Results 1 to 24 of 24
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Way East Tennessee
    Posts
    4,588

    Arrgggg... I hate shooting in gyms

    Traveling volleyball season is here. My daughter is on one of the teams and I have been running around trying to shoot pics for the club.

    We were in a large convention hall this weekend, 30 courts. Walls were white up to about 10 feet, cream white above that. Ceilings about 45 feet tall, black background with some sort of super bright flourescent lights in rows about interspersed with these argon can lights. Dividers between the rows of courts were black up to about 10 feet, then white. All in all a nightmare.

    Fighting the tungsten yellow glow coming from the lights and walls, seemed like every spot in the gym was different as far as lighting went.

    Shooting with the 7D and the 2.8 70-200 most of the time. Tried cranking up the ISO anywhere from 4000 to 6400. Tried both AV and TV settings, as well as manual. Manual was a disaster on action shots, OK on stills. Throw auto out the window. Finally got the floor shots to work pretty good. Point the lens up for any kind of net shot, blocking or attacking, and the damn lights washed everything out. Trying to keep the shutter around 400 or so to freeze the ball and body movements.

    I don't claim to know as much as many of you guys here, but if you have any suggestions, I would be appreciative.

    Every one is different, but his particular location gives me fits.

    Fortunately, was able to clean up a bunch with Picasa that were usable.

    This isn't my pic, but the a good shot to show the varying settings, colors and tempreatures of the facility.

    Ken

    In order to properly convert this thread to a polyasshat thread to more fully enrage the liberal left frequenting here...... (insert latest democratic blunder of your choice).

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Posts
    9,002
    Shutter priority 1/400+, IS set to 1, AF servo, crank your ISO as high as you are comfortable, piss and prey.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
    Location
    mmmbbbboulder
    Posts
    385
    Get a nice external flash and put a green gel on it to fight the florescent lights and freeze the action.

    Sent from my ADR6300 using TGR Forums

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Putney, VT
    Posts
    424
    With the 7D you can use auto ISO along with shutter priority to make life a little easier. The one thing it won't let you do which is a huge pain, is combine any exposure compensation with it.

    You could also do manual, f/2.8 1/400 and auto ISO. This way you know you're getting the shutter speed you need at the lowest possible ISO without underexposing.

    I really like the auto ISO while shooting manual for sports, just wish it let you use exposure compensation

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    in your second home, doing heroin
    Posts
    14,690
    Borrow that ref's step stool or get up in the bleachers.


    Make those chicks in the black shirts wear a different color.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Posts
    221
    Quote Originally Posted by nobueno View Post
    Get a nice external flash and put a green gel on it to fight the florescent lights and freeze the action.

    Sent from my ADR6300 using TGR Forums
    Do this...or bring a "Grey card" and place in one of the shots and then use that as your refernce for all color correction....

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    The bottom of LCC
    Posts
    5,750
    Fortunately, was able to clean up a bunch with Picasa that were usable.
    I don't have any tips for camera settings but maybe this is part of your problem. Are you shooting in RAW? You might have had better luck cleaning up more of them with LR or ACR.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Way East Tennessee
    Posts
    4,588
    Not shooting in RAW but ACR.

    Flash of any sort strictly prohibited.

    Sounds like the auto ISO feature may be the best tip I have had so far.

    Yeah, bleachers work infinitely better, unfortunately, only a few here. Most of the time we were relegated to being on the floor. Best shooting at these events usually comes in a gym with a running track at the top so you can shoot down.

    Tried the gray card/white card with not much success due to the varying conditions.

    Will bring pics of the 18's later.
    In order to properly convert this thread to a polyasshat thread to more fully enrage the liberal left frequenting here...... (insert latest democratic blunder of your choice).

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    27,308
    Quote Originally Posted by TNKen View Post
    Flash of any sort strictly prohibited.
    I would hope so! Blinding the opposing team is is frowned upon.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Sacramento
    Posts
    341
    Good to see some tips here, I'm shooting community college basketball at what'll probably be as bad of a gym this Friday. I'm hoping my D3s can make up for the lighting, and maybe I'll throw the 50 1.4 on my D300 body as a backup.

    Quote Originally Posted by Altmanator View Post
    With the 7D you can use auto ISO along with shutter priority to make life a little easier. The one thing it won't let you do which is a huge pain, is combine any exposure compensation with it.

    You could also do manual, f/2.8 1/400 and auto ISO. This way you know you're getting the shutter speed you need at the lowest possible ISO without underexposing.

    I really like the auto ISO while shooting manual for sports, just wish it let you use exposure compensation
    I like this suggestion, maybe I'll give it a shot. I've actually never tried auto-ISO, always been kind of afraid of it, haha. I think EV actually works for auto-ISO on Nikon in manual, I know adjusting EV affects TTL flash output. (Which for the Nikon guys here is a really cool trick when working with CLS remote flash, by the way, you can dial the power of the whole system up and down remotely with it.)

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Denvermolardo
    Posts
    69
    Quote Originally Posted by TNKen View Post
    Tried the gray card/white card with not much success due to the varying conditions.
    I'm not an expert in this area but I think that is because the actual color of the florescent lights changes as it cycles. So color cards usually don't work very well.

    Based on the photo above I would say that nothing is going to make that photo great because it is a wide-capture of the action with poor subject placement. Just zooming in on the action and getting a tight crop would result in a better photo. If you were down low head-on you would have been able to isolate the girl, the ball, and the opponents all on that white backdrop instead of loosing most of the action with a level shot against the black back-drop.

    The lighting sucks but at least there is a clean backdrop which is rare in any indoor sports shot.

    Also it helps to shoot and focus on one thing at a time in scenarios like this. For example if you set-up everything where you are just taking photos of the players from the side rebounding, etc then make sure all of the settings are good for that and shot just that exclusively until you get the shots that meet your objectives. Then move onto shooting shots at the net of blocks or spikes, etc. If you sit in one spot and try to shoot every piece of action then you end up chasing the action and missing photos instead of focusing in on a few goals.

    The awesome thing about shooting in environments like this means that you have a lot of chances to practice.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Way East Tennessee
    Posts
    4,588
    Quote Originally Posted by Vandeezy View Post
    For example if you set-up everything where you are just taking photos of the players from the side rebounding, etc then make sure all of the settings are good for that and shot just that exclusively until you get the shots that meet your objectives. Then move onto shooting shots at the net of blocks or spikes, etc. If you sit in one spot and try to shoot every piece of action then you end up chasing the action and missing photos instead of focusing in on a few goals.
    This is typically what I try to do. With this particular lighting, it is just difficult to shoot. And add to the problem there is no riser to help get on plane with the shot, it's a nightmare. I shoot serves, defensive plays, blocking, setting and attacks. Then throw in the random team shots and invidivual candid's, huddle's etc.

    I just hate and struggle in this particular setting. I'll try to put up a few pics.

    Ken
    In order to properly convert this thread to a polyasshat thread to more fully enrage the liberal left frequenting here...... (insert latest democratic blunder of your choice).

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Revelstoke
    Posts
    670
    Vandeezy's tips are good. I've shot a few high school volleyball games before (the joys of working for a small town newspaper). One thing I noticed pretty quickly is that there's always one or two players they'll try to set up for the smash on every play. Have your camera set up for the optimal settings to capture that one player. Find the best spot to shoot from - either on the floor near them or from higher up in the stands.

    Try out different metering modes to see which one works best for the lighting and then stick with that one. Use 1/400 shutter speed (you may be able to get away with 1/250) and the highest ISO you're comfortable with. And, of course, set the camera on rapid fire mode and fire away.

    Quote Originally Posted by Vandeezy View Post
    Based on the photo above I would say that nothing is going to make that photo great because it is a wide-capture of the action with poor subject placement. Just zooming in on the action and getting a tight crop would result in a better photo.
    Wide shots can be good, but they have to be from the right angle:


  14. #14
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Way East Tennessee
    Posts
    4,588
    Great shot. I typically try to get more individual that overall shots. Went through and cleaned up a bunch last night. Will post a few tonight.

    BTW, I have coached for 9 years, and would have a lot to say to both of those teams!!
    In order to properly convert this thread to a polyasshat thread to more fully enrage the liberal left frequenting here...... (insert latest democratic blunder of your choice).

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    27,308


    Everyone seems to be leaning slightly to the right! Definitely a cool shot, though, with all the attention on the girl about to spike the ball. Too bad about those fucking doors on the back wall

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Stuck in perpetual Meh
    Posts
    35,247
    Why'd you put so much ceiling in that shot? It says nothing and you miss out on 1/2 the action.

    Rule of 3rds, dood. The Ball should be on the upper 3rd line, not centered, or at the very least the net should be centered in the middle, not the lower 3rd.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    NYC
    Posts
    2,003
    I thought all you needed to shoot girls volleyball was a nice zoom.
    ...And the greatest ice must crumble when it's flower's time to grow.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Way East Tennessee
    Posts
    4,588
    Cleaned up some with Picasa.

    320 or 400 doesn't always get a freeze on the ball. And cranking up the ISO results in so much grain. I guess it is a trade-off, and still better than film!!














    In order to properly convert this thread to a polyasshat thread to more fully enrage the liberal left frequenting here...... (insert latest democratic blunder of your choice).

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Denvermolardo
    Posts
    69
    I would invest in some photo editing software. Lightroom 3 is an excellent product that gives you advanced control over grain and has features that will help with a lot of your photos. Picasa is very simple and not very good outside of extreme basics in comparison.

    You have several grand invested in equipment and lighthroom 3 is currently ~$150 so I would think the investment would be a no-brainer.

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Way East Tennessee
    Posts
    4,588
    Quote Originally Posted by Vandeezy View Post
    You have several grand invested in equipment and lighthroom 3 is currently ~$150 so I would think the investment would be a no-brainer.
    Truer words were never spoken. How tough to learn to operate?
    In order to properly convert this thread to a polyasshat thread to more fully enrage the liberal left frequenting here...... (insert latest democratic blunder of your choice).

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Stuck in perpetual Meh
    Posts
    35,247
    Which 70-200 do you have? If IS then turn it on and set to "Mode 2" which lets you pan without correction.

    Picasa scrubbed all the pertinent exif data from your files. Are you shooting in RAW?

    Lightroom is awesome. Relatively intuitive to use, but there are shit-tons of instructional videos for it HERE and on Youtube. Your pix (especially the one with the girl holding her cheeks) would benefit from the white balance and noise reduction filters at the very least. Increase the blacks a bit, add a little Contrast, maybe bump the saturation a little and you have a different image.

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Stuck in perpetual Meh
    Posts
    35,247
    For Example:


  23. #23
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    Seattle
    Posts
    27,308
    I don't really like the after, Tippster. I'm seeing weird artifacts around her eyes and hair.

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    Stuck in perpetual Meh
    Posts
    35,247
    Yeah, all I had to work with was his low rez original. With a full RAW file you can do so much... alas.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •