Nuggets for a Wrestling Match

Deiberson · 01-21-2010, 08:15 AM

I'm attending a wrestling match tonight and figured I'd take the camera for some "practice". Anyone have any suggestions as to getting some good results?

I'm guessing I'd want a fast shutter speed for tight action shots, so should I go with TV priority or Manual? I guess I was just wondering If I should be metering to 0 or if there was an exposure rule for indoor events.
BTW....I only have the 55-300, 18-55 kit lens and my 50 1.4. I'm guessing the tele is the lens i'll be using unless i'm in the front row or want more dof, right?
Thanks
Kevin

pbo · 01-21-2010, 09:54 AM

I´d suggest using manual if lighting doesn´t change. Before everything starts, find out what combination of aperture/shutter speed/ISO is acceptable, and then shoot everything at those settings - or the equivalent ones (i.e. lock the exposure). IMO metering just doesn't work well in those situations - you get a light in the scene, people will turn out too dark. You don't have bright lights in the scene - and everything turns out overexposed. Manual mode keeps pictures more-less constant.

Also, what camera are you using? Lens choice will partially depend on that - you might be stuck with 50/1.4 if your camera's high-ISO sucks. If it doesn't, you'll have more leeway using kit lenses (important thing here will be the shutter speed - it has to be enough to freeze motion - if you want - and if you can't achieve that shutter speed with decent IQ results at high ISO... well, you'll be frustrated)

Deiberson · 01-21-2010, 10:03 AM

i have a k-x. so what shutter speed and iso is acceptable for you're typical high school gymnasium? just ballparks of course, i know is hard to predict.

**Just1MoreDave** · 01-21-2010, 10:06 AM

The main problem will be lighting. You will start to wonder how anyone has ever taken any photos there, and why no one realizes they are just about in the dark. Limited light means you will want to use the 50/1.4, but limited range will make you want the 55-300. Unless you're really close or want a shot of the whole arena, you won't need the kit lens.

Sporting events are where shutter speed is important. There will be a minimum speed for sharp photos; going slower will just make everyone blurry because of motion. If there's practice, you can use that to figure out a minimum speed by going slower until you see motion blur. Probably the minimum is 1/180 or 1/250. Then the arena lighting will probably force you to use the DA 55-300 wide open. If you use Tv mode, the camera will likely choose this for you. The ISO setting will depend on lighting too, probably around 1600.

Deiberson · 01-21-2010, 10:11 AM

i would assume a high school gym for a high school wrestling match would be filled with lighting. i'm not talking about WWF stuff where the undertaker is being brought out in his casket to the ring.

the ones i've been to have had every ceiling light on full blast.

pbo · 01-21-2010, 10:11 AM

Quote:

i have a k-x. so what shutter speed and iso is acceptable for you're typical high school gymnasium? just ballparks of course, i know is hard to predict.

Just1MoreDave´s advice about ISO and shutter speed is good. ISO1600 on K-x is very good, and 1/250 will more likely than not freeze motion, not sure about aperture - you should try figure it out on site, just take some shots, starting from camera-suggested aperture and going from there.
Also, don't forget to set everything before action starts

Like, WB and stuff. You don't want to take like a hundred pictures, and then notice they're all blue.

pbo · 01-21-2010, 10:12 AM

Quote:

i would assume a high school gym for a high school wrestling match would be filled with lighting. i'm not talking about WWF stuff where the undertaker is being brought out in his casket to the ring.

the ones i've been to have had every ceiling light on full blast.

Oh, that wrestling

If that is so, you might be able to lower ISO a bit (800?), and close aperture down - if you feel you want more dof. Don't change shutter speed.

Deiberson · 01-21-2010, 10:16 AM

Originally posted by pbo

Also, don't forget to set everything before action starts

Like, WB and stuff.

WB????dude, i'm just a beginner. that's one more thing for me to worry about. i've never used that in my life. i have no business messing around with that option.

pbo · 01-21-2010, 10:20 AM

Oh, okay, then just set it to AWB

PrimeObjectif · 01-21-2010, 11:54 AM

I shoot some of my brothers' wrestling meets, and you don't have to worry about always getting super fast shutter speeds since there are plenty of times when the wrestlers are locked up on the ground. Of course, it's great when you can freeze a takedown midair.

You can usually get fairly close in a high school gym, so a lens from 50-135 should be fine. If you use the 50mm, step down at least to f/2.0 or 2.8 if you can (you want the shot to be in focus). If you use the 55-300, use it wide open.

Boost your ISO--you can certainly get away with 1600 on a K-x.

Get as close as possible. Try to get as low as possible and make sure you get the wrestlers' faces in the shot and you'll get take great photos!

wasser · 01-21-2010, 12:20 PM

Originally posted by deiberson

I'm attending a wrestling match tonight and figured I'd take the camera for some "practice". Anyone have any suggestions as to getting some good results?

I'm guessing I'd want a fast shutter speed for tight action shots, so should I go with TV priority or Manual? I guess I was just wondering If I should be metering to 0 or if there was an exposure rule for indoor events.
BTW....I only have the 55-300, 18-55 kit lens and my 50 1.4. I'm guessing the tele is the lens i'll be using unless i'm in the front row or want more dof, right?
Thanks
Kevin

The telephoto doesn't give more DOF, that's a function of the lens, aperture, and it's distance to the subject.

Online Depth of Field Calculator

The telephoto will just get you closer to the action, but at the sacrifice of available speed.

Originally posted by deiberson

WB????dude, i'm just a beginner. that's one more thing for me to worry about. i've never used that in my life. i have no business messing around with that option.

Isn't this your camera? Then you have every business messing with that option.

WB isn't magical, it's a button (oversimplified I know). Take a picture and then press the WB button to see how things change. Play with it now, but do this at the venue though since the lighting is different. Find a setting you like and stick with it. This is especially important if you're shooting JPEG. Oh, and I shoot like pbo said in this situation - set it and forget it! Go manual, find the right exposure, and don't worry about it again unless you change something.

Last, don't restrict your creativity by the convention of "stopping motion". My favorite shots of my girls playing basketball are the panning shots I took of them as they ran down the court. This is practice right? Think about how a blurred wrestler may actually add to the shot. Heck, you could even use the 55-300mm and zoom it on a longer exposure. Depending on how you frame it, it could be a very effective shot.

Have fun!

Deiberson · 01-21-2010, 12:27 PM

i was actually messing around with the wb options after writing that response. looks pretty simple.
i'll post some shots for critique tomorrow.

**Just1MoreDave** · 01-21-2010, 12:45 PM

Originally posted by deiberson

i would assume a high school gym for a high school wrestling match would be filled with lighting. i'm not talking about WWF stuff where the undertaker is being brought out in his casket to the ring.

the ones i've been to have had every ceiling light on full blast.

It seems bright, until you have to use 1/250 for the shutter speed. Then it's probably going to seem dark to your camera.

I just went out to my garage with a meter. It's 20'x20', with 40 32 watt fluorescent bulbs and some sunlight coming in the windows. Ordinarily it seems extremely bright. I measured an average of Ev 8 on various objects. At ISO 1600 and 1/250 sec., that works out to f4, one stop short of where your zooms can reach.

jmc7104 · 01-21-2010, 05:00 PM

Originally posted by Just1MoreDave

It seems bright, until you have to use 1/250 for the shutter speed. Then it's probably going to seem dark to your camera.

I just went out to my garage with a meter. It's 20'x20',

with40???with 40 32 watt

fluorescent bulbs and some sunlight coming in the windows. Ordinarily it seems extremely bright. I measured an average of Ev 8 on various objects. At ISO 1600 and 1/250 sec., that works out to f4, one stop short of where your zooms can reach.

Surely this is a misprint?>40, that is 20/2 tube florescent lights in a 20x20 garage? jim

**Just1MoreDave** · 01-21-2010, 05:15 PM

Originally posted by jmc7104

Surely this is a misprint?>40, that is 20/2 tube fluorescent lights in a 20x20 garage? jim

Yep. I use 8' fixtures with 4 bulbs per fixture. Here's a photo that shows some of them. It's before I upgraded the last two fixtures - cheap two-bulb fixtures didn't last.

With ordinary insulation, the lights will raise the temperature by about 1.5ºF per hour in the winter.

01-21-2010, 08:15 AM	#1
Deiberson Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Photos: Albums Posts: 734	Nuggets for a Wrestling Match I'm attending a wrestling match tonight and figured I'd take the camera for some "practice". Anyone have any suggestions as to getting some good results? I'm guessing I'd want a fast shutter speed for tight action shots, so should I go with TV priority or Manual? I guess I was just wondering If I should be metering to 0 or if there was an exposure rule for indoor events. BTW....I only have the 55-300, 18-55 kit lens and my 50 1.4. I'm guessing the tele is the lens i'll be using unless i'm in the front row or want more dof, right? Thanks Kevin

01-21-2010, 09:54 AM	#2
pbo Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 891	I´d suggest using manual if lighting doesn´t change. Before everything starts, find out what combination of aperture/shutter speed/ISO is acceptable, and then shoot everything at those settings - or the equivalent ones (i.e. lock the exposure). IMO metering just doesn't work well in those situations - you get a light in the scene, people will turn out too dark. You don't have bright lights in the scene - and everything turns out overexposed. Manual mode keeps pictures more-less constant. Also, what camera are you using? Lens choice will partially depend on that - you might be stuck with 50/1.4 if your camera's high-ISO sucks. If it doesn't, you'll have more leeway using kit lenses (important thing here will be the shutter speed - it has to be enough to freeze motion - if you want - and if you can't achieve that shutter speed with decent IQ results at high ISO... well, you'll be frustrated) Last edited by pbo; 01-21-2010 at 09:59 AM.

01-21-2010, 05:00 PM	#14
jmc7104 Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Rock Island, Illinois 61201 Photos: Gallery Posts: 436	Originally posted by Just1MoreDave It seems bright, until you have to use 1/250 for the shutter speed. Then it's probably going to seem dark to your camera. I just went out to my garage with a meter. It's 20'x20', with40???with 40 32 watt fluorescent bulbs and some sunlight coming in the windows. Ordinarily it seems extremely bright. I measured an average of Ev 8 on various objects. At ISO 1600 and 1/250 sec., that works out to f4, one stop short of where your zooms can reach. Surely this is a misprint?>40, that is 20/2 tube florescent lights in a 20x20 garage? jim

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01-21-2010, 10:03 AM	#3
Deiberson Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Photos: Albums Posts: 734 Original Poster	i have a k-x. so what shutter speed and iso is acceptable for you're typical high school gymnasium? just ballparks of course, i know is hard to predict.

01-21-2010, 10:06 AM	#4
Just1MoreDave Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Aurora, CO Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,340	The main problem will be lighting. You will start to wonder how anyone has ever taken any photos there, and why no one realizes they are just about in the dark. Limited light means you will want to use the 50/1.4, but limited range will make you want the 55-300. Unless you're really close or want a shot of the whole arena, you won't need the kit lens. Sporting events are where shutter speed is important. There will be a minimum speed for sharp photos; going slower will just make everyone blurry because of motion. If there's practice, you can use that to figure out a minimum speed by going slower until you see motion blur. Probably the minimum is 1/180 or 1/250. Then the arena lighting will probably force you to use the DA 55-300 wide open. If you use Tv mode, the camera will likely choose this for you. The ISO setting will depend on lighting too, probably around 1600.

01-21-2010, 10:11 AM	#5
Deiberson Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Photos: Albums Posts: 734 Original Poster	i would assume a high school gym for a high school wrestling match would be filled with lighting. i'm not talking about WWF stuff where the undertaker is being brought out in his casket to the ring. the ones i've been to have had every ceiling light on full blast.

01-21-2010, 10:11 AM	#6
pbo Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 891	Quote: i have a k-x. so what shutter speed and iso is acceptable for you're typical high school gymnasium? just ballparks of course, i know is hard to predict. Just1MoreDave´s advice about ISO and shutter speed is good. ISO1600 on K-x is very good, and 1/250 will more likely than not freeze motion, not sure about aperture - you should try figure it out on site, just take some shots, starting from camera-suggested aperture and going from there. Also, don't forget to set everything before action starts Like, WB and stuff. You don't want to take like a hundred pictures, and then notice they're all blue.

01-21-2010, 10:12 AM	#7
pbo Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 891	Quote: i would assume a high school gym for a high school wrestling match would be filled with lighting. i'm not talking about WWF stuff where the undertaker is being brought out in his casket to the ring. the ones i've been to have had every ceiling light on full blast. Oh, that wrestling If that is so, you might be able to lower ISO a bit (800?), and close aperture down - if you feel you want more dof. Don't change shutter speed.

01-21-2010, 10:16 AM	#8
Deiberson Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Photos: Albums Posts: 734 Original Poster	Originally posted by pbo Also, don't forget to set everything before action starts Like, WB and stuff. WB????dude, i'm just a beginner. that's one more thing for me to worry about. i've never used that in my life. i have no business messing around with that option.

01-21-2010, 10:20 AM	#9
pbo Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 891	Oh, okay, then just set it to AWB

01-21-2010, 11:54 AM	#10
PrimeObjectif Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: New York Photos: Albums Posts: 599	I shoot some of my brothers' wrestling meets, and you don't have to worry about always getting super fast shutter speeds since there are plenty of times when the wrestlers are locked up on the ground. Of course, it's great when you can freeze a takedown midair. You can usually get fairly close in a high school gym, so a lens from 50-135 should be fine. If you use the 50mm, step down at least to f/2.0 or 2.8 if you can (you want the shot to be in focus). If you use the 55-300, use it wide open. Boost your ISO--you can certainly get away with 1600 on a K-x. Get as close as possible. Try to get as low as possible and make sure you get the wrestlers' faces in the shot and you'll get take great photos!

01-21-2010, 12:20 PM	#11
wasser Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: northern ca Photos: Gallery Posts: 427	Originally posted by deiberson I'm attending a wrestling match tonight and figured I'd take the camera for some "practice". Anyone have any suggestions as to getting some good results? I'm guessing I'd want a fast shutter speed for tight action shots, so should I go with TV priority or Manual? I guess I was just wondering If I should be metering to 0 or if there was an exposure rule for indoor events. BTW....I only have the 55-300, 18-55 kit lens and my 50 1.4. I'm guessing the tele is the lens i'll be using unless i'm in the front row or want more dof, right? Thanks Kevin The telephoto doesn't give more DOF, that's a function of the lens, aperture, and it's distance to the subject. Online Depth of Field Calculator The telephoto will just get you closer to the action, but at the sacrifice of available speed. Originally posted by deiberson WB????dude, i'm just a beginner. that's one more thing for me to worry about. i've never used that in my life. i have no business messing around with that option. Isn't this your camera? Then you have every business messing with that option. WB isn't magical, it's a button (oversimplified I know). Take a picture and then press the WB button to see how things change. Play with it now, but do this at the venue though since the lighting is different. Find a setting you like and stick with it. This is especially important if you're shooting JPEG. Oh, and I shoot like pbo said in this situation - set it and forget it! Go manual, find the right exposure, and don't worry about it again unless you change something. Last, don't restrict your creativity by the convention of "stopping motion". My favorite shots of my girls playing basketball are the panning shots I took of them as they ran down the court. This is practice right? Think about how a blurred wrestler may actually add to the shot. Heck, you could even use the 55-300mm and zoom it on a longer exposure. Depending on how you frame it, it could be a very effective shot. Have fun!

01-21-2010, 12:27 PM	#12
Deiberson Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Photos: Albums Posts: 734 Original Poster	i was actually messing around with the wb options after writing that response. looks pretty simple. i'll post some shots for critique tomorrow.

01-21-2010, 12:45 PM	#13
Just1MoreDave Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Aurora, CO Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,340	Originally posted by deiberson i would assume a high school gym for a high school wrestling match would be filled with lighting. i'm not talking about WWF stuff where the undertaker is being brought out in his casket to the ring. the ones i've been to have had every ceiling light on full blast. It seems bright, until you have to use 1/250 for the shutter speed. Then it's probably going to seem dark to your camera. I just went out to my garage with a meter. It's 20'x20', with 40 32 watt fluorescent bulbs and some sunlight coming in the windows. Ordinarily it seems extremely bright. I measured an average of Ev 8 on various objects. At ISO 1600 and 1/250 sec., that works out to f4, one stop short of where your zooms can reach.

01-21-2010, 05:15 PM	#15
Just1MoreDave Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Aurora, CO Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,340	Originally posted by jmc7104 Surely this is a misprint?>40, that is 20/2 tube fluorescent lights in a 20x20 garage? jim Yep. I use 8' fixtures with 4 bulbs per fixture. Here's a photo that shows some of them. It's before I upgraded the last two fixtures - cheap two-bulb fixtures didn't last. With ordinary insulation, the lights will raise the temperature by about 1.5ºF per hour in the winter.