Swimming? It's really not that easy!

02/28/2010 11:53:05 PM · #1

I over the years have viewed with amazement the photos that people take in sports that I've covered and not covered at just how amazing they are.

Skip has always brought amazing images to the table. I was assigned to cover a swimming meet this past week. It went off today whether I was ready or not. As much as I tried to prepare myself I don't think I did. I ended up with 23 good images that I submitted to my editor. Here are a couple of out takes that I haven't sent him. I've been told later in the year I will have to go again for another one....post your images and your tips on shooting. Between terrible lighting, mixed lighting, water splashing, poor technique so no way to get into a groove of shooting. I felt like a fish out of water(pun intended).

Matt

Tamron 16-300mm Di II VC PZD MACRO w/Canon Nikon mount

03/01/2010 11:03:13 AM · #2

Bump? Really no one shoots swim meets even for their own kids?

Matt

JulietNN

Canon EOS-7D

03/01/2010 11:17:31 AM · #3

Nope never done it, I have shot the kids in the swimming pool though, mostly underwater. I even got one of those plastic cover thingys that you put over your whole camera. It works well (ish) I have a little Panasonic that I think actually works better than my Canon though. A lot more crisp. Tell you what, if you wanted to borrow the underwater plastic cover thing for the next time, drop me a line

daryn

Sony DSLR-A100

Sony SAL16-80Z DT 16-80mm f/3.5-4.5 ZA

03/01/2010 11:20:33 AM · #4

No cameras allowed anywhere near the pools around me.

My wife got busted taking a photo of me and our daughter in a corridor.

Paedophiles everywhere these days, can't be too careful.

What is this world coming to???

Sorry for the off topic rant.

Message edited by author 2010-03-01 11:21:51.

danculwell

Sony DSLR-A200

Sony DT 18-70mm f/3.5-5.6 Aspherical ED Zoom Lens for Sony Alpha

03/01/2010 11:22:20 AM · #5

I really like both of the shots. Especially the b&w one. Thats all I really have to say, I don't have any experience in that sort of thing, though I would love some.

Alicia

Canon EOS-600D/T3i Rebel

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM II

03/01/2010 12:43:19 PM · #6

I have zero experience, but am thinking a fast lens might help with the issues you outlined. What were you using?

03/01/2010 12:51:29 PM · #7

Originally posted by redjulep:

I have zero experience, but am thinking a fast lens might help with the issues you outlined. What were you using?

300F2.8. I also took a 135F2 with me but it was way too short 70-200 at the 200 end was too short as well so even the 200F2 wouldn't have done me much good.

Matt

I really thought with all the swim teams across the US there would have been someone here besides Skip(who I already contacted before my assignment). We don't have swim teams in this area, this was a Boy scout troop thing.

Spork99

Canon EOS M6 Mk II

Canon EF-M 22mm STM Lens

03/01/2010 12:54:13 PM · #8

A waterproof housing and scuba gear might help too.

Olympus 17mm f/1.8 M.Zuiko

03/01/2010 12:55:51 PM · #9

Originally posted by Spork99:

A waterproof housing and scuba gear might help too.

No one but swimmers are allowed in the water. That would not work either.

Matt

PennyStreet

Olympus OM-D E-M1

03/01/2010 12:56:14 PM · #10

I have a kid who swam up until she went to college. I gave up trying to do anything but movies at big meets.

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

03/01/2010 03:35:09 PM · #11

Originally posted by PennyStreet:

I have a kid who swam up until she went to college. I gave up trying to do anything but movies at big meets.

Why? Because of access? Because of results? I'm curious what the boundaries were that caused you to give up.

Matt

snaffles

Nikon D7100

03/01/2010 03:58:20 PM · #12

Shortly before I met Ryan I dated a local swim coach and expressed interest in getting some action shots. He was very adamant that cameras were not allowed, unless of course you have a press card. Makes sense, sadly.

moswyn

Canon EOS-7D

Sigma 18-50mm f/2.8 EX DC for Canon

03/01/2010 04:08:19 PM · #13

Several years ago, I used to shoot high school swimming with the athletic directors' permissions. It is definitely difficult. And you're right, the lighting was usually terrible. I used a 70-200 2.8 with my ISO cranked way up and my shutter as fast as I needed. The best I found is to get the kids on the blocks or diving. Then it was a matter of timing to get kids' faces as they came up for breath. Timing and paying attention to what side they tended to breathe on.

Practice, practice :)

Starbanana

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

Canon EF 75-300mm f/4.0-5.6 II

03/02/2010 04:37:12 AM · #14

I would love to be able to take swimming shots, I think it everytime I walk into our local pool where there are some great shots on the walls. Unfortunatly like most people here its not an option as cameras arent allowed anywhere near the pool & I would certainly never get a press pass to enable me to get in there with one.
What I need is a friend with a pool, rare thing in this country

Luci11e

Nikon D40

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 55-200mm f/4-5.6G IF-ED VR

03/02/2010 07:05:54 AM · #15

I've never shot any meets. I was able to get some shots at the tri that was held in our town last summer. A friend was part of a participating team and I photographed each participant on their leg. The swimming leg was the most difficult to shoot.

one2one

Olympus E-5

Olympus 7-14mm f/4.0 Zuiko Digital Zoom

03/02/2010 07:33:16 AM · #16

Originally posted by daryn:

Just like all the terrorists with cameras, they're everywhere.

Matt, did you get any remarks from other parents while shooting? With my Oly gear I would bring a 135F2.0 lens and bump my ISO to 400, max. But with your camera though, you can boost your ISO to much higher than me and still get good results. Like your first one, 5000ISO, wow! Oly better come out with something soon because I will do what I never thought I would do, switch brands.

Message edited by author 2010-03-02 07:33:58.

PennyStreet

Olympus OM-D E-M1

Olympus 17mm f/1.8 M.Zuiko

03/02/2010 09:00:59 AM · #17

Originally posted by MattO:

Originally posted by PennyStreet:
I have a kid who swam up until she went to college. I gave up trying to do anything but movies at big meets.

Why? Because of access? Because of results? I'm curious what the boundaries were that caused you to give up.

Matt

I gave up for many reasons, some of them having nothing to do with the camera itself.
At the point when I was trying to do this, I did not have good equipment. Pools are very humid. The environment and the lighting was just bad. Plus I couldn't get close enough.
I basically decided that the chances of getting a good shot weren't worth giving up just "being there" for my daughter, her teammates, etc. Without the camera I could concentrate on just watching the meets and being there with my friends, which I enjoyed too. There was one pool where the stands were close enough to the starting blocks and I could get starts and turns really well so I have some good pictures but not too many.

Movies are fun and the kids can actually use them for training purposes so mostly I stuck to that.

Sony FE 200-600mm f/5.6-6.3 G OSS

03/02/2010 09:02:24 AM · #18

Originally posted by Jac:

Originally posted by daryn:
No cameras allowed anywhere near the pools around me.

My wife got busted taking a photo of me and our daughter in a corridor.

Paedophiles everywhere these days, can't be too careful.

What is this world coming to???

Sorry for the off topic rant.

Just like all the terrorists with cameras, they're everywhere.

Matt, did you get any remarks from other parents while shooting? With my Oly gear I would bring a 135F2.0 lens and bump my ISO to 400, max. But with your camera though, you can boost your ISO to much higher than me and still get good results. Like your first one, 5000ISO, wow! Oly better come out with something soon because I will do what I never thought I would do, switch brands.

Most of the people in the area know that I work for the local paper. We are small town/county rural area so it's pretty much you know everyone or know of them. I shot Oly gear for a couple of years with an E300 and E1. You can push your ISO a bit further then what you think. But yeah this new 1DMKIV and even the 1DMKIII is pretty darn good for higher iso. I left Oly to go to Canon because I wanted a 300F2.8 for field sports and the Oly version was 6K and the Canon Non IS version could be had for $2500 used and the IS version $3500 used.

Matt

vawendy

Sony Alpha 1

03/02/2010 09:05:53 AM · #19

I shoot the neighborhood swim team every year, and I've gotten pretty good at it. The key is getting down low. Too many people stand while shooting. I feel that all of the strokes benefit by sitting, kneeling, or laying at the side of the pool.

one2one

Olympus E-5

Olympus 7-14mm f/4.0 Zuiko Digital Zoom

03/02/2010 05:05:48 PM · #20

Originally posted by MattO:

Originally posted by Jac:

Originally posted by daryn:
No cameras allowed anywhere near the pools around me.

My wife got busted taking a photo of me and our daughter in a corridor.

Paedophiles everywhere these days, can't be too careful.

What is this world coming to???

Sorry for the off topic rant.

Just like all the terrorists with cameras, they're everywhere.

Matt, did you get any remarks from other parents while shooting? With my Oly gear I would bring a 135F2.0 lens and bump my ISO to 400, max. But with your camera though, you can boost your ISO to much higher than me and still get good results. Like your first one, 5000ISO, wow! Oly better come out with something soon because I will do what I never thought I would do, switch brands.

Most of the people in the area know that I work for the local paper. We are small town/county rural area so it's pretty much you know everyone or know of them. I shot Oly gear for a couple of years with an E300 and E1. You can push your ISO a bit further then what you think. But yeah this new 1DMKIV and even the 1DMKIII is pretty darn good for higher iso. I left Oly to go to Canon because I wanted a 300F2.8 for field sports and the Oly version was 6K and the Canon Non IS version could be had for $2500 used and the IS version $3500 used.

Matt

Yeah, I've had my eye on that 6K lens but I just cannot justify the purchase since I don't make much money from photography. Been looking for a used 135F2 but no luck so far.

Skip

Canon EOS-1D X

Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM

03/02/2010 10:48:49 PM · #21

as with anything, it takes a lot of practice. since swimming is the only sport my kids do, i've been lucky enough to get lots of practice.

i guess it's geographical, in terms of cameras not being allowed. my kids do both league swimming and y-swimming, and cameras have never been an issue, for anyone. the only time a press pass has been needed has been to get down on the deck. other than that, it's a veritable free-for-all, with people shooting like the wild west, with just about any type of camera you can imagine...and i can only imagine what they're getting.

the one thing that kills me is how inconsiderate people are in terms of walking in front of you. unlike stick and ball sports, where you usually have plenty of opportunities to shoot, in swimming, you might only have a few looks at someone. it's really difficult shooting freestyle, because you never know when they're gonna breathe or which way they'll be looking. and for whatever reason, people walking by just don't feel like waiting a moment. c'est la vie.

the trick, though, is to get a feel for how the water moves with the swimmers...we paint with light, they paint with water: it's just a matter of how you catch them doing it ;-)

[btw, i'm sure you got some nice stuff, matt! love that bw!]