dream world my friend.

...the Meds not working today? ...but in all seriousness...it was simply an experiment and the first time to shoot swimming (a YMCA event), no "Certified Official" Swimming Officials...see my OP....Thanks for the opinion anyway ....now would someone please wake me up!

Lane 4 Imaging wrote in post #6786179
at the club, high school and college level. The thought of using strobes just blows my mind! As a certified swimming official as well being an avid shooter, the last thing I would do at a USA Swimming, or high school meet would be to allow/use strobes!

In fact I once was removed from the deck of a high school meet because the ref saw that I had a flash in MY BAG.

What kind of meet where you at that allowed you to set up strobe lighting???

Anyone I know that shoots youth indoor swimming suffers through low light, shifting white balance requirements and relatively slow shutter speeds. I consider myself lucky to shoot at 1600 ISO and usually at 3200 - either with a 70-200mm f/2.8 or 85 f/1.8 lens. I'm thrilled if I can get to 1/500 second shutter speeds.

Very surprising. I have shot tons of swimming, and while I don't normally use a flash, I have from time to time and there has never been an issue.

I acknowledge the ref and starter that I know the sport and will not flash at the start, and have not had a problem. Parents from the gallery have been called out occasionally, but a warning over the p.a. and it goes away.

I look forward to the day a getting some ABs set up on deck. ( I'd have to buy them first, so for now will just listen to them buzzing in my dreams.)

Nobody else had issues with it....the only mention of anything was by one of the guys putting on the event, and he just ask I not pop them at the start so not to interfere with the starting beam which was set up on a tripod at the blocks.

Well I'll Admit...

...that I have never shot at a YMCA meet before AND the kids look young - 12 and under age group - so I guess you lucked out. Not having officials at the meet means that the meet was unoffical - times didn't count for anything, so who would care if the nice photographer set up a strobe or two.

But I will stand by my argument - strobes at a USA Swimming, high school or college meet would not be allowed. Flash MIGHT be allowed, but you would be thought of as a rookie by anyone on deck. At the larger meets, you wouldn't be allowed on deck unless you had press creditials.

If you caught any of the excellent swimming from Beijiing, you might have noted that the pros were <mostly> using Canon gear and the 300mm f/2.8 - a sweet piece of glass for indoor swimming.

At any rate, did not intend to offend and I apologize if I did. However, I was in shock at seeing your shots and when you asked for advice about settings, I thought I would write and offer perhaps offered too strong an opinion. No meds needed for me thank you very much.

Good luck with your swimming shots!

Lane 4 Imaging wrote in post #6790457
Not having officials at the meet means that the meet was unoffical - times didn't count for anything

No offense taken...actually the 15 yr. old son of the Mom that asked me to take the shots broke a record (by 7-8 sec.) that stood since 1969 at this particular "Y"....maybe it was just unofficially "official" or vice-versa....I don't know.

Lane 4 Imaging wrote in post #6790457
...that I have never shot at a YMCA meet before AND the kids look young - 12 and under age group - so I guess you lucked out. Not having officials at the meet means that the meet was unoffical - times didn't count for anything, so who would care if the nice photographer set up a strobe or two.

But I will stand by my argument - strobes at a USA Swimming, high school or college meet would not be allowed. Flash MIGHT be allowed, but you would be thought of as a rookie by anyone on deck. At the larger meets, you wouldn't be allowed on deck unless you had press creditials.

If you caught any of the excellent swimming from Beijiing, you might have noted that the pros were <mostly> using Canon gear and the 300mm f/2.8 - a sweet piece of glass for indoor swimming.

At any rate, did not intend to offend and I apologize if I did. However, I was in shock at seeing your shots and when you asked for advice about settings, I thought I would write and offer perhaps offered too strong an opinion. No meds needed for me thank you very much.

Good luck with your swimming shots!

Do you know if the USA Swimming rules on photography are tighter than Swimming Canada? I 'm also a low-level Swim Ontario official (timing, strokes & turns) and I don't know of it.

While flash is not the majority of on-deck photography, it is not uncommon. And there's no rookie stigma attached to it. In fact there's one fella who always seems to get the contract for the Provincial championships that uses it probably a third of the time. (During a 4 day meet he makes a killing)

I know the high school where I shoot the officials always announce no flash is allowed. I even saw one of them tell a parent to put their camera away due to the constant flash from their camera. I usually stick with the 3200 iso and with the 1.8 can get away with 1600 iso.

Lane 4 Imaging wrote in post #6790457
...But I will stand by my argument - strobes at a USA Swimming, high school or college meet would not be allowed. Flash MIGHT be allowed, but you would be thought of as a rookie by anyone on deck. At the larger meets, you wouldn't be allowed on deck unless you had press creditials....

I shoot division 3 college swimming and I can say that strobes are definitely allowed at my school. The pro shooting for the athletics department bounces 4 big strobes off the ceiling, and one of my photogs for the paper was allowed to use a direct off camera 430EX on a stand. Now, I'm not a big swimming photog.. I only shoot a few meets a year, but I wanted to share my experience.


You're right about getting on the deck though. It's pretty restrictive, even in div3.