First night soccer this year...

and damn am I rusty. Makes me realize why I try to avoid these games if at all possible. This is from the same pitch Mnaz posted images from the other day. Lighting is typically bad as most HS fields are and the noise is here to prove it. Got some shadowing as well but certainly nothing I can't live with since I don't generally expect portfolio images in this stadium. Parents are happy and that's all that mattered. Anyway, here's a few from the match..Bay Village put the beat down on Firelands 6-0, go Rockets.

1.

I like the shots where the bleachers are in the background better than the blackness. But they're all pretty solid for what you have to deal with. NIce action and faces.

Sure you've got some shadows from the flash, but I'd take 'em in a heartbeat compared to what I get at our local dungeons.

Quite nice Scott - what catches me the most are the faces are nicely lit while controlling the all white uniform.

Good job.

The action has been captured well, looks like it was a good footie match. There are some strange markings on your football pitch though? Why so many white stripes?!

Nice shots!

Can you share what gear you used?
I'll have to attempt a similar shot on Saturday and again on Wednesday...

Was the flash on-camera or on a monopod?
What power setting did you use on the flash?

Thanks so much everyone. Jon, the strips are from football (American obviously). I can't stand how they look on a soccer pitch but it is what it is. What you can't see that's tough for the players are the side markings.

int2str wrote in post #8661687
Nice shots!

Can you share what gear you used?
I'll have to attempt a similar shot on Saturday and again on Wednesday...

Was the flash on-camera or on a monopod?
What power setting did you use on the flash?

thanks. basically, I use a superclamp mounted to my monopod and then run a bogen HD flex arm out of the clamp and put my flash on that. I winds up roughly 14-16" above my lens I'd say. I also use an off shoe cord to trigger the fllash so I can retain TTL if I want (but I don't). I always shoot the flash in manual since TTL can really give some inconsistent exposures in this environment. Usually 1/4 to 1/2 pwr (these were mostly 1/2). Camera settings were generally 1/250, ISO 800, f4. I did play with ISO a little but I find it easier to adjust my subject exposure using aperture than ISO. I set the aperture to f3.5 then move it up or down from 2.8-4.5 depending on how close the action is getting. This takes some getting used to on the fly (hence my rusty comment above). As you can see, I probably could have stopped down to 4.5 on the first but didn't quite get there as I didn't want to miss that shot. Bottom line, open up as they move away and stop down as they get close. That's really about it. You'll still get a little red eye from time to time but usually no demon eye. The red eye just gets fixed in post if needed.

Hope that helps and good luck, have fun.

Thanks so much, Scott!
Such professional insight is highly appreciated!

Good pictures Scott. I love that the white uniforms aren't blown out and you kept the action solid at the same time.

I wish they would allow flash at our soccer games.