My first Hockey shoot, cc requested

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II

09/25/2008 11:06:27 AM · #1

My other half plays for a local hockey team and she wanted some photos for their web site so asked if I would take some so here are the 16 best ones.

If you have time cc on any that would be great, how they could be improved etc

Most were taken at 1/1000 using the 100-400, the exif is in all of them so if you are using firefox you can use this Exif Viewer to view the exact data. Generally basic editing, converted from RAW and some simple levels / curves adjustments and most ran through noise ninja on default settings.

Thanks
Robert

Message edited by author 2008-09-25 11:37:34.

MattO

Nikon D4

09/25/2008 11:23:14 AM · #2

I have a couple of basic suggestions for you, when I get time later today I'll leave some comments for some of them.

First suggestions get out of TV mode, in changing light during the day shoot in AV mode and use the ISO to keep the shutter speeds where you want them. If the light is consistant then meter for manual and set it and forget it. I always try to shoot manual if possible, most cameras today are smart, but can be fooled by dark uniforms, or backgrounds that are dark, or bright.

Shoot as wide open as you can to isolate the backgrounds. Blur the heck out of them and keep the focus on your subjects. They look like they could use a little punch of curves to bring up the colors and contrast. A few also look like they have had a bit too much noise reduction or had exposure problems on the faces and were brought up or down.

Next are you standing while shooting? Are you using a monopod? Get as low as you can, I routinely get down on my knees or my butt and shoot as low as I can. You get a better perspective and more likely on a sport like this you will get faces.

Work on getting peak action, timing in sports is very critical, hits, goals, saves, whatever is what you want to capture. It takes alot of time behind the viewfinder to figure this out.

Most importantly shoot, shoot, and shoot some more. Figure out what works and what doesnt, for you as well as the client. When I first started shooting it was nothing to have 500 from a game. As time went by useless bursts were dwindled down and now I have an average of 100-130 from each game.

Matt

Edit to add a couple of samples from daytime sports to illustrate what I am saying.

My background and white uniform would have fooled the meter and I would have lost the face in thess shots. Manual saves the day. They also show shooting low to keep faces, shooting nearly wide open to blur the distractions that are always there in HS sports.

Timing is everything. Try not to rely on long bursts, 2-3 shots with good timing will get what you need. Also shows how to try and kill a background, and expose for the face
uniforms IMHO something I can lose detail in if I can keep the face. Not always possible but we can try.

Message edited by author 2008-09-25 11:47:04.

Olympus 7-14mm f/4.0 Zuiko Digital Zoom

09/25/2008 11:36:30 AM · #3

Cool, thanks for your reply :)

I forgot to add I ran noise ninja on most on it's default settings, I should back it off a bit then I think.

I was standing, hadn't even considered sitting down, that's great suggestion to get a better angle on their faces!

I was using a mono pod sat in a belt pouch.

I rattled off a couple of hundred, it felt strange at first pointing my camera at them, next time it won't bother me so I'll shoot more .... if the weather is good I'll have to go and shoot them again for more practice :)

one2one

Olympus E-5

09/25/2008 11:53:28 AM · #4

Hockey is played on ice in very cold weather and I'll have no one tell me different. :P That is all this Canadian has to say about grass, sticks and warm weather. :D

I left you a few comments.

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II

09/25/2008 12:16:32 PM · #5

Cheers for the comments. This was their first friendly match of the season, might not be quite as cold as Ice hockey Canada but gets pretty chilly in the winter running around in a short skirt ... so I'm told :) .... which is when I'll be at home in the warm :)

MattO

Nikon D4

09/25/2008 02:50:04 PM · #6

Left you some comments, if you want to discuss any of them shoot me a PM. I'm off to shoot a couple of volleyball matches soon, but will be home editing and transmitting tonight and can answer e-mail.

Matt

Maggye

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

09/25/2008 02:56:28 PM · #7

Hi Matt

I was wondering: when you are shooting sports, where do you taking your reading from? Also, do you use auto focus, or do you focus manually?

MattO

Nikon D4

Nikon AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II

09/25/2008 03:13:05 PM · #8

Originally posted by Maggye:

Hi Matt

I was wondering: when you are shooting sports, where do you taking your reading from? Also, do you use auto focus, or do you focus manually?

Edit to add, I will either take a few test shots, look at the LCD and histogram, decide if I like the results or not and adjust. I do always carry a light meter with me though to baseline.

Many of the venue's I shoot at, I have worked at so much I know the settings I have to plug into my camera before I walk into the door. I generally set a Custom WB as well. I always use auto focus. My 1DMKIII and lens are so fast to focus all I'd do is shoot myself in the foot to try and do it manually. I will prefocus on some situations, and almost always set the pre-focus on my second body when I anticipate something will come closer to me. If I'm shooting baseball and there is a runner on first, I will have the 300 with either a 1.4 or not on the 1DMKIII ready to shoot, but I will take the second camera with the 70-200 pick my af point and prefocus on first base or first baseman for a pickoff play for example, and set it beside me so if I see a play happening I swing down pick it up and its prefocused and I just fire the shutter.

Football If I'm shooting from the end zone, same lens camera combinations. One to shoot downfield the other prefocused about the 20 yard line or so(depending on where the line of scrimmage is) run play or something at the line I shoot with my long lens, pass play comes at me, swing down pick up the second body and start shooting.

Hope this answers your question.

Matt

Message edited by author 2008-09-25 15:14:09.

Maggye

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro

09/25/2008 03:19:01 PM · #9

Originally posted by MattO:

Originally posted by Maggye:
Hi Matt

I was wondering: when you are shooting sports, where do you taking your reading from? Also, do you use auto focus, or do you focus manually?

Edit to add, I will either take a few test shots, look at the LCD and histogram, decide if I like the results or not and adjust. I do always carry a light meter with me though to baseline.

Many of the venue's I shoot at, I have worked at so much I know the settings I have to plug into my camera before I walk into the door. I generally set a Custom WB as well. I always use auto focus. My 1DMKIII and lens are so fast to focus all I'd do is shoot myself in the foot to try and do it manually. I will prefocus on some situations, and almost always set the pre-focus on my second body when I anticipate something will come closer to me. If I'm shooting baseball and there is a runner on first, I will have the 300 with either a 1.4 or not on the 1DMKIII ready to shoot, but I will take the second camera with the 70-200 pick my af point and prefocus on first base or first baseman for a pickoff play for example, and set it beside me so if I see a play happening I swing down pick it up and its prefocused and I just fire the shutter.

Football If I'm shooting from the end zone, same lens camera combinations. One to shoot downfield the other prefocused about the 20 yard line or so(depending on where the line of scrimmage is) run play or something at the line I shoot with my long lens, pass play comes at me, swing down pick up the second body and start shooting.

Hope this answers your question.

Matt

wow!!! thanks Matt, this is really interesting... my first attempt shooting sports (polo) didn't go too well =(. But you guys are really good at this.

hajeka

Canon EOS R5

Canon RF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS USM

09/25/2008 03:32:05 PM · #10

I like this. It's so nice to see some other hockey photos. Just started to put some of my hockey photos on my site hockey.hajeka.com (not finished yet, but viewable)