Kids BB Photos

OK, the last game is next week and I need some help improving these.

I have been using my 70-200 at 2.8 with a speed of 1/200, 800 ISO and bouncing the flash off the light colored ceiling. AF is AI Servo.

Here are some of the results

#1

I dont care how a person does it, but the little ones involved in sports is always a winner.

As far as the photography goes. They look a tad underexposed on my monitor.

These are great shots. Some ways to improve:
1. Crop tighter and pay attention to things around the edges of the photo.

In #1, get rid of ref's hand and leg.

In #2, you chopped off feet in the photo, so maybe crop off all the legs. Also watch those chairs in the background: try to crop between chairs, doors, people.

#3, remove teammate ... it's very distracting to see a sliced bit of body nd the odd bit of shoe.

#4. What's that dark bit on the wall on the right edge. A good crop would remove it.

Also think about what many folks have posted many, many times before: face, ball, action. It's OK to have a photo without the ball, but after the third game, your #1 and #2 photos are gonna be boring. They could've been taken at any game or practice in the season.

If you want more light (always useful), you are talking about a slave speedlite. Remote triggering has been discussed lots as well. You did not state if the flash was in manual mode or ETTL mode. I'd go with manual mode. Try output 1/2 or 1/1 for starters.

If you want more help with youth basketball see www.coachesclipboard.n​et which will get your daughter off on the right foot with respect to ball handling, shooting form, BB techniques, etc. It won't help her tuck her shirt in though.

liam5100 wrote in post #7330467
I dont care how a person does it, but the little ones involved in sports is always a winner.

I could not agree more with that statement. Taking pictures of the big guys is really fun but I always seem to enjoy the pictures of the little guys and gays a lot more.

Thank you for all of the comments!

I can tell you that I know I need to work on my framing. In the first few games all of the photos were missing feet! I am trying to improve.

The flash was in ETTL mode. I wasn't sure about using manual and the light change at various distances. I guess with bouncing off the ceiling it may not change much, I will give it a try Saturday.

I love the comment about the shirt! They all seem to wear them untucked.

tmalone893 wrote in post #7330518
II always seem to enjoy the pictures of the little guys and gays a lot more.

I THINK I know what you meant.

I nominate this for POTN typo of the year!!!

Man I love little kids bball.

CC would say that they are underexposed and not sharp.

Raise the ISO to 1600 and move your shutter up a little more that should help get sharper images

Yeah, the don't look "sharp" to me even full res. In fact I was/am starting to question my 70-200. I'll raise the shutter to 1/250 and bump the ISO to see if it helps.

I shot the 40D you can raise that to 1600 just fine. Don't be afraid, you will never see the ISO in small prints anyways.

Raise that and the shutter and it will help. Try to at least get 1/320 for the little guys.

namasste wrote in post #7331506
I THINK I know what you meant.

I nominate this for POTN typo of the year!!!

I sure hope so! The sports pictures to be clear, very clear!

I've been playing with a trial version of Adobe Elements and the CameraRaw (aka ACR) that comes with it. They do a couple of things that the Canon DPP does not do including better algorithms for sharpening your photos. I can't tell right now what you did for post processing, but you may wish to investigate other options.

I didn't do any real PP, just adjusted the white balance in a few.

If I raise the shutter past 1/250 I will have to loose the flash. I would say that the added light is good for a full stop or more so they might be dark...but I will give it a try.