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Forum: Photographic Technique
10-12-2020, 07:04 PM
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Interception! (Oct 2020)
Avila University vs Bethany College
The Bethany quarterback (#10 in the background) looks on in dismay as his pass intended for wide receiver #11 is intercepted by an Avila defensive back.
I think that this is the first time that I've ever got a quarterback, his receiver, and a defender all together in a single shot!
Pentax K-3
SMC Pentax F* 300mm f/4.5
ISO 400 | 1/500 sec, f/8
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Forum: Photographic Technique
09-20-2020, 04:10 PM
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Contact! (Jun 2020)
All eyes are on the ball as it meets the bat in this summer high school baseball game.
The regular Spring seasons were cancelled due to the Covid-19 lockdown, so once the restrictions had eased a bit area coaches arranged a series of unofficial summer games for any players that might be interested. The games went well, with no reported infections among players or spectators.
Pentax K-3
Kalimar 500mm f/8 Pre-Set
ISO 1600 | 1/500 sec, f/16
Manual focus, single shot mode
(Note that there's an error in the EXIF data: it reports a 600mm lens because I accidentally clicked on the wrong number when I mounted the lens.)
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Forum: Photographic Technique
01-09-2019, 05:29 PM
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A Great Effort (Dec 2018)
Friends University vs Bethany College
A Bethany player jumps as high as she can at a full run to try to bring in a length-of-the-court pass from a teammate for an easy basket. Although it looks like she's got it in this photo, the long pass was a little too high and little too fast... it slipped through her hands.
Pentax K-70
SMC Pentax F 50mm f/1.7
ISO 6400 | 1/250 sec, f/4
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Forum: Photographic Technique
09-17-2018, 04:51 PM
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As a follow-up to the recent posts about how to learn to shoot football, I thought I'd share these photos.
In addition to shooting as many games as you can, shooting practice sessions or pre-game warmup drills can also give you valuable experience. For the photo on the left, I went out to the field a couple of hours before kickoff where a few players were running some passing drills just to limber up. In a situation like this, it's rather easy to get a good action shot, as you only have one player to follow.
I was practicing my timing, trying to take each photo just as the ball reached the receiver's hands. For a beginner, however, getting a shot like this can be a big confidence builder that you can potentially do the same thing in a game situation.
About four hours later, I got almost the same exact shot as the team made a pass into the end zone try to win the game. This was a much more difficult shot, made in a game situation in low light and with a manual-focus lens. There's nothing magical about consistently getting shots like this, nor do you need exotic uber-expensive equipment... you just need to practice, practice, practice!
left image:
Pentax K-70
SMC Pentax F* 300mm f/4.5
ISO 800 | 1/500 sec, f/8
right image:
Pentax K-70
Rokinon 85mm f/1.4
ISO 6400 | 1/250 sec, f/4
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Forum: Photographic Technique
09-05-2018, 09:13 PM
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jake14mw asked:
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1) What setting do you use for focus? I am trying to choose between center point and Auto 5
I tried using autofocus for sports with just a single center point but didn't like it... too many shots with the background in focus when it slides off of a player.
Auto 5 works much better for me.
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2) Do you use a Monopod?
Only if I'm shooting my 500mm; for 300mm and less I hand-hold. This is really just personal preference, however: some people can hand-hold a 500mm, and some use a monopod even for short teles.
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3) What mode do you shoot in? I have experimented with AV, M, and was thinking of TAV.
I almost always shoot sports on M. For night games, I set the exposure strictly by looking at the image histograms; I don't use the metering system at all.
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4) What's the highest ISO you use?
On my K-70 I use ISO 6400 a lot and it works great, but at ISO 12800 the image quality degrades too much for me.
This really depends a lot upon the camera. Your older K-5s may not work as well at 6400 as my newer K-70. But certainly try 6400 and see what you think.
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5) Advice on field positioning?
Don't stand too close to the field, and absolutely don't kneel down unless you are fast and agile. Football players, even in high school, can get to the sideline much faster than you might think, and you don't want to risk being injured in a collision.
Other than that, move around a lot and try different angles, and don't discount shooting from up in the grandstands.
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6) I am surprised by how difficult it is to keep up with the action on pass plays. You don't know where it's going, and getting focus on the eventual receiver is very tough!
Learn to predict, and let the action come to you, rather than simply react. Learn who your team's top receivers are, and learn the situations where the coach likes to call a pass play. Then, when you think a pass is coming, pick one of the good receivers and just follow him (don't watch the quarterback or anyone else). If you guessed right, you have a good chance to get a great shot. If you guessed wrong, you get nothing, but them's the breaks.
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7) What other tips do you have?
Shoot a lot of games! If your son is on the varsity, then shoot the JV games as well... they're good practice. If you have a college nearby then shoot some of their games as well (although some colleges may not let you shoot from the sidelines unless you have a press pass).
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Forum: Photographic Technique
08-29-2018, 05:37 PM
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Oklahoma City University vs Bethany College, Aug 2018
A Bethany College player has a golden scoring opportunity as he flies towards the OCU goalie at top speed.
Photo taken with a 40-year-old manual focus lens… who needs autofocus anyway?
Pentax K-70
SMC Pentax M 200mm f/4
ISO 400 | 1/750 sec, f/8
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Forum: Photographic Technique
05-25-2018, 05:07 PM
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Little Rock Rangers vs FC Wichita (May 2018)
A Wichita player gets a close look at the ball as he battles two Little Rock defenders.
Pentax K-70, SMC Pentax F* 300mm f/4.5
ISO 1600 | 1/500 sec, f/6.7
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Forum: Photographic Technique
04-29-2018, 12:30 PM
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A pole vault competitor at a high school track meet watches in dismay as she just fails to clear the bar cleanly (Apr 2018).
Pentax K-70, SMC Pentax DA 18mm-135mm f/3.5-f/5.6 Zoom
ISO 800 | 1/1000 sec, f/11 @ 53mm
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Forum: Photographic Technique
04-23-2018, 05:14 PM
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A participant in Girls' Javelin at a high school track meet looks towards her coach and reacts after making a good throw (Apr 2018).
Pentax K-70, SMC Pentax F* 300mm f/4.5
ISO 800 | 1/500 sec, f/8
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Forum: Photographic Technique
04-12-2018, 05:45 PM
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Bethany College vs Sterling College, Feb 2018
This was a great defensive effort to cleanly block a fast break layup from behind. The players involved are two of the top guards in their conference, which makes the photo even more special.
Pentax K-70, SMC Pentax FA 35mm f/2
ISO 3200 | 1/250 sec, f/4
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Forum: Photographic Technique
04-09-2018, 05:41 PM
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I recently purchased a Rokinon 85mm f/1.4, primarily to use in photographing night sports on dimly lit fields. I tried it out on a local team's Spring football game and it worked great, as you can see from the attached photos.
The Rokinon is a superb manual focus lens, so I had no trouble getting good action shots. I should note, however, that I spent 20 years photographing sports with manual focus lenses back in the film era, so manual focusing is a skill that I mastered long ago.
top:
This receiver clenches his fists in frustration after missing a wide-open pass. I had to ignore the ball, which seems to be coming directly towards me after deflecting off of his hands, to get this shot (the ball missed me, barely).
Pentax K-70, Rokinon 85mm f/1.4
ISO 400 | 1/500 sec, f/4
bottom:
Two defenders bring down a running back; one going high and one going low.
Pentax K-70, Rokinon 85mm f/1.4
ISO 1600 | 1/500 sec, f/3.5
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