krs_2007 - proof that I am still alive thread - 2015
- Thread starter Krs_2007
- Start date
@Krs_2007
Kevin,
This weekend I will be shooting wrestling for the first time. No worries on shooting it, but would love some kernels of knowledge based on experience. So here are a few questions and any additional experience you can share would be appreciated.
1. The elevation your shooting from? I'm guessing you're kneeling. What do you find works best; on the ground, kneeling, or standing?
2. 1/500 is what I noticed for shutter speed. Is this a pretty reliable speed or would you push higher if you could without sacrificing image quality?
3. Hand holding or using a monopod?
4. Continuous focus with 9 points?
5. Any other stray points of experience wisdom from shooting wrestling?
Thanks Kevin
Kevin,
This weekend I will be shooting wrestling for the first time. No worries on shooting it, but would love some kernels of knowledge based on experience. So here are a few questions and any additional experience you can share would be appreciated.
1. The elevation your shooting from? I'm guessing you're kneeling. What do you find works best; on the ground, kneeling, or standing?
2. 1/500 is what I noticed for shutter speed. Is this a pretty reliable speed or would you push higher if you could without sacrificing image quality?
3. Hand holding or using a monopod?
4. Continuous focus with 9 points?
5. Any other stray points of experience wisdom from shooting wrestling?
Thanks Kevin
@Moab_Man
George,
9 point, nothing less than 1/500 and @ 2.8. I started bringing the ISO down and using EV to up it, which seems to be working. Once I found the 2500 ISO/EV +2 or 3 combo I stuck with it unless the gym was darker. Also Auto 1 on WB, I fix in post and I have ISO set to auto with 2500 being the upper limit. AF-C for sure
Lens choice is 70-200 2.8
So this is where it gets tricky and I know it works for High School level and down, never had the chance to shoot College level. But I generally get a feel for how the tournament is run by looking around and seeing what others are doing. If everyone is sitting in the stands then you won't be able to get close so find a spot around 5 rows back, bleachers closet to the matt you shooting and hope for others not to stand in your way, good luck if this is case.
Now what I found 9 out of 10 times is if you have a camera in your hands, then you look official. Ask one of the referees or maybe ask the team coach. You can also find a wall out of the way, away from the by 4-5 feet you are generally safe. But if you want the angle I get then you need to sitting down at wrestlers level.
Some would tell me to get in the stands, but I wait till they walked by and then I would just go back to doing what I was doing unless it my sons Coach.
I know everyone says focus on the eyes, not in sports, well at least not in wrestling. But remember in wrestling the head is just always on the focal plane as the wrestlers chest which is where I set the focus point too. I usually move the active point up to the first row from the default center position.
No mono pod or flash, I know people use them but things change so quick in a wrestling match. You will have different color singles, various colored mats, bright lights to very dim lights. I also dont like the shots done with flash, reminds me of a deer in a headlight shot.
So I used to shoot slower shutter speed to lower the ISO but I found that the above combo works really well for me. I have been to one or 2 gyms that I was able to bring the ISO down because it was brighter but I dont shoot less than 1/500. You might get some movement blur but its something close the fringe of the subject you are shooting and it adds to it for the most part.
So I have bad knees that dont allow me kneel for very long, so I just sit what we call indian style ( no offense to anyone ), with my feet under me and I put my elbow down on my legs to brace. This forms a bi-pod and very is stable and you can rotate very quickly.
The tricky part is to position yourself in a spot that you get a clean background, what out for lights that will get blowout, distracting areas of the gym and such. Scoreboards are elements of wrestling so I typically dont mind them.
Get there, find your spot and watch for the wrestlers to warm up. Then start taking some practice shots of that to get your settings lined out. If you do have to sit in the bleachers then get to a level that is shooting over people in front of you but not too high, then setup up your backpack, coat or whatever you have and spread out so no one can get close.
I'm only 5'8 but I can take up some serious room when it comes shooting sports or I can blend it. Which I think is part of the fun because I get asked, where were you, how did you get that shot, wow I thought you in the stands or something like that.
Remember, you can always adjust and tweak the pictures to offset for the low ISO and high shutter speed. I normally find one setting I like, then copy/past to the others and it speeds up PP. if you constantly tweeting the settings you may miss a shot and you have slowed your PP down.
Let me know if you have anything else.
George,
9 point, nothing less than 1/500 and @ 2.8. I started bringing the ISO down and using EV to up it, which seems to be working. Once I found the 2500 ISO/EV +2 or 3 combo I stuck with it unless the gym was darker. Also Auto 1 on WB, I fix in post and I have ISO set to auto with 2500 being the upper limit. AF-C for sure
Lens choice is 70-200 2.8
So this is where it gets tricky and I know it works for High School level and down, never had the chance to shoot College level. But I generally get a feel for how the tournament is run by looking around and seeing what others are doing. If everyone is sitting in the stands then you won't be able to get close so find a spot around 5 rows back, bleachers closet to the matt you shooting and hope for others not to stand in your way, good luck if this is case.
Now what I found 9 out of 10 times is if you have a camera in your hands, then you look official. Ask one of the referees or maybe ask the team coach. You can also find a wall out of the way, away from the by 4-5 feet you are generally safe. But if you want the angle I get then you need to sitting down at wrestlers level.
Some would tell me to get in the stands, but I wait till they walked by and then I would just go back to doing what I was doing unless it my sons Coach.
I know everyone says focus on the eyes, not in sports, well at least not in wrestling. But remember in wrestling the head is just always on the focal plane as the wrestlers chest which is where I set the focus point too. I usually move the active point up to the first row from the default center position.
No mono pod or flash, I know people use them but things change so quick in a wrestling match. You will have different color singles, various colored mats, bright lights to very dim lights. I also dont like the shots done with flash, reminds me of a deer in a headlight shot.
So I used to shoot slower shutter speed to lower the ISO but I found that the above combo works really well for me. I have been to one or 2 gyms that I was able to bring the ISO down because it was brighter but I dont shoot less than 1/500. You might get some movement blur but its something close the fringe of the subject you are shooting and it adds to it for the most part.
So I have bad knees that dont allow me kneel for very long, so I just sit what we call indian style ( no offense to anyone ), with my feet under me and I put my elbow down on my legs to brace. This forms a bi-pod and very is stable and you can rotate very quickly.
The tricky part is to position yourself in a spot that you get a clean background, what out for lights that will get blowout, distracting areas of the gym and such. Scoreboards are elements of wrestling so I typically dont mind them.
Get there, find your spot and watch for the wrestlers to warm up. Then start taking some practice shots of that to get your settings lined out. If you do have to sit in the bleachers then get to a level that is shooting over people in front of you but not too high, then setup up your backpack, coat or whatever you have and spread out so no one can get close.
I'm only 5'8 but I can take up some serious room when it comes shooting sports or I can blend it. Which I think is part of the fun because I get asked, where were you, how did you get that shot, wow I thought you in the stands or something like that.
Remember, you can always adjust and tweak the pictures to offset for the low ISO and high shutter speed. I normally find one setting I like, then copy/past to the others and it speeds up PP. if you constantly tweeting the settings you may miss a shot and you have slowed your PP down.
Let me know if you have anything else.
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@Moab_Man, One other thing and that is watch your weight classes. You lighter weights up to 170/182 will wrestle really fast and then weights above that will be a little slower and not a lot of action. The heavier weights typical lock up for a bit and will out of no where go for a throw, so be prepared for that.
As far as the really light weights, like 113 - 138, they will be like moving fast like spider monkeys so dont take you eye off the viewfinder.
This is assuming you are shooting High School, College weights are slightly different but the action is about the same.
As far as the really light weights, like 113 - 138, they will be like moving fast like spider monkeys so dont take you eye off the viewfinder.
This is assuming you are shooting High School, College weights are slightly different but the action is about the same.
Lovin Our Life
Senior Member
Good captures. In sports it's all about the facial expressions for me and you got some good ones.
Thanks for the tips. Fortunately, I should have access to matside - I used to coach the kid I'm there to shoot. Unfortunately, this wrestler is more of the spider monkey variety in speed and size so I may need to go for more zoom lol. Maybe even macro lens 
I have the same equipment as you so I figured I would plug in your settings as a base and then dial in for the conditions. I know it will be a high school gymnasium, but haven't seen the lighting.
With your setting did you have to do much clean up of noise?
I have the same equipment as you so I figured I would plug in your settings as a base and then dial in for the conditions. I know it will be a high school gymnasium, but haven't seen the lighting.
With your setting did you have to do much clean up of noise?
Thanks for the tips. Fortunately, I should have access to matside - I used to coach the kid I'm there to shoot. Unfortunately, this wrestler is more of the spider monkey variety in speed and size so I may need to go for more zoom lol. Maybe even macro lens
I have the same equipment as you so I figured I would plug in your settings as a base and then dial in for the conditions. I know it will be a high school gymnasium, but haven't seen the lighting.
With your setting did you have to do much clean up of noise?
Yea, I get the WB, exposure set in LR then go down to Noise Reduction and adjust Luminance and Color sliders to usually 30-40 but this amount varies per gym. I usually try to work it to where I dont have to do to much noise reduction because you loose details. Here is a snippet of the settings. You may find that you prefer different settings and with only shooting one wrestler you will have time to really tweak it. After noise I move to Sharpening and started using the Masking lately and it really helped to sharpen what I want sharpen. If you aren't familiar with the Masking, then hold down your alt key and move the slider it will show what the sharpening will be applied to.
I used to try and go to Nik Define for noise, but shooting the whole team with a few pictures of each wrestler in 3 or 4 different matches you end up with over a hundred photos and it was just too time consuming. You could get away with it for one wrestler.
Good idea, I need to spend more time with Actions. Something just doesn't sink in with those, but hopefully they will when I get around to finishing up my class on it.
In LR, I get the settings the way I like them with one shot then copy and paste to the other photos. After I get them all the same then I will go back through and fine tune, there is usually a few that need some extra tweaking. This is due to mat color, which if they have a yellow mat then have fun. Blue is really good and black will cause the photo's to be a little under exposed.
Good luck and will be waiting for you to share them. Its challenging but very rewarding when you hear back from the kids or parents. I also love seeing them shared on twitter and Instagram.
The hardest part (not that I can't) for me will be focusing on the task, photographing, because I am such a wrestling fan. I wrestled from age 5 to 24 here in the states and in Germany and to say I get into it is an understatement.
Maybe I missed it above, but due to variances that can happen, yellow/black mats causing over/under exposure I assume you stay away from any auto settings?
Maybe I missed it above, but due to variances that can happen, yellow/black mats causing over/under exposure I assume you stay away from any auto settings?
Oh if you wrestled then get ready for the biggest emotional roller coaster. My heart is pounding and I didn't wrestle, but its a easy sport to get into. My son has wrestled for 7 years, we really enjoyed it. Adrenaline is flowing, peaks and valleys. I am usually so exhausted from the ups and downs. And this goes for all our team, not just my son.
Yea, the only Auto is ISO and I set the limit at 2500. I have taken above that but after playing around with it this year I settled on Auto 2500 with a +2,3 EV. I have been able to capture more details at this level. You have to find a balance between quality and speed, quality of the image and speed of the subject.
If you mat colors do change then just chimp a bit and see if you need to adjust from +2 to +3 or even adjust your ISO. Just remember to readjust if you change mats again, been there done that.
I hear ya, hard to stay on top of all of them. I started this to show I am still alive, but I am now on a little bit of hiatus. I am having shoulder problems so I have to get through some PT before I will posting too many more. I have a torn labrum and inflamed bursa, which they gave me a cortisone shot yesterday for the bursa and I start PT tomorrow. It was kind of rough finishing up wrestling season with this and I need to get better before baseball kicks off. Hoping to avoid surgery at this point, but may be required.
Yes, look for the setup which comes with knowledge of the sport but also knowing the wrestler. For a lot of the throws I usually do a 3 shot burst but have been lucky enough, lets say caught off guard and was able to get it in one shot. So this reminds me I forgot to mention just this, make sure you are on CH because you will want to do burst because the action is fast. I laugh sometimes I get setup for a throw, ready to squeeze the trigger and then bam, the throw gets stuffed and it goes the other way. Thanks, I do post the better quality on my site and should have mentioned that first hand.
You should be fine with your experience and after you get back into the flow of the moves. The first few matches in the first round I usually have the kinks worked out and ready to roll, so dont be afraid to chimp ( review ) your images.