Sports photography

[helpme]

I've always found moving subjects to be the most interesting to photograph.

Here are a couple collections I shot the past few days (baseball and ultimate frisbee). I'm looking for tips on composition and post processing. I only did minor exposure/fill light adjustments on the baseball photos.

Ultimate Frisbee

Local baseball

I used a 40D and a Canon 100-400 for all of the pictures.

 

[IeraseU]

On a few of the images I think you can crop a bit tighter, other then that I think all you need is to add a little bit of pop to your images via post-processing.

I'm not an expert when it comes to touching up sports images, but those guys tell me that they sometimes intentionally darken the background by 1 stop just to draw more attention to the focus of the shot (in addition to shooting pretty much wide open to blur the background).

 

[helpme]

Some of the images that were too wide I did crop, but didn't do much adjustment. I did play around by changing the exposure between -1 and -0.5 one a couple, but only the ones that were overly bright to begin with. I'll try making a few of them darker to see how that does.

Sadly, the 100-400 has a max aperature of 4.5 - 5.6 (which limits the amount of blur), but I do try to use the Av mode to keep it open (instead of shutter priority).

 

[IeraseU]

Actually I meant adjusting the exposure so that just the background will be darker, so that the subjects in the foreground stand out more. I just wanted to clarify that point because it sounded like you took it to mean adjusting the exposure for the entire photo.

 

[helpme]

How do you adjust the exposure for just the background?

I had tried reducing the exposure for the entire picture in lightroom, then using some fill light to brighten the subject back up.

 

[Jawo]

Those images are really good. You got some great expressions on people's faces at extreme moments. How did you like the push/pull format of the 100-400?

 

[IeraseU]

Originally posted by: helpme
How do you adjust the exposure for just the background?

Well there are various techniques for doing this in post, and it's even possible to do it on camera sometimes by underexposing by 1 stop, and then bringing the subject back with flash (I realize flash is not always available for sports shots).

There are also various ways to do this in Photopshop. One simple method would be to make a duplicate layer of your original image and darken the whole image. At this point you can just erase/brush away the subject from the duplicate layer which will give you proper exposure from the original layer (as opposed to the underexposed duplicate layer). That is not the only way to do it, and probably not even the best way, but it's one method.

 

[helpme]

Originally posted by: Jawo
Those images are really good. You got some great expressions on people's faces at extreme moments. How did you like the push/pull format of the 100-400?

Yeah, a few of the guys made the same comment: "I had no idea I looked so crazy when playing".

The push/pull is not really a big deal. It feels pretty natural now to push and pull in order to frame the shot. I've also gotten used to adjusting the tension of the slide action with my left hand, but it is a bit tricky since its right next to the focus ring.

There are also various ways to do this in Photopshop. One simple method would be to make a duplicate layer of your original image and darken the whole image. At this point you can just erase/brush away the subject from the duplicate layer which will give you proper exposure from the original layer (as opposed to the underexposed duplicate layer). That is not the only way to do it, and probably not even the best way, but it's one method.

Thanks, I'll give it a shot. I wish I could use flash on some of the baseball pictures, as the hats shade their faces. However, they are too far away to do so.

 

[soydios]

my short tips for sports photography composition: get a tight shot with faces and the ball.

technical tips: push the ISO as high as necessary, and open up the aperture all the way. shutter speed is paramount, at least 1/500th second.

postprocessing techniques I can't comment on, as I would think they vary with individual tastes.

the 100-400mm might be able to focus through the fence for baseball. it's worth it to get slightly offcenter behind home plate.

 

[gsellis]

Actually, I see room for change. Key example is the first pic of the ultimate thrower (Ready to Go). Headroom is great, but he is centered. He should be a little off to the left so that the motion and direction of the throw seem natural into the space. In the center, it gives the impression of throwing into a wall. To the left, you know he will throw it. If there is another player there outside of the current crop, just tighten the headroom a bit the stretch it.

Look at "Tom Looks Downfield". The whole right of the frame says nothing. Cut it, move Tom right, and maybe open up the left a smidge.

Remember, give room for the action to complete. Watch 5 minutes of any TV show/movie. The framing of someone speaking always leaves the larger bit of the frame in the direction of who they are speaking to if they are out of the frame.

An example I could think of. If you are shooting a football game, and you get a picture of the runner carrying the ball. He is moving to the left of the frame. If he is centered, there is no goal, it is just a shot. If he is to the right, it shows the action and the challenge of getting through the defenders. He will clearly be the focus. If he is to the left, it leads folks to believe the subject is the pursuit or the blocks that got him there.

But, great color, focus, and headroom.

 

[montanafan]

Sorry I can't see your photos, but I always have trouble with smugmug freezing up on me. My advice would be pretty much the same that soydios gave except for the part about having a shutter speed of at least 1/500th. I routinely shoot indoor sports and night football at 1/400th out of necessity, but yeah, the faster the better.

If you shoot sports for a newspaper, they usually want the photos to be as tight as possible with faces, the ball, and emotion. Also keep in mind that a lot of the good shots aren't on the court or field. The coach, players on the bench, cheerleaders, the crowd, etc. can also provide good opportunities for "the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat" type photos.

 

[helpme]

Originally posted by: gsellis
Actually, I see room for change. Key example is the first pic of the ultimate thrower (Ready to Go). Headroom is great, but he is centered. He should be a little off to the left so that the motion and direction of the throw seem natural into the space. In the center, it gives the impression of throwing into a wall. To the left, you know he will throw it. If there is another player there outside of the current crop, just tighten the headroom a bit the stretch it.

Look at "Tom Looks Downfield". The whole right of the frame says nothing. Cut it, move Tom right, and maybe open up the left a smidge.

Remember, give room for the action to complete. Watch 5 minutes of any TV show/movie. The framing of someone speaking always leaves the larger bit of the frame in the direction of who they are speaking to if they are out of the frame.

But, great color, focus, and headroom.

The good news is that most of these were cropped slightly to get the posted frames, so I can re-work them with this feedback.

I tend to use at least 1/1000 in all my shots because I'm handholding for every shot.

Here's a few from an all-star game I shot this weekend. Sorry about the watermarks, some of the guys are buying prints from the galleries. Of course, the day after the games Amazon's S3 service takes a dump and takes smugmug down... Still managed to sell some even though it was down the whole day.

I just do this for fun, but the league is going to play in AT&T park next week and gave me access to the field to take pics. Figured I can't pass up a chance like that!

More comments on the following pictures will be helpful in me determining what kind of shots to take of the guys.

I'm planning to take one batting set of each person as a staple to sell, and of course a set of each pitcher. I also will get one of each fielder during warm up (easy to get action shots when you know who is getting the ball). However, I don't know what batting angle I want to use for my basic shot. I can be behind home plate, in the home and away dugouts/photo pits and in the outfield stands.

I am leaning towards shooting from behind home plate for the standard batting shots, because I can catch an identifying item in the outfield stands (scoreboard, coke bottle) that shows they were in the big house.

After all the basic shots are done, I will work on whatever is going on in the game.


Action
http://IIDX.smugmug.com/galler.../#335114479_Zcyu5-A-LB
http://IIDX.smugmug.com/galler.../#335122806_Hm4Wk-A-LB
http://IIDX.smugmug.com/galler.../#335146664_CknGZ-A-LB
http://IIDX.smugmug.com/galler.../#335107969_pEwnC-A-LB
http://IIDX.smugmug.com/galler.../#335143414_wxoRd-A-LB

Batting:
http://IIDX.smugmug.com/galler.../#335153201_GgwRH-A-LB
http://IIDX.smugmug.com/galler.../#335153773_UHWZt-A-LB
http://IIDX.smugmug.com/galler.../#335148470_HndqN-A-LB
http://IIDX.smugmug.com/galler.../#335156298_3B6g8-A-LB

Pitching:
http://IIDX.smugmug.com/galler.../#335142011_dDLeR-A-LB
http://IIDX.smugmug.com/galler.../#335105976_rhC7B-A-LB
http://IIDX.smugmug.com/galler.../#335115752_nZ7VE-A-LB
http://IIDX.smugmug.com/galler.../#335146182_bz95k-A-LB

Emotion
http://IIDX.smugmug.com/galler.../#335124803_FFkNC-A-LB

 

[soydios]

Originally posted by: montanafan
Also keep in mind that a lot of the good shots aren't on the court or field. The coach, players on the bench, cheerleaders, the crowd, etc. can also provide good opportunities for "the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat" type photos.

D'oh, totally forgot that. Reaction/emotion shots are also good ones. Turn your camera towards the coaches and bench during some critical moments during the game. And if you feel like cheering, that means that you need to bring the camera up to your eye and take photos of everyone else cheering instead of you participating.

 

[bigi]

If you have a chance, try 1D and faster fixed focal length lens. Your cam and lens ain't really a good sports combo b/c this is too slow in terms of everything regarding sports.
Now, while learning you have to "fight" your equipment too.

 

[helpme]

Originally posted by: bigi
If you have a chance, try 1D and faster fixed focal length lens. Your cam and lens ain't really a good sports combo b/c this is too slow in terms of everything regarding sports.
Now, while learning you have to "fight" your equipment too.

Are you offering?

The 40D's 6.5 fps is pretty good already, though the additional AF points would be nice. The 100-400 is good in so many situations, and since I don't do this for a living, I have to live with it for now. I just don't do night or indoor games.

I'm more interested in getting the best shots I can with what I have (the gear is great for somebody just working on a hobby) than upgrading. Plus, I have other hobbies that suck plenty of cash away (auto racing, traveling, etc).

Now if you've got a spare 400 f/2.8 or a 300 laying around... I'd be happy to take them off your hands!